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Home » Recipes » Beef Recipes

Pan-Seared Skirt Steak (Foil Packet Meal)

Published: Sep 23, 2020 · Modified: Oct 31, 2021 by Chef Dennis Littley

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If you like easy-to-make dinners that require little cleanup then my Pan-Seared Skirt Steak with Farro is a dish you’re going to love!

pan seared steak on a bed of farro topped with spinach mushrooms and blue cheese served on a white plate


 

Making dinner shouldn’t be a difficult process and clean up afterward shouldn’t be something you dread!

Skirt Steak has been a popular menu item off and on since the 1950s. It used to be a fairly inexpensive cut of meat, but popularity always causes prices to rise.

That being said it’s still a good value, cooks quickly and is a tasty item to add to your dinner repertoire. It’s also very user-friendly and can be turned into a number of dishes.

Table of Contents:
  • Ingredients to make Pan-Seared Skirt Steak
  • How to make Pan-Seared Skirt Steak
  • What’s the best way to cook a skirt steak?
  • Can I marinate skirt steak?
  • Recipe: Pan-Seared Skirt Steak with Farro

Ingredients to make Pan-Seared Skirt Steak

Ingredients to make recipe

Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make my Pan-Seared Skirt Steak. In Chef Speak this is called the Mise en Place which translates into Everything in its Place.

Not only does setting your ingredients up ahead of time speed the cooking process, but it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.

How to make Pan-Seared Skirt Steak

collage showing how to prepare farro.

The first step is preparing the farro. If you’ve ever made risotto, the process for cooking farro is pretty much the same. In fact, farro is often used instead of rice to make risotto.

  • sauté chopped onion in olive oil until fragrant (2 minutes) over medium-high heat
  • add the farro and continue cooking for 1-2 minutes over medium heat to bring out the natural nuttiness of the grain
  • lower the heat to simmer and add one-third of the stock to the farro
  • repeat this process adding the remainder of the stock in thirds until the farro has absorbed the liquid
  • cover and set aside until needed (the farro can be cooked ahead of time and refrigerated)
cooked sliced mushrooms in a saute pan

The next step is prepping the mushrooms. Sauté the mushrooms with butter (or olive oil) until soft. Set aside until needed.

This step should be done while you’re making the farro.

Now it’s time to get the skirt steak ready to cook.

skirt steak on paper towels

Pat dry the steak with paper towels. Season the steak with sea salt and black pepper.

What’s the best way to cook a skirt steak?

In this chef’s opinion, skirt steak is best seared in a hot pan. Cast Iron or Carbon Steel are always good choices when it comes to pan searing. But any good quality saute pan will do the trick.

Here are a few rules that will help you cook like a pro.

  • Use paper towels to dry the surface of the meat. Moisture will create steam and will make it harder to get that perfect crust on the steak.
  • Season the steak well after you’ve dried it off.
  • High heat is your friend when it comes to pan-searing skirt steak. Skirt Steak doesn’t have much in the way of connective tissue. That means cook it fast and use high heat.
    Slow cooking won’t work with this cut of meat.
  • Don’t overcook the steak. You’re going to get the best results with just a few minutes of contact with the heated surface of your pan. You want just enough time to get a good crust on the meat. Don’t cook the skirt steak past medium-rare or you’ll end up with a tough, chewy piece of meat!
seared skirt steak in skillet

Heat a sauté pan on high heat until almost smoking. Very carefully add one tablespoon of cooking oil to the pan. Very carefully add the seasoned skirt steak to the pan. Sear the steak 2-3 minutes on each side until you get a nice crust on the steak.

**Make sure to have your kitchen fan on and a window open if possible.

Can I marinate skirt steak?

Marinating the skirt steak can add additional flavors to the meat. Use your favorite oils and seasonings to change the flavors to your liking.

Skirt steak’s accordion-like structure of coarse muscle fibers provides a larger surface area to marinate. That means more flavor because of the larger surface gives the steak more opportunity to absorb the flavors.

You only need 30 minutes for marinating. Any more than that may add too much flavor to the meat, taking away from the dish.

***Make sure to dry the meat surface before searing the steaks.

collage showing how to make recipe.

Start by cutting off four 16 inch pieces of foil.

  • Place 1 cup of cooked farro in the center of the foil
  • Top the farro with one cup of raw spinach
  • Add the pan-seared skirt steak on top of the spinach
  • Top the skirt steak with the sauteed mushrooms and bleu cheese crumbles

To close the foil pouch:

  • Bring up the long sides of the foil, so the ends meet over the food
  • Double-fold the ends, leaving room for heat to circulate inside
  • Double-fold the two short ends to seal the packet

Place all the foil packets on a sheet pan or baking tray and place in a preheated 350 degree F. oven for 25 minutes. Or until an internal temperature of 165 degrees F has been reached.

4 foil packets with one open showing the finished skirt steak on a sheet pan with a box of Reynolds foil across on the top

Carefully remove the packets from the oven and cautiously open the packets for serving as steam will escape.

The foil will be hot, so use kitchen gloves or towels when touching them. Don’t spoil dinner by getting burned!

pan seared skirt steak over farro on a white plate

Carefully slide the skirt steak and all the fixings onto a plate, and dinner is served!

And the best part is there are no pans to clean up afterward. Just toss the used foil and enjoy the skirt steak and your evening!

