Skirt steak and flank steak are somewhat an undervalued, unappreciated and low-priced alternative to the cherished beef steaks we throw on the grill every weekend. Considered somewhat a tougher cut of meat, treated properly and grilled quickly as in this technique, you will be quite surprised by the results. Often referred to as Brazilian spit grilling, rotisserie grilling or even skewered grilling, this skewered skirt and flank steak recipe is a perfect introduction to spit grilling using these underused yet tasty cuts of meat, inspired by the 2014 Grilling Flavor Forecast Grilling Edition, Brazilian BBQ recipe collection at McCormick.com. Skirt steak and flank steak can be cooked several ways but we are going to marinade, season, skewer and grill over mesquite lump charcoal. As Brazilian BBQ is heavily meat-based we will be adding some nice sausages, satisfying our sweet tooth with some fresh pineapple chunks and recommending a nice green salad to balance things out.
We are going to turn our Weber kettle into a mini replica of the Bracero Grill using mesquite lump charcoal and some 2 foot metal skewers.
Easy Skewered Skirt and Flank Steak Recipe
First you'll need to take your skirt and flank steak, if choosing to use both cuts, and cut them lengthwise into approximately 2 inch strips.
These will go into a Classic Red Wine Vinegar beef marinade overnight.
Marinade ingredients:
1/4 cup cooking oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
6 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
Remove steaks from marinade and pat dry, sprinkle generously with coarse salt and fresh ground black pepper and McCormick Grill Mates Chipotle and Roasted Garlic Seasoning which holds up very nicely with direct grilling as we are doing. This is a great time to add some additional ingredients to your meal, I skewered up some nice Chicken Sausages and fresh Pineapple to accompany the skirt and flank steak. The chicken sausages required no seasoning and seasoning the pineapple is entirely optional as the flavors that are released during grilling are sensational just by itself, but you know me I decided to add a light sprinkling of sugar and cinnamon to the pineapple before I started grilling.
Using a good quality lump charcoal with this technique is essential to creating the perfect charred smoky flavor we all crave with our grilled meats, so don't skip this step.
I used Mesquite all-natural lump charcoal.
Light your charcoal and bank it on one side of your Weber kettle, from the center of the grill to the side wall at about a 45° angle.
Place a brick wrapped in foil directly across from your banked charcoal.
You will not be needing your grill grate.
Weave your skirt and flank steaks onto your skewer so that you are essentially creating a square 2 x 2 profile of the beef. Skewer up any other ingredients you decided to add for your meal.
Once your meats are skewered up, place the tips of your skewers on the brick with the handles sitting on the lip of your Weber kettle. Your skewers will be at approximately 45°, matching your banked lump charcoal with just a few inches between the meats and the heat of the flames.
Rotate your skewers slowly every couple minutes until you have achieved the desired temperature of your skewered foods, keeping in mind that they will all finish at different times.
With this technique you'll consistently enjoy flavorful foods grilled directly over a live wood fire creating taste sensations that could very well create a pleasant addiction.
To browse the entire Grilling Edition Flavor Forecast, recipes and images, visit www.grillingflavorforecast.com. To connect with other grilling enthusiasts and join The Grillerhood, visit www.facebook.com/GrillMates.
Note: Full disclosure, McCormick’s Grill Mates is providing compensation for content reviewing their products and programs. All comments, opinions and reviews are my own.
Greensburymarket.com supplied me with these organic grass fed skirt and flank steaks at no charge to try with this recipe.
