For this recipe, I’m using a skirt steak that I will pan-sear, but most of these steps apply to almost any other cut of steak. If you need help with a specific one, check out my pan-seared steak recipes – there you’ll find guides for flank, hanger, picanha, and more.

1. Prepare the Steak: Start by patting the skirt steak dry with paper towels, then trim off any excess fat if needed. If you’re working with a whole skirt steak muscle, cut it into smaller pieces, about 4–8 inches (10–20 cm) long, with even thickness (see notes). Next, season both sides of the steak generously with kosher salt. Place it on a wire rack set over a baking sheet and refrigerate it uncovered for at least 1 hour, ideally 4–6 hours.
2. Before cooking, remove the steak from the refrigerator and let it rest at room temperature for 20–30 minutes. While the steak rests after being seasoned with salt, prepare the chimichurri sauce.
3. Make the Chimichurri By hand: Remove the stems from the parsley and oregano, then finely chop the leaves. Add them to a small bowl. Peel the garlic and chop, grate, or press it (whatever’s easiest) and add it in. Add the olive oil, red wine vinegar, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Mix everything well, then give it a quick taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Set the chimichurri sauce aside until you’re ready to use it.
4. In a food processor: Add the peeled garlic and pulse until minced. Toss in the parsley, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper, then pulse until finely chopped. Add the olive oil and red wine vinegar, then pulse a few more times to combine the ingredients. Please don’t overdo it; you want a little texture, not a smooth paste.
5. Preheat the Pan: Place a pan (preferably a cast-iron skillet) over medium-high heat and let it heat up for about 3 minutes. Add the high-smoke-point oil (about 1 tablespoon for well-marbled cuts, or 2 for leaner ones) and let it heat for an additional minute. While the pan is heating, pat the steak dry again with paper towels, then season both sides with finely ground black pepper. After about 4 minutes in total, the pan should be hot enough, at about 450°F (232°C), perfect for a hard sear. Once you hit that range, you’re ready to cook the steak.
6. Pan-Sear the Steak: Carefully place the steak in the pan so the oil doesn’t splash, then sear it based on the thickness of your skirt steak:
7. For steaks about 1/2 to 1 inch (1.3–2.5 cm) thick: Flip the steak every 30 seconds. Use a meat thermometer to monitor the internal temperature and remove the steak when it’s about 10–15°F (5–8°C) below your target doneness (see notes for the temperature chart). Then let it rest for about 5 minutes before slicing. Skirt steaks in this range typically take 3–6 minutes to reach medium-rare to medium, depending on their thickness.
8. For thinner cuts (1/2 inch / 1.3 cm or less): Flip the steak every 30 seconds and slide it around the pan every 15 seconds to move it over the hotter spots (this trick helps build a better crust). Since it’s hard to use a thermometer with thinner cuts, rely on timing instead. For medium-rare to medium doneness, expect about 60–90 seconds total for a 1/4-inch (0.6 cm) steak, or 2–3 minutes total for a 1/2-inch (1.3 cm) steak. After cooking, let the steak rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
9. For thicker cuts, about 1 1/2 inches (3.8 cm), flip every 30 seconds. Remove the steak from the pan when it’s about 15–20°F (8–11°C) below your target temperature, then let it rest for 6–7 minutes before slicing.
10. Serve the Steak with Chimichuri Sauce: Once the steak has rested, slice it thin. For cuts like skirt, hanger, flank, or flap (bavette), always slice against the grain. It makes a big difference in tenderness (see the notes). Serve the steak with chimichurri sauce spooned on top and add your favorite sides. I usually go with baked potatoes and zucchini, but it’s also great in a simpler version with rice or mashed potatoes.