How to Pan-Fry a Beef Outside-Skirt Steak (11 Steps)

Inside- and outside-skirt steaks seem interchangeable at first glance, but if you want tenderness and beefy flavor, you want outside-skirt. Inside-skirt comes from core muscles inside the ribs and needs to be braised for palatability. Outside-skirt comes from the diaphragm on the outside of the ribs and has moderate fat and tenderness, making it the go-to cut for pan-fried dishes like fajitas. Although you have a little more prep work with outside-skirt -- you have to peel off a membrane -- it only takes a couple minutes and is worth the tenderness you get in return.

Things You'll Need

Marinade (optional)
Frying oil, such as canola or sunflower

Cast-iron skillet or stainless-steel frying pan
Instant-read thermometer

Instructions

Marinade the skirt steak in the refrigerator for up to 12 hours in your marinade of choice, if desired. You don't have to get fancy, unless you want to; a few tablespoons of olive oil and a few spoons of Worcestershire or soy sauce pack a flavorful umami punch and require little work.
Take the steak from the marinade about 30 minutes before you start so it can warm up. Pat the steak dry.
Position the steak on the work surface so the side with the membrane faces up. Work the tip of a sharp knife into a corner of the steak between the membrane and the meat and loosen enough of it to grab with your fingers.
Peel the membrane from the meat, using the knife to help detach it as you go. You won't get the membrane off in one piece, but you can remove it in two or three strips if you work slowly. When a strip of membrane comes off, loosen another portion of it and repeat. Continue until you peel all the membrane off.
Turn the steak over again on the work surface and trim off any loose, hanging fat or connective tissue. Season the steak to taste if you didn't use a salty marinade.
Pour about 1/4 inch of frying oil in a heavy-bottomed cast-iron skillet or stainless-steel frying pan and set it on the stove over medium heat. Let the frying oil warm up until it looks like it ripples.
Pat the steak dry one more time with a paper towel. Lay the steak in the skillet, using tongs.
Pan-fry the steak for 3 to 4 minutes on each side for medium rare, or until it reaches 130 degrees Fahrenheit. Pan-fry the skirt for 4 to 5 minutes on each side for medium, or until it reaches 135 F. Turn the steak over every 3 or 4 minutes.
Transfer the steak to a plate lined with paper towels and rest it for about 5 minutes. Move the steak to a carving board.
Look at the steak to see which direction the striations, or the grain, runs. On skirt steaks, the grain runs crosswise, not lengthwise. Position the knife perpendicular to the grain. Slice the steak into thin slices at a sharp angle. Slicing the steak at an angle gives you the most tender bite. Make the slices no wider than 1/4 inch for maximum tenderness.
Serve the steak as is or as a topping for a salad, fajita, taco or sandwich.

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