Marinated in a flavorful blend of spices and seasoning, our Air Fryer Skirt Steak recipe is the perfect solution to cooking a gorgeous steak with no grill required! Air fry skirt steak in under 20 minutes following this simple guide. It's easy, and we have the secret to getting the perfect sear with an air fryer! Use this recipe in our Air Fryer Steak Fajitas recipe.
Jump to:
If you're skeptical about air frying skirt steak, we understand. We were, too. After all, how can you get a good sear on steak in what is essentially a mini convection oven? Well, after plenty of extensive testing and effort making steak tips, ribeye steak, and this skirt steak recipe, we've found the perfect method to air frying steak so that it develops a nice sear while cooking to juicy medium-rare perfection on the inside!
It's a lot easier than you might think, too, with no extra tools required except for the rack your air fryer came with. Let's get started!
Ingredients
- Skirt Steak: We're using a 1½ to 2 pound skirt steak in our 7-quart air fryer, which is enough to fit perfectly. In place of skirt steak, you can also use flank steak, if that's what you have on hand or prefer. Just be sure to check the temperature as instructed with a meat thermometer to get the timing right.
- Marinade:
- Olive oil,
- fresh lime juice,
- and Worcestershire sauce combine to create the sauce base for the marinade. Lime juice adds a kick of fresh, vibrant flavor and helps break down the tough muscles of the steak, while Worcestershire sauce and olive oil further enhance the flavor.
- Garlic: Fresh, minced garlic can be used for this air fryer skirt steak, as the garlic will only be in the marinade. Normally, we would advise against using fresh garlic in the air fryer unless you're roasting garlic, because it's quick to burn - but you don't have to worry about that here!
- Seasoning for Skirt Steak Marinade:
- Sugar,
- chili powder,
- ground cumin,
- red pepper flakes,
- kosher salt,
- and freshly cracked black pepper make up the skirt steak seasoning used in the marinade. This combination is sweet, spicy, and so delicious!
Watch the Video
How to Cut a Skirt Steak
Skirt steak is a long, thin cut of beef. Your instinct might lead you to cut starting at one of the short ends, but with skirt steak, that would be slicing with the grain, which will result in tougher, chewy meat. With skirt steak, you need to slice along the long side for maximum tenderness!
One simple way to do this is to first cut the skirt steak into three pieces. This has the added bonus of making it easier to air fry, too, by allowing it to fit better in the air fryer basket! Then, after air frying skirt steak, cut it the other way into slices against the grain. This will give you the perfect cuts of steak.
Instructions for Air Frying Skirt Steak
Whisk the Marinade
Combine olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, fresh lime juice, minced garlic, sugar, chili powder, cumin, red pepper flakes, kosher salt, and black pepper to a bowl. Whisk to combine.
Slice Steak into Thirds
Place skirt steak on a cutting board and slice into three equal pieces using a sharp knife.
Add Steak to Marinade
Place the skirt steak pieces into a gallon-sized zip-top bag, then pour the marinade over the steak in the bag. Zip to close tightly, and place the bag in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or up to 8 hours.
Adding Wire Rack to the Air Fryer
Insert the wire rack into the air fryer basket under the crisper tray. This is important, as it raises the basket tray closer to the heating element, allowing the steak to sear properly. Preheat air fryer on air broil to 400°F. If you don’t have an air broil setting, that’s okay, just set to 400°F on the preheat setting.
Removing Steak from the Marinade
Remove skirt steak pieces from marinade. Hold each piece over bag to allow excess marinade to drip off steak before placing them in air fryer.
Place the Steak in the Air Fryer
Place skirt steak in preheated air fryer in a single layer. Make sure not to overlap any pieces.
Air Frying Skirt Steak
Air fry 8 minutes, using tongs to turn each piece of skirt steak over halfway through air frying.
Step 4
After 8 minutes, check the internal temperature of the skirt steak using an instant read thermometer. For medium rare, remove the steak when the temp reaches between 125-130°F in thickest part of each piece. Check each piece separately. If any of the steak pieces aren’t up to temperature, return to the air fryer for 2 more minutes or until the proper temperature is reached.
Resting and Slicing the Steak
Rest skirt steak for 5 minutes, then slice against the grain. Enjoy!
