This awesome, fast and easy skirt steak recipe with all-purpose steak rub and chimichurri sauce can be made in 30 minutes or less, start to finish! (Jump directly to the recipe.)
This blog probably makes the follow sentiment utterly unnecessary to write, but I love food. Most of my friends know this so I end up being the guy that a lot of people ask for restaurant recommendations in San Francisco. Hey Irvin, where should I eat when I’m in town? Hey let’s get brunch, you decided on the place! Any suggestion for the best bakery in San Francisco? But what most people don’t get is that as much as I love to sample food from around the city, I rarely do it. I tend to make food at home a lot, and with my freelance projects, this blog and the cookbook I’m writing, I’m always looking for food that I can make fast at home. Lately that means my simple steak rub recipe for a skirt steak and a little chimichurri sauce for AJ and me. Dinner in 30 minutes and a fancy looking one at that.
The best thing about this skirt steak recipe is that most of the ingredients for the rub are found in your pantry (or can be picked up at a regular grocery store) and made ahead of time if you really want to. In fact, I tend to double the rub recipe and save it in an empty spice jar or ziplock bag. It’s super versatile and keeps for a while.
Of course, while the steak is grilling, the chimichurri sauce is pretty easy to make, but you can also make it ahead of time too. We tend to grill double the amount of steaks and save the leftovers steak for other meals. It’s great in a sandwich or on a salad, which means I can whip up two or three meals for the week out of cooking dinner just once. Perfect for me since I’ve got to get back to baking that pie…for the fifth time in row.
Skirt Steak Recipe with All Purpose Steak Rub and Chimichurri Sauce
By Irvin Lin
This fast and easy steak rub recipe is my go to recipe for quick grilling, especially on cuts like skirt steak, flank steak and flap steak. Right now my favorite cut of beef is flap steak, sometimes called flap meat or bavette steak. It’s becoming more common and I’ve seen it Whole Foods but if you can’t find it, the more common skirt steak or flank steak works just as well. You may need to adjust the cook time though with the different steaks and their thicknesses. Don’t overcook the meat though, as these cuts get pretty tough beyond medium rare.
[Editor’s Note: Someone mentioned that the rub was way too spicy because of the large amount of chili powder. Chili powder comes in different strengths of heat. The one I use is a chili powder blend by McCormick, a commonly found brand at most grocery stores. It’s is not very hot but has a nice savory note with a little bit of heat. Do not substitute cayenne powder or chili pepper flakes for the chili powder, it will be too spicy. You may want to add less chili powder first and add more after tasting if you are sensitive to spicy food.]
Ingredients
Steak Rub
1-2 tablespoons chili powder (see editor’s note above)
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar or coconut palm sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
2 lbs skirt steak brought to room temperature
1 tablespoon olive oil
Chimichurri sauce
1/2 cup Italian parsley leaves
1/4 cup cilantro leaves
2 teaspoon red chili flakes
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced or forced through a press
1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
Directions
1. Lightly oil your grill grates then heat the grill to high. Combine all the steak rub ingredients together in a medium bowl and toss with a fork until uniform in color. Taste the rub and adjust salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle half the olive oil over one side of the steak and rub steaks until they are shiny all over with oil. Sprinkle with half the rub generously on the steak and rub into the steak meat. Repeat on the other side.
2. Once the grill is heated up, place the steak on the grill and cover. Cook for 4-6 minutes per side or until medium rare (check out Simply Recipes guide on how to finger feel the doneness of meat). Try not to over cook the meat past medium rare. Take the meat off the grill and let it rest on a plate for 10 minutes before slicing into it.
3. While the steak is resting on the plate, make the chimichurri sauce by chopping the parsley and cilantro leaves finely. Place in a medium bowl and add the remaining ingredients and toss with a fork. Taste and adjust salt and pepper to taste. Serve the steak with the chimichurri sauce on the side or over it.
Serves 4 people.
