Stovetop Outside Skirt Steak Tacos

These outside skirt steak tacos are my go-to when I want really flavorful steak tacos indoors. I sear the steak in a hot pan until it develops a great crust. Then I dice it up and serve it in warm corn tortillas with salsa roja, chopped onion, and fresh cilantro.

Ingredients You’ll Need

For the Steak:

• Outside skirt steak: 1 to 1 1/2 pounds (454 to 680 grams). Make sure you’re using outside skirt steak, not inside skirt.
• Salt: For dry-brining the steak. I prefer kosher salt because it spreads more evenly and is easier to control than table salt.
• Oil: Use a neutral, high-smoke-point oil for searing. I prefer refined avocado oil because it has a neutral flavor and a smoke point of around 500°F (260°C). See the recipe notes for other good options. Don’t use regular butter because it has a low smoke point and will burn over the high heat used for searing in this recipe.

For the Salsa Roja:

• Tomatoes: 1 1/2 pounds (680 g).
• Onion: 1 small white onion (about 110 g).
• Jalapeños: 2-3 for mild heat or 5-6 for a spicier salsa. You can also use 2 serrano peppers instead.
• Garlic: 5 medium cloves, peeled.
• Cilantro: 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves.
• Lime juice: 1 tablespoon (15 ml).
• Olive oil: 2 tablespoons (30 ml).
• Salt: 1 teaspoon, plus more to taste.

For the Tacos:

• Corn tortillas: 10-12, about 6 inches (15 cm) each.
• White onion: Finely diced, to taste.
• Cilantro: Fresh cilantro, chopped, to taste.
• Lime: Fresh lime juice, to taste.
• Salsa roja: A spoonful of salsa roja on top of each taco.

Special Equipment You’ll Need

• Wire rack and rimmed baking sheet: For dry-brining the steak.
• Heavy 12-inch (30 cm) skillet: A cast-iron skillet works best for getting a hard sear, but a carbon-steel skillet or heavy stainless-steel skillet will also work. Don’t use a nonstick skillet for this recipe.
• Food processor: For blending the roasted salsa ingredients.
• Meat thermometer: I prefer an instant-read thermometer for outside skirt steak because the cut is thin and cooks very quickly. That said, any reliable meat thermometer will work.

How to Make Outside Skirt Steak Tacos on the Stovetop

Trim the Outside Skirt Steak (Optional)

Outside skirt steak is usually sold trimmed, but if yours still has some excess fat or membrane attached, trim it up with a sharp knife.

Pat the steak dry with paper towels, then trim away any thick or loose pieces of fat. Don’t overdo it. Just remove anything that looks excessive. Flip the steak over and run your fingers across the surface. If you feel a thin, silvery membrane, grab one edge with a paper towel and peel it away. It will usually come off in large pieces.

Portion the Steak into Smaller Pieces

A whole outside skirt steak is long and varies in thickness along its length, from about 1/2 inch (1.3 cm) to 1 inch (2.5 cm). If you sear it whole, the thinner sections will cook faster than the thicker ones.

Cut the steak with the grain into 5- to 6-inch (13- to 15-cm) pieces so they fit comfortably in the pan. As you portion it, try to keep each piece fairly even in thickness from end to end. This helps the pieces cook more evenly.

Dry-brine the Steaks

Pat the steak pieces dry with paper towels, then season both sides lightly with salt. Set them on a wire rack over a baking sheet and refrigerate uncovered for at least 1 hour, preferably 2 to 4 hours. This gives the salt time to season the meat while the uncovered rest dries the surface, which helps the steak develop a better crust when seared.

While the steak pieces rest uncovered in the refrigerator, make the salsa roja so it’s ready before searing.

Make the Salsa Roja

Wash and prep all the ingredients. Cut the tomatoes in half, quarter the onion, and peel the garlic. Then choose one of the methods below to char the vegetables.

Tip: Charring the vegetables over high heat can create quite a bit of smoke, so turn on your exhaust fan or open a window before you start.

• On the stovetop: Heat a 12-inch (30 cm) skillet over medium-high heat for about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, onion, garlic, and peppers and cook, turning occasionally, until well charred on all sides.
• Under the broiler: Arrange the tomatoes, onion, garlic, and peppers on a baking sheet. Place it close under the broiler and broil on high, turning the vegetables as needed, until well charred.

Transfer the charred vegetables to a food processor. Add the cilantro, lime juice, olive oil, and salt, then blend to your preferred consistency. Taste and season with salt as needed. Transfer the salsa to a container, cover, and refrigerate until ready to use.

Preheat the Pan

Take the steak pieces and salsa roja out of the refrigerator about 15 minutes before you start cooking and let them sit at room temperature.

Searing over high heat gets smoky, so turn on your exhaust fan or open a window before you start. Heat a heavy skillet over medium-high heat for 3 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons of oil and heat for 1 minute more.

While the skillet heats up, pat the steak pieces again. Removing any surface moisture helps the steak brown faster and develop a better crust.

Sear the Steak Pieces

Carefully place as many steak pieces as will fit flat in the skillet without touching or overlapping. Work in batches rather than overcrowding the pan. Skirt steak cooks quickly, so each extra batch should add only a few minutes.

Sear the steaks, flipping every 30 seconds, until the center of each piece reaches the pull temperature for your desired doneness listed in the chart below. Check each piece individually, since thinner pieces cook faster than thicker ones. Remove each piece as soon as it reaches the target pull temperature.

Transfer them to a cutting board and let them rest for 5 minutes.

Steak Temperature Chart

Desired doneness	Pull at internal temp	Final temp after resting
Rare	110°F (43°C)	125°F (52°C)
Medium-Rare	120°F (49°C)	135°F (57°C)
Medium	130°F (54°C)	145°F (63°C)
Medium-Well	140°F (60°C)	155°F (68°C)
Well-Done	150°F (66°C)	165°F (74°C)

Assemble the Tacos

Once the steak pieces have rested, slice them thinly into strips, then dice the strips into small, bite-sized pieces. Warm the tortillas until soft and pliable. You can warm them in a dry skillet, in the oven, in the microwave, or directly over a gas burner using tongs.

Divide the chopped steak among the tortillas, then top with salsa roja, finely chopped onion, chopped cilantro, and a squeeze of lime juice. Serve right away.

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Try Some of My Other Steak Recipes

• Steak and Mashed Potatoes
• Steak Sandwich with Caramelized Onions
• Steak Sandwich with Chimichurri Sauce