Grilled Skirt Steak with Lemon Herb Couscous Salad (2024)

FAQs

What does couscous pair well with? ›

Couscous can be served as a side dish or a main meal, and goes well with beef, chicken, fish, lamb or as part of a vegetarian meal (with beans, tofu, etc.) You can also stir in additional ingredients (vegetables, nuts, dried fruit) to add something special to your couscous and make it a more substantial dish.

When you're shopping, you can tell it's flank steak if the piece is flat, thin, wide, and the grain runs lengthwise (the long way). Skirt steak, on the other hand, is narrower and the grain runs crosswise (the short way). It's so long that it's often sold rolled up.

Skirt steak has a unique accordion-like structure of coarse muscle fibers that provide increased surface area. That means more flavor can be captured, giving the meat a tasty boost. No more than 30 minutes is needed for marinating time so that the taste does not overpower the beef.

Skirt steak comes from either of two separate muscles inside the chest and abdominal cavity, below the ribs, in the section of the cow known as the beef plate primal cut. The two muscles are the diaphragm muscle, called the outside skirt, and the transversus abdominis muscle, or inside skirt.

I toss it with herbs, lemon juice, pine nuts, and olive oil to make a bright, refreshing pilaf. It pairs nicely with any protein, vegetable main dish, or soup!

Since it moves food quickly through your intestinal tract, fiber can help prevent constipation. A higher-fiber diet can also lower your odds of intestinal and breast cancers. Whole wheat couscous can be a healthy swap for refined white pasta or white rice.

Once squishy, there's no recovering skirt steak's tender yet firm consistency that gives it an honorable chew. Over-marinating can also ruin skirt steak by altering its flavor.

Typically, when you buy skirt steak at the grocery store, it'll be labeled as simply "skirt steak." It might also be labeled as "inside skirt" and "outside skirt," however, depending on where exactly in the diaphragm the meat came from.

The best way to cook Skirt steak is quickly and over high heat. This thin cut is perfect on the grill, seared in a skillet, broiled in the oven, or even cooked in a smoker. You will just need to ensure your Skirt steak temperature is correct to not overcook your meat.

To grill skirt steak to medium-rare, make sure your grill is thoroughly preheated with a high-heat area of 450-500 degrees. Transfer the steak to the grill and let sear on one side for 3-5 minutes. Flip with a pair of tongs and sear the other side for 3-5 minutes.

Should I rinse skirt steak before cooking? ›

Just like with turkey, chicken, or any raw meat, rinsing or washing steak is not necessary; nor is it recommended by the USDA.

Skirt steak can be a little tough due to the amount of connective tissue, so it needs careful preparation when cooking to maximize tenderness. Skirt steak has a similar beefy flavor as flank steak but is a tougher cut in terms of texture.

It has a well-defined grain structure with plenty of loosely packed, tough fibers. While most commonly known as skirt steaks, this cut goes by different names, including: Romanian tenderloin. Philadelphia steak.

A5 Japanese Kobe Beef

In fact, it's usually considered the most expensive steak in the world, although prices vary by location, restaurant, etc. In fact, Japanese Kobe is often hailed as having the best marbling of any steak that your money can buy.

It makes a fluffy bed for veggies, fish, and meats, and perfectly soaks up hearty Moroccan chicken or lamb stews. You can even chill your couscous and toss it into a tasty Mediterranean salad! It's true what they say about it—it's the pasta so nice, they named it twice!

Couscous can also be added dry right into a soup, cooking along with the other ingredients, or served on a platter piled high with grilled vegetables. Don't be afraid to incorporate couscous into your favorite recipes.

Like most Moroccan meals, couscous is traditionally served in a communal large round plate that everyone sits around to enjoy together. It's usually accompanied by small bowls full of extra broth to pour over the couscous.

While couscous and white rice have almost the same amount of calories per 100 grams, couscous contains more protein and higher amounts of vitamins and minerals so can be considered a healthier option in those departments. Both grains can support weight loss when incoporated into a balanced, healthy diet.