Serves 4
Skirt steak is a cut of beef that’s best served right around medium-rare. Any less than that and it will be too chewy. And more than say, medium and it will turn out very tough. Another important thing to keep in mind - slice the cooked steak very thinly, and always on a diagonal, against the grain.
2 # skirt steak
2 sprigs rosemary, leaves plucked off
10 sprigs thyme, leaves plucked off
kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
vegetable oil, for grilling
Trim the skirt steak of any excess fat or sinew, if needed. (But you’ll probably not need to do too much of this, if any. Skirt streak usually comes pretty clean from the butcher.) Pat the meat dry with paper towels, then press the rosemary and thyme leaves evenly over both sides of the streak. Refrigerate for at least four hours, or up to one day, covered with plastic wrap.
Preheat the grill to very hot, about 30 minutes. Here’s a way to tell if your grill is at the right temperature. Hold your hand right over it. If you you can keep it there for five seconds, it’s not hot enough. If you can’t hold it there for even half a second, it's too hot. When the grill is hot, soak a clean rag or a bunch of paper towels with a few tablespoons of vegetable oil, and using tongs, rub it over the grill rack.
Scrape the herbs off the skirt steak, then pat the steak dry with paper towels. Season both sides with a good dose of salt and pepper. Place the steak on the hottest area of the grill, over direct heat. Cook for about 3 minutes, then flip it over and cook another three minutes, for medium-rare. Transfer the steak to a cutting board and rest, covered loosely with tin foil, about 5 minutes. Thinly slice the steak on the diagonal, against the grain. Serve immediately.
