The unusual steak cut Lennox Hastie selects for sizzling summer barbecues
Skirt, hanger and flank steaks are often considered the unsung heroes of the meat world and can offer a lot more bang for your buck.
Summer is all about simplicity, allowing us to indulge in effortless entertaining that embraces the unfettered rhythm of the season. The key to this, as always, is in the beauty of fresh produce, locally sourced and bursting with flavour. A trip to the market at this time of year reveals a treasure trove of seasonal delights: blushing tomatoes, fragrant herbs, a colourful array of peppers and golden sweetcorn. Light, fresh and easy; our outdoor lifestyle is perfectly suited to firing up the barbecue and grilling a great piece of meat or fish, served alongside a vibrant salad.
Skirt, hangar and flank steaks are often considered the unsung heroes of the meat world and can offer a lot more bang for your buck. These cuts come from the abdominal area of the animal, which means they tend to be tougher than many more common ones, but when cooked quickly over a hot grill they’re transformed into something magical. Thanks to the hard-working nature of the muscles they are also full of flavour, with a rich satisfying beefiness. My personal preference is for the longer, thinner outside skirt as it is often more tender and well-marbled than the inside skirt or flank. It also has a greater surface area and a lightly pleated appearance (from where it gets its name), which in turns results in the potential for greater caramelisation and therefore more flavour from the grill.
Either way, you will want to ensure that you serve it medium-rare or rare, as cooking it further will render the meat too tough. The art of grilling these cuts lies in the timing and the temperature; you need a brief sear over a high heat to achieve that perfect caramelised crust while maintaining the steak’s tender juiciness. The flavour of the fire is further enhanced with a delicious dressing made from charred spring onions, which seeps into all the pleats of the skirt as it is resting.
Skirt steak is often prized in Mexican cuisine as “carne asada” and served alongside a vibrant condiment known as pico de gallo, which offers a refreshing contrast to the richness of the beef. Try that recipe here.
Perfect barbecued skirt steak
Ingredients
- 800g skirt, flank or hanger steak (silverskin removed)
- 1 bunch flowering garlic chives, see note
- 1 lime, halved
- Sea salt
For the dressing
- 1 bunch spring onions
- 120ml grapeseed oil
- 5g gochujang (fermented Korean red chilli paste), optional
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 30ml sherry vinegar
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- Sea salt, to taste
Method
- Remove your steak from the fridge and allow to come to room temperature.
- Fire up your grill or barbecue to a high heat. Toss the spring onions with 10ml of oil and place on the grill until charred, blackened and completely dry. Season with sea salt and allow to cool slightly. To make the dressing, combine the charred spring onions, oil, gochujang, soy, vinegar, sugar and salt. It is fine to add the spring onions whole as they are charred and crispy and will break up. Blend until smooth, seasoning to taste, and reserve.
- On a high heat, use tongs to brush the skirt steak across the grill 2-3 times to season the grill. Place the steak on the grill and immediately season with sea salt. Grill for 2-3 minutes, moving the steak intermittently to avoid bar marks and to allow the surface to caramelise to a rich crust. Turn the steak, seasoning with salt again, and grill for 1-2 minutes. Remove the steak from the grill, spoon over half of the dressing and let it rest for 4-5 minutes, allowing the juices to redistribute throughout the meat. Grill the garlic chives and char the lime halves.
- Cut the steak into thin strips across the grain, and place on top of the garlic chives. Spoon over the resting juices, adding further dressing and a squeeze of charred lime.
Note: garlic chives should be available at your green grocer. If not, replace with spring onions.
Serves 2-3