How long do you grill wagyu skirt steak?

About two to three minutes per side over a hot, direct fire. Skirt is thin — usually around half an inch — so it cooks fast. Pull at 125 to 130°F for medium rare and don't take it past medium, or it turns chewy.

Can I cook wagyu skirt steak indoors without a grill?

Yes. A ripping-hot cast iron skillet gives you the same hard crust and the same fast cook — about two to three minutes a side. Open a window and run the fan, because wagyu skirt renders a lot of fat and will smoke. A broiler on high works too.

Do you need to marinate wagyu skirt steak?

No. Marinades are a workaround for tougher, less flavorful skirt. Wagyu skirt is so marbled and beefy that salt and pepper is all it needs — anything more just covers up what you paid for.

Why is my skirt steak chewy?

Almost always one of two things: it was overcooked, or it was sliced with the grain instead of against it. Keep it at medium rare to medium, and slice thin, straight across the muscle fibers. Those two fixes solve nearly every chewy skirt steak.

Wagyu Skirt Steak (Grilled or Cast Iron, Just Salt & Pepper)

Description

The most flavorful cut on the case, cooked the simplest way there is — wagyu skirt steak seared hard and fast over a hot grill (or in a screaming-hot cast iron skillet), seasoned with nothing but salt and pepper, and sliced thin against the grain. Steakhouse flavor in under ten minutes.

Ingredients

Scale

1 wagyu skirt steak (about 1 to 1.5 lbs), roughly 1/2 inch thick
1 tablespoon avocado oil or grapeseed oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
Flaky finishing sea salt, to serve (Florida Pure Sea Salt Pure Flaked)

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Instructions

Take the skirt steak out of the fridge 30 minutes before cooking. Pat it completely dry with paper towels.
Rub the steak all over with the avocado oil.
Season both sides with the kosher salt and black pepper.
Heat a grill (or cast iron skillet) over high heat until very hot — a grill should be ripping hot, a skillet should just begin to smoke.
Lay the steak down and sear without moving it for 2 to 3 minutes, until a deep brown crust forms.
Flip the steak and sear the second side for 2 to 3 minutes. If grilling, slide it to a cooler zone if flare-ups jump up.
Check the internal temperature in the thickest part. Pull at 125 to 130°F for medium rare.
Move the steak to a board and rest for 5 minutes.
Find the direction of the long muscle fibers. Slice the steak thin, straight across the grain, on a slight angle.
Sprinkle the sliced steak with flaky sea salt and serve.

Notes

Pull early — skirt is thin and keeps cooking as it rests. Pulling at 125–130°F lands medium rare. Don't take skirt past medium; it turns chewy.
Slicing against the grain is the most important step. With the grain, even wagyu skirt is chewy; across the grain, it's tender.
Wagyu skirt renders a lot of fat. On a grill, keep a cooler zone for flare-ups. Indoors, run the vent fan.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 8 minutes
Category: Dinner
Method: Grill
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: about 6 oz