Grilled Skirt Steak with Chimi Sauce

Skirt steak is a cut of beef steak, from the plate. It is a long, flat cut that is prized for its flavor rather than tenderness. Sometimes flank steak is used interchangeably with skirt steak, but it is a different cut of meat. When done right, skirt is the steak of the gods, and luckily for us, preparing it to heavenly results is well within reach for anyone with a grill.

Ingredients

• Cilantro, fresh  ·  2 cups 
• Parsley, fresh  ·  2 cups 
• Extra Virgin Olive oil  ·  ½ cup 
• Malbec, Tango red wine  ·  3 tablespoons 
• Balsamic Vinegar  ·  1 tablespoon 
• Peppers, jalapeños, roasted and peeled  ·  2 
• Garlic clove  ·  1 
• Salt, as required by your taste  ·   
• Pepper, freshly ground  ·  1 teaspoon 
• Skirt steak  ·  5 pounds 

Instructions

Season steaks with salt and pepper and allow to rest for about one hour.

Make the sauce using a blender. Blend all of the ingredients except the steak plus 2 tablespoons water and season with salt to taste.

Skirt steak needs intense heat so use a grill or a very hot cast iron pan. A grill provides the best surface area for this long, flat steak with a lot of surface area to develop a uniform seared surface. You will need to sear the steak quickly before it cooks all the way through, however be careful not to overcook the center, easy to do with such a thin steak. Skirt will sear in minutes on each side, while finishing medium rare to medium in the center. Do not attempt to cook the skirt “over medium” because it will develop a chewy texture.

Heat grill to very high. Grill to desired doneness, about 4 minutes per side.

Once the skirt is done grilling, it needs to rest for ten-minutes after which it can be sliced. Because it has elongated muscle fibers Skirt steak must only be cut across the grain. First cut a four inch section with the grain. Then, slice each of those sections into thin strips about ¼-inch thick against the grain. This will ensure you have the shortest muscle fibers, creating a tender, flavorful steak to then serve with the sauce and a Williamson Tango Malbec.