Skirt steak recipes always seem to start the same way: a bowl of lime juice, soy sauce, and garlic, and a few hours in the fridge. That’s because conventional skirt is lean and chewy, and a long acidic marinade helps tenderize it.

Miraflora Wagyu skirt is a different animal entirely. There’s intramuscular fat running through it—the kind that’s actually good for you—and that changes how you season it and how you cook it. The one rule that still applies, and applies more than ever, is how you slice it. 

Why You Can Skip the Marinade

Acidic marinades, when left too long, can turn that outer layer soft and mealy, which is the opposite of the crust you want. They also leave the steak wet, which means it steams in the pan before it sears.

Then there’s flavor. Wagyu fat tastes rich and almost buttery, and a heavy soy-and-citrus soak covers most of that up. Keeping it simple with just salt and a hot pan lets the umami flavor come through, and serving a bright sauce on the side gives it the acidity without the compromise.

There are always exceptions to the rule, however, and if you’re building fajitas or tacos and want that classic flavor, by all means marinate your heart out. Just shorten the time to 30 minutes and pat the steak completely dry before it hits the heat.

How To Cook It

Our skirt is outside skirt, the thicker and more tender of the two skirt cuts. It’s substantial enough to take a hard sear and still stay pink in the middle.

1. Salt early. Season generously with kosher salt at least 45 minutes ahead, or up to a day in advance, uncovered in the fridge. The salt seasons deeper and the surface dries out, which means a better crust.

2. Let it warm to room temperature. Pull the steak out about 30 minutes before cooking so it cooks evenly.

3. Get the pan very hot. Heat a cast iron pan until a drop of oil shimmers and just starts to smoke. If you are using a grill, go for direct high heat and watch for flare-ups, since Wagyu fat renders fast.

4. Sear and leave it alone. Three to four minutes per side is plenty, depending on thickness. Pull it at 125–130°F for medium-rare. Wagyu does best between medium-rare and medium, when the marbling has had a chance to soften.

5. Rest it. Leave it for five to 10 minutes on a board or a rack. It will keep cooking a few degrees.

How To Slice It

Slicing is where skirt steak is won or lost. If you cut it with the grain, even Wagyu chews like a rubber band. If you cut across it, the same steak falls apart on your fork.

Skirt makes this tricky because its grain runs across the width of the steak, the short way. Slicing straight down the length would put every cut parallel to the grain. Here’s the fix:

1. Cut it into sections first. Slice the rested steak crosswise into pieces about 4 to 5 inches long. These cuts follow the grain, and that’s fine.

2. Turn each section. Rotate each piece 90 degrees so the lines of muscle run left to right in front of you.

3. Slice thin, against the grain. Cut across those lines in strips about ¼ inch thick, angling the knife slightly for wider slices.

Recipe: Seared Wagyu Skirt Steak with Chimichurri

Serves 2 | Prep 15 minutes, plus 45 minutes to salt | Cook 8 minutes

For the Steak

• Two 8 oz Miraflora Wagyu skirt steaks

• Kosher salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

• 1 tablespoon neutral oil with a high smoke point, such as avocado

For the Chimichurri

• 1 cup packed fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

• 3 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, finely chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried)

• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

• ¼ cup red wine vinegar

• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

• ½ teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

1. Season the steak on both sides with kosher salt. Refrigerate uncovered on a rack for at least 45 minutes, or up to overnight.

2. Make the chimichurri. Stir the parsley, garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, vinegar, and salt together in a bowl, then stir in the olive oil. Let it sit at least 20 minutes so the flavors come together.

3. Take the steak out of the fridge 30 minutes before cooking. Pat it dry and season with pepper.

4. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over high heat until very hot. Add the oil and swirl to coat. 

5. Lay the steak in the pan and sear without moving it for 3 to 4 minutes, until deeply browned. Flip and cook another 3 to 4 minutes, until it reads 125–130°F at the thickest part.

6. Move the steak to a board and rest 5 to 10 minutes.

7. Slice against the grain as described above and spoon chimichurri over the top. Serve the rest on the side.

Make It Fajitas: Have more people to feed? Stretch the steak by searing sliced peppers and onions in the same pan after the steak comes out, and serve everything with warm tortillas, lime wedges, and salsa. Two 8 oz steaks will serve four.