Steak Temperature
When measuring the degree of doneness of your steak, use a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the beef. Please note that the USDA recommends cooking steak to a temperature of 145°F (medium). We advise cooking steak to medium-rare, however, as it tends to have a better flavor. As always, air fry steak to your personal preference.
| Desired Degree of Doneness | Steak Temperature |
|---|---|
| Rare | 120°F-130°F |
| Medium-rare | 130°F-140°F |
| Medium | 140°F-150°F |
| Medium-well | 150°F-160°F |
| Well-done | 160°F |
Recipe Tips
- The air fryer rack is necessary for raising the steak higher and closer to the heating element, which helps it develop a sear. If you don't raise the steak using the rack, you will not get the sear you're looking for in a good steak!
- Slice skirt steak against the grain, which is typically the long side of the steak. Slicing against the grain shortens the muscle fibers, which creates more tender slices of meat.
- Total time listed does not include marinating time, as that can vary. You can marinate for as little as 30 minutes or up to 8 hours according to your preference.
- Cook time may vary depending on your specific air fryer model. Air fryers vary from brand to brand, so test and make sure to use a meat thermometer to get the perfect cook time for your air fryer model.
- When cooking in multiple batches, check subsequent batches early, as they may cook more quickly.
What to Serve with Air Fryer Skirt Steak
Storing Leftover Skirt Steak
For best storage results, wrap your leftover pieces of steak tightly in freezer paper and store separately as individual steaks in the refrigerator. If you don't have freezer paper, store leftovers in an airtight container. Skirt steak leftovers last for up to 3-4 days in the fridge.
Air Frying Leftover Steak
You can reheat your skirt steak leftovers in the air fryer at 400°F (200°C) for about 2 minutes to reheat it. Add another minute if it needs more time.
FAQ
You should marinate skirt steak for at least 30 minutes, but you can also allow it to marinate for up to 8 hours for greater depth of flavor, if you prefer. It's delicious after 30 minutes, though! We recommend you don't marinate it for longer than that, or the muscle fibers will break down too much and create an unappetizing texture.
Yes, you should flip the skirt over once while air frying halfway through the cook time. This will give the steak a proper sear on both sides.
Air Fryer Steak Recipes
Leave a comment and review for us below if you enjoyed this recipe, or if you have questions about any of our air fryer recipes!
Air Fryer Skirt Steak
Equipment
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
- ½ cup olive oil
- 3 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ cup fresh lime juice about 2 limes, juiced
- 1 Tablespoon garlic minced
- 1 Tablespoon sugar
- ½ Tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 1½ to 2 lbs Skirt Steak
Instructions
Skirt Steak Marinade
- Combine ½ cup olive oil, 3 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, ¼ cup fresh lime juice, 1 Tablespoon garlic, 1 Tablespoon sugar, ½ Tablespoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper in a bowl and whisk to combine.
- Cut 1½ to 2 lbs Skirt Steak into 3 pieces.
- Place skirt steak pieces into a gallon sized zip-top bag and pour marinade into bag. Zip to close tightly. Place bag in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to 8 hours.
Air Fryer Skirt Steak
- Insert rack into air fryer basket under crisper tray.
- Preheat air fryer on air broil to 400°F. If you don’t have an air broil setting, that’s okay, just set to 400°F on the preheat setting.
- Remove skirt steak pieces from marinade. Hold each piece over bag to allow excess marinade to drip off steak before placing in air fryer.
- Place skirt steak in preheated air fryer in a single layer.
- Air fry 8 minutes, using tongs to turn each piece of skirt steak over halfway through air frying.
- After 8 minutes, check internal temperature of skirt steak. For medium rare, remove skirt steak when instant read thermometer reads between 125-130°F in thickest part of each piece. Check each piece separately. If any of the steak pieces aren’t up to temperature, return to the air fryer for 2 more minutes or until the proper temperature is reached.
- Rest skirt steak 5 minutes.
- Slice skirt steak against the grain and enjoy!
Notes
- The air fryer rack is necessary for raising the steak higher and closer to the heating element, which helps it develop a sear.
- Slice skirt steak against the grain, which is typically the long side of the steak.
- Total time listed does not include marinating time, as that can vary. You can marinate for as little as 30 minutes or up to 8 hours according to your preference.
- Cook time may vary depending on your specific air fryer model. Air fryers vary from brand to brand, so test and make sure to use a meat thermometer to get the perfect cook time for your air fryer model.
- When cooking in multiple batches, check subsequent batches early, as they may cook more quickly.
Comments
No Comments