Spicy Citrus Skirt Steak
Updated June 30, 2021
- Total Time
- 30 minutes, plus grill heating
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 1½pounds skirt steak (see Tips)
- 8tangerines, satsumas or mandarin oranges, washed and halved horizontally
- 6tablespoons unseasoned rice wine vinegar
- 6tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 1tablespoon sambal oelek or Sriracha, plus more as needed
- 1(1-inch) piece ginger, peeled and finely grated (about 1 tablespoon)
- 1garlic clove, finely grated
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- Neutral oil, such as grapeseed
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
416 calories; 26 grams fat; 9 grams saturated fat; 1 gram trans fat; 13 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 10 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 6 grams sugars; 37 grams protein; 974 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Prepare a charcoal or gas grill for two-zone cooking over high heat: For a charcoal grill, pour the coals onto one half of the grill. For a gas grill, heat all the burners, then turn off one of the end burners. (See Tips.)
- Step 2
While the grill is heating, pat the steak dry and cut into 5- to 6-inch pieces with the grain. (This makes it easier to fit on the grill.) Set aside to air-dry while you make the sauce: Squeeze 1 cup of juice from about 6 tangerines into a bowl or rimmed dish large enough to hold the steak after it’s grilled. (Set aside the remaining unjuiced halves on a sheet pan.) Add the spent tangerine halves to the juice. Smash the halves with a spoon to release the rind’s oils (as if you’re muddling a cocktail). To the juice and spent tangerine halves, add the rice vinegar, soy sauce, sambal oelek, ginger and garlic, and season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
- Step 3
When you're ready to grill, add the steak to the sheet pan of unjuiced tangerine halves and lightly coat everything with neutral oil. Season generously with salt. Bring the sheet pan of tangerine halves and steak, sauce, a tightly folded paper towel soaked with oil, and tongs to the grill. Clean the grates with a grill brush, then oil the grates with the paper towel. Grill the steak over direct heat, flipping halfway through, until well browned, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Grill the tangerines over direct heat, flipping halfway through, until blackened, 4 to 5 minutes per side.
- Step 4
As the steak and tangerine halves finish, add them to the sauce and turn to coat. Squeeze the charred citrus with your tongs to release the juice and the peels into the dish. Let rest for at least 5 minutes and up to 30. Slice the steak against the grain and serve with the sauce. Season to taste with salt, pepper and sambal oelek.
- You can dry-brine the steak in advance, which seasons the meat and locks in the juices. Pat the steak dry, season with 1 teaspoon salt, and refrigerate uncovered overnight. Let come to room temperature before cooking. (No need to season with salt again before grilling.)
- High is above 450 degrees. You should be able to hold your hand 4 to 5 inches above the grates for 2 to 3 seconds.
Private Notes
Comments
I do quite a bit of Chinese cooking, emphasis on Sichuan and Hunan. I usually save the peels from clementine/mandarins, scraping off the white pith with a spoon before drying in the sun. They get better with age. My oldest current stock is 5 years old. And a 'special reserve' of mandarin peels I brought back from my last trip to China 3 years back. Reconstituted, they are really useful in so many ways like tangerine beef and vaguely teriyaki pork spareribs. The lesson is not to waste resources.
The sauce is a marvel. But there's no reason why some of it couldn't serve to marinate the steak while the grill's heating up: it's not like most cooks have a plane to catch ;-) If you must skip pre-marinating, dry-brining ("tips") is essential, not optional. However, "locking in the juices" (a hypothesis by 19th century chemist Justus Von Liebig) is a myth. Why don't more recipe writers read Harold McGee's "On Food and Cooking" (which Jacques Pepin & David Chang swear by)?
Tangerines are not in season during summer grilling season - although you can buy fruit fro the Southern Hemisphere in the local Safeway. Why not use Valencia juice oranges instead. They are in season now and would a fine substitute.
as others mentioned the directions are poorly written and i used sauce as marinade. also this makes way too much sauce and not worth the effort. skirt steak is just fine.
This recipe is confusingly written, but its also not worth the effort and misleading on the cook time - do use a thermometer. It won’t get a lot darker while resting as the marinade buffers the heat.
Use the sauce as a marinade! Came out delicious