You’re probably familiar with the porterhouse, sirloin and T-bone — the celebrities of the steakhouse menu. Choose any of these for a sumptuous dining-out experience.
However, you’re probably not going to find a steak with the quality of restaurant meat in a supermarket, at least not at an affordable price. Instead, you can opt for one of the less-expensive staples of the home kitchen: skirt steak or flank steak. These cuts demand a little more attention to bring out their best eating qualities, but be assured that either the flank steak or skirt steak will reward you with delicious flavor if you put the time into preparation.
If you aren’t familiar with these cuts, here’s what to look for. Both steaks are long strips, which are easy to confuse in the meat case.
m The skirt steak, which is the diaphragm muscle, is about ½-inch thick to almost transparent in spots. It’s speckled with fat, which accounts for its rich flavor.
m The flank steak, a thicker — about an inch — and leaner piece of meat, comes from the area between the ribs and hip.
Because each cut is used in a specific beef dish, you may see the meat advertised by the name of the dish as well as the meat cut. Skirt steak is what you’d use in fajitas, and flank steak is also called London broil (although round steak and sirloin tip can be used for this dish as well).
Flank steak improves in texture if you marinate it first. I don’t think it’s necessary to marinate skirt steak but recommend not overcooking it. The steak should be red to pink in the center to prevent toughness.
When you serve either steak, slice the meat on the diagonal across the grain. This not only looks attractive, but also severs the tough meat fibers.
This recipe for skirt steak is excellent broiled or grilled. Don’t overcook and don’t slice the meat until it rests.
Skirt steak with plum salsa
Plum salsa (recipe follows)
12 ounces skirt steak, about ½-inch thick
1 garlic clove, crushed
1½ teaspoons fresh lemon or lime juice
Salt and pepper to taste
Prepare plum salsa and set aside. Place steak on rack of broiler pan. Rub steak with garlic on one side. Sprinkle with lemon (or lime) juice. Season with salt and pepper.
Broil 4 inches from heat for 3 to 4 minutes on first side. Turn over and broil an additional 3 to 4 minutes for medium doneness.
Remove steak from broiler. Let stand for 5 minutes. Slice skirt steak on a diagonal and serve with plum salsa on the side.
Makes 2 servings.
Note: Skirt steak may also be grilled.
PLUM SALSA
2 large ripe black plums, pitted and diced
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 shallot, minced
1 tablespoon minced jalapeno chili (1 small chili)
1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro
Salt and pepper to taste
Combine plums, brown sugar, lemon juice, shallot, chili and cilantro in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Let stand for 10 minutes for flavors to blend.
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