Skirt Steak
Skirt steak is a long, thin strip of muscle from the diaphragm (outside skirt) or the inner belly wall (inside skirt), in the plate section of beef. It is loose-grained, well marbled and very flavourful, and cooks in minutes over high heat.
US: Skirt steak · UK: Skirt · EU (NL): Skirt steak · TR: no common name
Quick facts
Primal: Plate
Tenderness: Tender if sliced thin
Fat: Well marbled
Price: Mid (outside skirt costs more)
Best: Grill hot, fajitas
What is skirt called in other countries?
| United States | Outside skirt (diaphragm) and inside skirt. Used for fajitas and carne asada. |
|---|---|
| United Kingdom | Skirt; thin skirt (the diaphragm) |
| France | Hampe |
| Germany | Saumfleisch; Kronfleisch (diaphragm, southern Germany and Austria) |
| Netherlands | No standard name; sold as skirt steak |
| Spain / Argentina | Entraña |
| Mexico | Arrachera |
| Turkey | No standard name; sold as skirt steak |
| Trade codes | IMPS 121C (outside skirt), 121D (inside skirt) |
Names and cut lines vary by country and by butcher, so ask for the cut by description if the name doesn't match. Dutch and Turkish names are common butcher usage; there is no official Turkish retail cut standard. How we name cuts
Texture, fat and price
Outside skirt is thicker, more tender and harder to find, because much of it goes to restaurants. Inside skirt is wider and a bit chewier. Both have a coarse grain that runs across the width of the strip, and a tough membrane that should be removed. Their loose texture soaks up marinades well.
How to cook skirt
- Grill hot
- Pan-sear
- Fajitas
- Marinate
- Peel off any membrane. Cut the long strip into pieces that fit your pan or grill.
- Season or marinate (30 minutes to a few hours; it is thin, so it takes flavour fast).
- Cook over the hottest heat you have, 2–3 minutes a side, to medium-rare or medium.
- Rest 5 minutes. Cut each piece into shorter lengths, then slice thinly across the grain.
Skirt cooking temperatures
| Stage | Centre temperature |
|---|---|
| Rare | 49–52 °C (120–125 °F) |
| Medium-rare | 54–57 °C (130–135 °F) |
| Medium | 57–63 °C (135–145 °F) |
Take the meat off the heat 2–3 °C before your target; it keeps rising while it rests. The USDA's safe minimum for beef steaks and roasts is 63 °C (145 °F) with a 3-minute rest. Lower temperatures are common for steak but sit below that guideline.
Skirt nutrition facts
Per 100 g, raw. USDA description: “Beef, plate steak, boneless, outside skirt, separable lean and fat, trimmed to 0" fat, all grades, raw”.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g |
|---|---|
| Energy | 232 kcal |
| Protein | 18 g |
| Total fat | 17.6 g |
| Saturated fat | 7.14 g |
| Cholesterol | 71 mg |
| Sodium | 65 mg |
| Iron | 3.42 mg |
Figures are for outside skirt. USDA’s inside skirt entry (FDC ID 172158) is a separate entry and differs slightly.
Source: USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 173400. Cooking removes water, so values per 100 g of cooked meat are higher. Actual values vary with the animal, grade and trim.
Recipes
Carne Asada (Grilled Skirt Steak)
Mexican-style carne asada: skirt steak marinated in lime, orange, garlic and chili, grilled over a very hot…
Grilled Flank Steak with Chimichurri
Flank steak grilled hot and sliced thin, served with fresh Argentine chimichurri made with parsley, oregano,…
Compare
Related cuts
Flank (leaner and thicker, from further back) · Hanger (another “butcher’s cut” from the same area) · Plate (the section skirt comes from)
Sources
- USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Chart.
- USDA Agricultural Marketing Service, Institutional Meat Purchase Specifications (IMPS), Series 100: Fresh Beef.
- USDA Agricultural Research Service, FoodData Central.