Herb-Crusted Beef Skirt Steak

with oven-roasted potatoes

Difficulty Medium

Preparation 20 min

Cooking 50 min

Marinating 12 h

Serves 4 people

Category Second Courses

Season Summer

Cuisine Contemporary

Propaganda's herb-crusted skirt steak is a straight-talking meat dish: a deeply flavourful, juicy cut marinated for twelve hours in a rub of rosemary, lemon thyme, garlic powder and lemon zest — the zest being no flourish, but the very thing that balances the "ferrous" note typical of this cut. The herb quantities are calibrated to the gram for every kilo of trimmed meat, for consistent seasoning every time. Seared over an open flame or charcoal on high heat, kept red and juicy, then rested on a rack and sliced strictly against the grain: the step that makes every slice tender. Alongside, oven-roasted potatoes with rosemary round out the plate.

Ingredients

For the skirt steak

Beef skirt steak, trimmed1 kg

Extra virgin olive oilto taste

For the herb rub

Coarse salt12 g

Freshly ground black pepper3 g

Garlic powder2 g

Very finely chopped rosemary3 g

Lemon thyme2 g

Grated lemon zest1/2 lemon

For the roasted potatoes

Potatoes500 g

Extra virgin olive oilto taste

Saltto taste

Fresh rosemaryto taste

Method

Trimming the skirt steak

Skirt steak is naturally covered by two layers of connective tissue membrane. Carefully remove only one of the two membranes with a sharp knife, taking care not to tear the meat. Leave the other membrane intact: it holds the structure of the cut together during marinating and cooking.

Preparing the herb rub

Finely hand-chop together: freshly ground black pepper, garlic powder, very finely chopped rosemary, lemon thyme and the grated lemon zest. The result should be a homogeneous, aromatic mixture. Once ready, transfer to a bowl, add the salt and mix through.

Rubbing and marinating

Coat the skirt steak with the herb mixture over the entire surface and massage the meat firmly, so the herbs work their way into the fibres. Place the meat on a rack over a tray in the refrigerator and rest for 12 hours.

Portioning and searing

After 12 hours, remove the skirt steak from the refrigerator 2 hours before cooking and portion it. Rub each portion with a drizzle of olive oil. Heat the plancha thoroughly (ideally an open flame or charcoal) and sear the meat over high heat to the desired doneness — it is recommended to keep the skirt steak red and juicy.

Resting and slicing

Once cooked, remove the skirt steak from the plancha and rest it for a few minutes on a rack, allowing the juices to redistribute evenly. Slice against the grain — this step is essential for the tenderness of this cut.

Plating

Arrange the slices of skirt steak, cut against the grain, on the plate. Serve alongside the oven-roasted potatoes. Finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, raw, over the meat.

👨‍🍳 Chef's tip

Herb-Crusted Beef Skirt Steak