So I made this for a friend’s 4th of July bbq and totally stole the show (totally unintentionally!).

My friend’s bbq was in a whole different state, which made it a bit trickier.  I really wanted to contribute to the menu, but needed something that would carry well in the summer heat and everyone would love.  And who doesn’t love steak…. a spicy marinated steak!

There’s no doubt that I absolutely love skirt steak.  It’s a cheaper cut and it’s always super easy to make.  You can make so many versions of it, just because you can marinate it in just about ANYTHING and it picks up all the flavors so well…. love it!

I saw this recipe on one of my favorite shows on The Kitchen on Food network.  I couldn’t watch the whole segment, so this is my interpretation of the recipe.

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds skirt steak
• 2 medium tomatoes, cut into thick wedges
• 1 medium red onion, cut into thick wedges
• 1 large jalapeño
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled whole
• 1 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves
• 1 tablespoon chopped canned chipotles in adobo (with some of the sauce)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup canola or other neutral oil
• Salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Instructions:

• Pre-heat oven at 450 degrees.
• Place wedged tomatoes, onions, jalapeño and garlic on a lined baking sheet and roast for about 20 minutes.  After 20 minutes take out the garlic (so it doesn’t burn) and flip the rest of the ingredients.  Roast for another 10-15 minutes, until charred.  Take it out of the oven and let cool.
• Place cooled, roasted vegetables in the blender, along with roasted garlic, cilantro, chipotle in adobo, oil and 1/4 tsp salt.  Blend until smooth.
• Salt and pepper the steak, generously, and marinate in the spicy tomato sauce for at least 4 hours to overnight.  **See notes.
• When ready to grill, heat the grill on high and make sure it’s super hot.  Grill the steak 4 minutes on one side, then 3 minutes on the other side for a medium rare.  You can do the same on a indoor grill pan, just make sure it’s super hot.
• Let the meat rest for at least 6-8 minutes, then slice against the grain.  **See notes.

Notes:

**It’s best to marinate the meat for at least 8 hours, however if you don’t have time you can marinate it for however little time you have to spare.  You can also freeze the marinated meat in a ziplock back for up to 4 days.  Just make sure to bring it to room temperature before grilling.

**Possibly the most important thing when making a skirt steak is how you slice it.  It must be sliced against the grain.  Otherwise it will be VERY VERY chewy.