Skirt Steak vs. Flank Steak: How the Two Cuts Compare

Skirt steak is a cut of beef that comes from the plate primal, found below the rib. It can be divided into the inside and outside skirt, the latter of which is a little thicker, more tender, and more uniformly shaped than the former. Unfortunately, the outside skirt steak typically ends up in commercial kitchens, so what you’ll find at the grocery store is usually the tougher and smaller inside skirt steak. Skirt steak is the most common type of meat used when making steak tacos or fajitas.

Also known as jiffy steak, flank steak is the piece of meat located directly under the loin, and corresponds to the abdominal muscles. Cuts from the flank tend to be lean and very tough, but flavorful when properly cooked.

Skirt steak and flank steak are both tough, lean, long cuts of meat that are used in similar ways. With the right preparation, both of these steak cuts can be used for several different recipes.

• They’re both lean, tough cuts of meat. The flank of a cow, which is located in its side abdomen close to the thigh, is a lean and muscular area. The skirt, which is located in the cow’s abdomen, is also a lean area of muscle that is used often. This means that both of these cuts of meat have the potential to become too tough to eat if they’re cooked for too long. You can also tenderize both cuts of meat with a mallet prior to cooking them to help make the meat less chewy.
• They’re both good choices for high-heat cooking. Both flank and skirt steak are often prepared through quick, high-heat cooking methods such as grilling or searing. However, you should always monitor these cuts of beef as you’re cooking them to prevent burning or overcooking which will make the meat even tougher and potentially even inedible. Always cook a skirt steak to be medium-rare or rare, never medium or well-done.
• Both meats should be cut against the grain. You should always cut against the grain of the muscle fibers when you’re cutting steak, which will make your meat more tender and easy to chew. Skirt and flank steaks are especially tough, so it’s especially important to cut against the grain of the meat.
• They’re used for similar dishes. Since both pieces of meat contain a similar beef flavor, they can be used interchangeably (such as with steak fajitas, London broil, steak salad, or carne asada tacos). Their tenderness simply depends on how you prepare and cook the skirt steak and flank steak.

Though they can be prepared and eaten in similar manners, each piece of meat has its own specific qualities. Here are some differences between skirt and flank steak.

• The cut: The main difference between skirt steak and flank steak is on which part of the cow they are located. Skirt steak is a thin, flavorful cut located in the diaphragm area of the cow, while the flank is located directly under the cow’s loin.
• The size: Flank steak is thicker, wider, and heavier meat cut than skirt steak, which is a lighter but longer cut of meat. Flank steak will create flat, wide pieces when you slice it, while skirt steak will create long, skinny pieces.
• The texture: While the different cuts of meat contain tough muscle fibers, flank steak has a more tightly woven grain structure than skirt steak, which has a less dense but more fibrous grain structure. Skirt steak reacts well to marinating (in flavors like soy sauce or balsamic vinegar), slow-cooking, and stir-frying better than flank steak, which isn’t penetrated by marinades as easily.
• The flavor: Flank steak and skirt steak have strong beefy flavors, though skirt steak is slightly more intense due to the coarser muscle fibers.
• The fat content: Skirt steak is fattier and has more marbling than flank steak, which is a leaner cut of meat.
• The cooking time: Flank steaks take a few extra minutes to cook on each side in comparison with skirt steak. Skirt steak should be cooked on either side for about three minutes, while flank steak is typically cooked for about five minutes on either side.

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