If you like this grilled skirt steak recipe with chimichurri sauce check out these other great steak recipes from around the web:
The Wanderlust Kitchen’s Skinny Vietnamese Steak Salad
Baked Bree’s Flank Steak with Garlic Butter Sauce
Food Republic’s Beer and Brown Sugar Ribeye Steak Recipe
My Man’s Belly’s Brazilian Flank Steak
No Recipe’s Steak with Brie
Christine from Cook the Story says
May 26, 2014 at 7:06 amThis looks SO flipin’ delicious!
Millie l Add A Little says
May 26, 2014 at 7:18 amWhat a gorgeous looking hunk of steak! The chimichurri looks fab too!
http://addalittl.wordpress.com
tom says
May 26, 2014 at 7:28 pmWe burned our mouths with the rub because of the high concentrates of chili powder. You probably meant 2 teaspoons and not 2 tablespoons?
Irvin says
May 27, 2014 at 12:09 pmYikes! I’m so sorry to hear that. I actually DID use 2 tablespoons of chili powder in my rub, but the brand of chili powder I used is a blend (not pure ground chili) and is more savory than spicy. I’ve put an editor’s note about the brand I used as well as a warning on adjusting the seasoning because ever chili blend spice is different. I apologize for that!
Dan Sullivan says
May 26, 2014 at 7:59 pmI’m craving for steak. This give me an idea to make my own version. Thanks for posting. This grilled skirt steak recipe with chimichurri sauce is great. We can check out these other great steak recipes from around the web.
Mrs. Leal from CookingHat says
May 27, 2014 at 9:58 amThat looks amazing! I love steaks and I haven’t had one in a while… I’m definitely going to try this recipe 🙂
Eileen says
May 27, 2014 at 10:09 amCooking at home is definitely the best way to eat–especially when you have to pay SF rent (I say from smack in the middle of Silicon Valley). It’s so satisfying to be able to make exactly what you want, isn’t it? Than chimichurri sauce sounds wonderful!
tom says
May 27, 2014 at 12:19 pmAs to my prior.comment I may be using a high powered chili powder ( i dont know the brand) and also I tend to put on too much rub so that could be my problem as well. The point is when adding chili powder suit to taste. Loved the chimichurri sauce that did temper the spicy rub. Thanks for mentioning not all chili powders are the same. I need to experiment with other varieties. I also want to say I agree that if you cook past medium rare flank steak starts getting tough.
Thank you for the recipe.
Irvin says
May 27, 2014 at 12:27 pmThank you for the comment! I love getting feedback like that. It helps me clarify things on the recipe so other people don’t run into those issues!
Pat Fusco says
May 27, 2014 at 12:41 pmLove skirt steak — there’s one in my fridge right now. By the way, Mexican markets are good sources for flap steak (took me a while to work that out). I don’t grill often, as a singleton, but these work beautifully on a ridge cast iron pan on the stove top. (My friend and I call them “gridge pans” since I connected grill/ridged in a conversation one day.)
Irvin says
May 29, 2014 at 6:54 pmActually… I used a ridged cast iron grill pan for this recipe! (shhh…don’t tell. Our grill is dead and we haven’t bought a new one yet). But it works both on the grill and on the grill pan. And I should look for flap meat in Mexican markets! I buy most of our meat at BiRite Market which sells the flap meat under a nicer, Bavette steak.
Also, I love “gridge pan”!
Belinda Chiu says
May 28, 2014 at 6:59 pmWho doesn’t love a good chimichurri sauce??
Chelsea says
May 28, 2014 at 9:52 pmThis looks fantastic and had me salivating for steak. Love the composition of the photo just above the recipe card too!
Out of curiosity, that pie for the fifth time: why so many? Are they not perfect yet, or are you repeating to be sure the recipe has consistent results? What happens to pies 1-4? I’m sure you and AJ don’t eat them all (though you might want to!). I’m always finding myself waiting weeks – sometimes months! – in between recipe testing for the same dessert item to prevent overindulgence.
Irvin says
May 29, 2014 at 6:48 pmHa! I usually make AJ take the pies to his work (he’s a teacher, he has tons of students that eat my leftover baked goods). And yes, I’ve been known to make pies five or more times to really get it right. The one I’m working on is a cream pie. So I have to balance the flavor with the custard stiffness. I keep on making it too starchy and thick or too thin and runny and every time I get it close to the right consistency, the flavor is dulled or off. So it’s a lot of tinkering trying to hit the perfect balance!
