Garlic beef

Garlic beef

A cheap cut of beef transformed into a tender treat

Difficulty and servings

Easy

Serves 4

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 10 mins

Cook time

Cook 15 mins

Method

  1. In a pestle and mortar, crush peppercorns and garlic with a pinch of salt until you have a smooth-ish paste, then stir in the vinegar. Sit the beef in a non-metallic dish, then rub all over with the paste. Leave in the fridge for a few hrs, but no longer.
  2. To cook, place a griddle pan over a very hot heat. Rub the marinade off the meat, then season with a little more salt. Cook meat until charred on each side - about 5 mins on each side for rare; if the cut is very thick, you may want to roast it in a hot oven for 5 mins after searing. Lift onto a chopping board, then rest for 5 mins before carving into slices and serving with chips, if you like.
Try

Steak or not steak?

In the UK that skirt isn't considered a steak cut - in America it's referred to as hanger steak and in France the 'bavette'.

Size vaariations

Size can vary from smaller pieces weighing about 300g to larger pieces that can weigh about 800g so you need to adjust your cooking times accordingly - smaller pieces will cook just on the griddle but thicker pieces may need to be roasted for a few minutes, once seared. As a steak, skirt is best served rare to medium-rare or it becomes tough. Also good for braising.

Skirt

From around the breast and rump area, and is often sold as mince. It is coarse-grained, very lean (when trimmed) and, although not the most tender cut, has excellent flavour.

Per serving

205 kcalories, protein 34g, carbohydrate 3g, fat 6 g, saturated fat 0g, fibre 0g, sugar 0.24g, salt 0 g

Recipe from Good Food magazine, March 2008.

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Latest comments and suggestions

  • Binder photo Sarah

    01 March 2008

    Sarah rated and commented on this recipe

    3 stars

    Make sure the beef skirt is well trimmed before starting, the only skirt I could find was in small pieces but it had a good flavour and a nice meaty texture.

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  • Binder photo Gem

    12 March 2008

    Gem rated and commented on this recipe

    3 stars

    I made this for my partner but used sirloin steak instead. He said it worked well and could taste the garlic without it being overpowering. Quick and easy to make.

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  • Binder photo Barry

    21 November 2008

    Barry commented on this recipe

    Not tried the recipe yet, but just where are you buying cheap skirt from as its meger to buy here in Cornwall, as it all goes in Pasties.

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  • Binder photo Hattie

    07 May 2009

    Hattie rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Garlic & Ginger Beef I adapted the Garlic Beef Skirt recipe for a friend who likes his curries dry. A paste was made, as suggested, by grinding the following ingredients in a blender.: 8 Garlic cloves 2 inch Green ginger 2 Green chillies Tsp Black pepper Tsp Cumin seeds Tsp turmeric Pinch of salt 4 Tbs Red wine vinegar Tsp Ghee The resultant paste was then smoothed over: 600g Lean skirt of beef The beef was left to cogitate for four hours in the fridge and then put on a very hot griddle for five minutes before being turned over and cooked for four minutes on the other side. My guest complimented the dish, I just thought it was WOW! Hattie

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  • Binder photo BARBARA

    26 July 2009

    BARBARA commented on this recipe

    I took this recipe to my butcher as I was going to make it but he is adament that the meat in the picture is not skirt beef. I told him I didn't think he was right but he said he had been a butcher for over 30 years and he could tell just by looking at it that it isn't skirt. I find this worrying. I told him i was going to check this out. Anyway i made Barney's Lamb with herby scones instead which was brilliant and have commented on that recipe.

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  • Binder photo Paul

    30 September 2009

    Paul commented on this recipe

    I agree with your butcher, that's definitely not skirt in the picture, I would say it looks more like Rump tail(Tri Tip) or Picanha(Rump cap).Hope that helps.

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  • Binder photo patthomas

    16 August 2011

    patthomas commented on this recipe

    I haven't tried this yet but I agree the meat in the picture isn't skirt. I've had some butchers try to give me other cuts passed off as skirt too so take care where you buy!

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  • Binder photo Laura

    25 January 2013

    Laura commented on this recipe

    I am a butcher's daughter and that isn't skirting in the picture at all. Also the description 'From around the breast and rump area' is totally wrong, (the description sounds more like flank). Skirt is the diaphragm of the beast, which is why it's so tasty, but its technically offal. If your not sure if your being sold skirt or something else, the texture is a bit stringy looking and the whole piece is only about 30cm long.

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Difficulty and servings

Easy

Serves 4

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 10 mins

Cook time

Cook 15 mins

New cut of steak

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp black peppercorns
  • 6 garlic cloves
  • 4 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 600g piece well-trimmed beef skirt
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Per serving

205 kcalories, protein 34g, carbohydrate 3g, fat 6 g, saturated fat 0g, fibre 0g, sugar 0.24g, salt 0 g

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