Skirt Steak (Entraña)

Skirt steak is a long, narrow cut from the diaphragm muscles of the cow, running along the plate section beneath the ribs. It is one of the most intensely flavored beef cuts available, owing to its heavy intermuscular marbling and the nature of the diaphragm muscles, which work constantly throughout the animal's life. The cut is divided into two types: inside skirt (entraña del centro), slightly narrower with finer grain and less surface membrane, and outside skirt (entraña de la falda), the more common American supermarket cut, wider and thicker with a heavy silver skin that must be removed before cooking.

What makes skirt steak indispensable is its extraordinary porosity—the meat is riddled with tiny channels that accept marinades readily, making it ideal for bold, acidic preparations like Mexican carne asada or Argentine chimichurri. Its long, coarse muscle fibers run cleanly along the length of the cut, which is why proper technique matters so much: slicing perpendicular to these fibers transforms a naturally chewy cut into something yielding and pleasant. Skirt steak is not a tender cut by any means, but it rewards attention to heat, timing, and butchery. Cooked correctly to medium-rare and sliced thin, it outperforms many more expensive steaks in pure beefy satisfaction.

In Argentine asado tradition, entraña is considered a premier cut, prized over tenderness for its concentrated flavor. In Mexican cuisine it is the authentic choice for fajitas and carne asada. In France it becomes bavette, served with shallot butter. The key to working with skirt steak is understanding its limitations: it demands high heat and cannot tolerate being cooked past medium-rare without becoming rubbery. Its behavior in the pan is predictable once you know the cut—it sears quickly, releases easily from a hot surface when well-oiled, and rests gratefully. The investment in learning this cut pays dividends across a dozen cuisines.