Chelsea says
May 29, 2014 at 9:35 pmAh, I didn’t know AJ was a teacher! I am too – that’s one of the best things about working on a campus: other people are usually hungry for homemade goodies. But when it’s summer and I’m off, I don’t have a workroom to bring my offerings to anymore.
Thanks for the response. As the recipe developing bug gets me more and more, I find myself curious about other people’s process.
Marta says
May 29, 2014 at 2:13 pmIt’s almost midnight here and I’m looking at these pictures awwwwwwww I think I know what I’m going to eat this weekend 🙂
Jessica says
November 1, 2014 at 4:34 pmI have made this about 4 times now and I have passed it on to a few of my friends. It is crazy good. The flavors are amazing.
Irvin says
November 3, 2014 at 1:38 pmYay! I’m so glad to hear that!! Thanks for letting me know you use it and love it! Totally made my day.
sarah rubin says
November 11, 2014 at 8:31 pmthis looks delicious ! Q. can the Chimichurri sauce be made a few days in advance?
Suzanne says
January 26, 2015 at 8:10 amI made this recipe last night for my family and we absolutely loved it. I didn’t use all of the rub – probably only 1/3 of it, but saved the rest for another time. The Chimichurri was divine and complemented the steak perfectly. Can’t wait to make this again. I’m so thrilled to have found your website!
Audrey says
February 21, 2015 at 1:07 pmI made this the other night and it was fantastic. Snowy winter, so I used a grill pan. Sadly, just a few small pieces left over, will double the meat next time. It’s a keeper.
Aly says
February 25, 2015 at 1:28 pmDon’t groan but I only eat red meat well done. The rub and the chimichurri sauce sounds remarkable… any recommendations for a different cut of beef?
Atlas says
December 31, 2015 at 6:54 pmTry t-bone or porterhouse, however, all well done beef tastes the same :), medium rare is the best 🙂
Dee says
May 20, 2015 at 6:48 pmI made this for my husband for the first time a month ago and now he wants it at least twice a week! It was so delicipus!!
Sally Smith says
June 20, 2015 at 7:29 amI do not like cilantro and am wondering if it would make a great deal of differnce to the taste of the chimichurri sauce if I left it out; or, is there something else I could use instead of it?
Irvin says
June 20, 2015 at 6:03 pmYou can totally leave out the cilantro! Just increase the Italian parsley to 3/4 cup and you’re good to go! It’s a very flexible recipe.
Sally smith says
June 21, 2015 at 6:19 amThanks for replying to my question!
Sarai @ Confessions of an Ex-Ballerina says
August 26, 2015 at 2:49 pmMy husband said this was the most delicious steak he has ever grilled up. We are going to have it again with the in-laws this weekend, along with a baked potato bar. I can’t wait!
Jessica says
November 10, 2015 at 2:29 pmI made this multiple times during this past summer and loved everything about it. I’m craving it again, but now am currently without a grill. Any advice how to cook in the oven?
jesse says
March 18, 2016 at 4:12 pmBroiler? ! But you can pick up a nice charcoal grill 4 like 40 bucks!
JoJo Clever says
March 9, 2016 at 10:14 amOf all the recipes I have pinned, this is my favorite…I have a mason jar of the steak rub in my cabinet always. Bravo!
Barbara says
May 23, 2018 at 3:53 pmI’ve been making this recipe for a few years now. It’s always a huge hit. Four adults just devoured almost 3 Lbs of meat. I use Diamond Steak. I’m not sure what cut that is, but it works perfectly for this recipe. One of my TopFive recipes of all time. Thank you.
Karen says
July 29, 2018 at 5:32 pmThis was absolutely delicious and so easy to make. Loved how spicy it was. If you don’t like spicy, reduce the chili powder and red pepper flakes. But I made it exactly as directed and the whole family loved it. Will definitely make it again – many times, I would bet. Thanks for a great recipe.