Grilled Mojo-Marinated Skirt Steak

 

When it comes to cooking steak, I'm not a big fan of marinating. I much prefer a dry rub to ensure I get a really good crust on the steak when I grill it. But this recipe from Lan Lam is a really interesting one. Soy sauce and garlic gives the marinade a rich umami base. The marinade is later used as the basis for a sauce, where the flavor is really amped up with the addition of lime and orange zests and juices. Then she has a really clever trick to make sure the steak gets a robust crust...she coats it with baking soda and oil right before slapping it on the grill.

INGREDIENTS

For the marinade

6 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

For the Steak

2 pounds skirt steak, cut with the grain into 6 to 8 inch-long steaks

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon baking soda

For the Sauce

Reserved marinade

1 teaspoon grated lime zest plus 1/4 cup juice (2 limes)

1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest plus 1/2 cup juice

1 tablespoon olive oil

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine all marinade ingredients in a ziplock bag. Add steak and toss to fully coat. Seal bag and refrigerate for 1 hour.
2. Prepare grill for direct cooking over high heat.
3. Remove steaks from marinade and transfer marinade to a small saucepan. Pat steaks with paper towel. Combine 1 tablespoon of olive oil with baking soda in a small bowl. Rub oil mixture onto both sides of steak.
4. Make the sauce: Bring marinade to a boil. Transfer to a bowl and combine with zests,  juices and olive oil. Set aside.
5. Grill steaks for about 3 minutes, then flip and grill 3 minutes more (for medium rare). Transfer steaks to cutting board, tent with foil and let rest for 10 minutes. Cut steaks on bias against grain into 1/2-inch slices (see photo above). Arrange slices on platter and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of sauce. Serve, passing extra sauce separately.

Wine pairing: Malbec