If you enjoyed this recipe you may also like these:

  • Big Island Steak Bowl
  • Grilled Dry Rub Chicken Wings
  • How to Grill a Steakhouse Style Steak
  • Marinated Mango Bourbon Salmon

pan seared steak on a bed of farro topped with spinach mushrooms and blue cheese served on a white plate

Pan-Seared Skirt Steak with Farro

Chef Dennis Littley
For a quick and delicious dinner, Pan-Seared Skirt Steak is sure to please. Served on a bed of farro with spinach, mushrooms and a touch of bleu cheese you'll love the flavors and ease of clean up with the foil packets.
5 from 20 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 30 minutes mins
Total Time 40 minutes mins
Course Entree
Cuisine American
Servings 4
Calories 641 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • 20 oz skirt steak cut into 4 portions
  • ¼ cup onions fine dice
  • 1½ cup farro
  • 3½ cups chicken stock
  • 12 oz mushrooms sliced
  • 2 tablespoon butter
  • 6 oz spinach
  • 4 oz bleu cheese
  • sea salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Sauté the chopped onion in olive oil (or your choice of oil) until fragrant (2 minutes) over medium-high heat.
  • Add the farro to the pan and continue cooking for 1-2 minutes over medium heat to bring out the natural nuttiness of the farro.
  • Lower the heat to simmer and add one-third of the stock at a time to the farro. Repeat this process adding the remainder of the stock in thirds until the farro has absorbed the liquid.
  • Remove from the heat, cover and set aside until needed (the farro can be cooked ahead of time and refrigerated).
  • While the farro is cooking saute the mushrooms in butter until soft. Set aside until needed.
  • Pat dry the skirt steak with paper towels. Liberally season the steak with sea salt and black pepper.
    **If you'd like to add more flavors to the skirt steak, use your favorite seasonings before cooking.
  • Heat a sauté pan on high heat until almost smoking. Very carefully add one tablespoon of cooking oil to the pan. Very carefully add the seasoned skirt steak to the pan and sear the steak 2-3 minutes on each side until you get a nice crust on the steak.
    **Make sure to have your kitchen fan on and a window open if possible.
  • Cut four 16-inch pieces of foil
  • Place 1 cup of cooked farro in the center of the foil.
  • Top the farro with one cup of raw spinach. Add the pan-seared skirt steak on top of the spinach.
  • Top the skirt steak with the sauteed mushrooms and bleu cheese crumbles.
  • To close the foil pouch
    Bring up the long sides of the foil, so the ends meet over the food.
    Double fold the ends, leaving room for heat to circulate inside.
    Double fold the two short ends to seal the packet
    Place the four packets on a sheet pan or baking pan and place into a 350-degree preheated oven for 25 minutes.
    *or until the internal temperature has reached 165 degrees F.
  • Carefully remove the packets from the oven and cautiously open the packets for serving as steam will escape.
    The foil will be hot, so use kitchen gloves or towels when touching them. Don’t spoil dinner by getting burned!
  • Carefully slide the skirt steak and all the fixins onto a plate, and dinner is served!

Nutrition

Calories: 641kcalCarbohydrates: 51gProtein: 50gFat: 28gSaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 131mgSodium: 790mgPotassium: 1338mgFiber: 10gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 4381IUVitamin C: 15mgCalcium: 223mgIron: 6mg
Tried this recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @askchefdennis or tag #askchefdennis!

Comments

    5 from 20 votes (1 rating without comment)

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    Recipe Rating




  1. EJH says

    October 16, 2020 at 7:19 pm

    5 stars
    This was fantastic. Never cooked or ate farro before. It was my favorite part of the dish. Easily cut recipe in half for 2 of us.

    Reply
    • Chef Dennis Littley says

      October 16, 2020 at 7:50 pm

      I’m happy to hear you enjoyed the dish and especially that you like the farro! Its a delicious side dish and its good for you!

      Reply
  2. Natalie says

    September 28, 2020 at 6:58 am

    5 stars
    Lovely dinner idea. I bet my family will enjoy this. I love the added mushrooms and blue cheese. I just saved the recipe. Thanks.

    Reply
  3. Emily Woodward says

    September 27, 2020 at 10:31 pm

    5 stars
    We loved this meal!

    Reply
  4. michele h peterson says

    September 26, 2020 at 8:53 am

    5 stars
    I loved how easy the clean-up was in this recipe!

    Reply
  5. Kay says

    September 26, 2020 at 3:10 am

    5 stars
    We had this for dinner last night, my first time using farro. I knew with steak, mushrooms and bleu cheese it would win me over! It sure did, fabulous combo of flavours, going to make this more often!

    Reply
  6. Capri says

    September 25, 2020 at 7:44 pm

    5 stars
    Thank you for the detailed instructions! This meal was incredible!! The farro was my favorite part —so good!

    Reply
  7. Alexandra says

    September 25, 2020 at 7:22 pm

    5 stars
    Our family LOVES foil packet meals, and this is our new favourite. The steak is so delicious!

    Reply
  8. Terra @ Terra's Bites says

    September 25, 2020 at 6:14 pm

    5 stars
    I absolutely love foil packet dinners like this one. Thank you for adding one to my repertoire.

    Reply
  9. Tanara says

    September 25, 2020 at 5:56 pm

    5 stars
    I love these kind of easy but full of flavor meals! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
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My name is Chef Dennis Littley, creator and owner of Ask Chef Dennis Productions. As a classically trained chef with 40+ years of experience in the kitchen, I share my time-tested recipes, knowledge, and chef tips to help you create easy-to-make restaurant-quality meals in your home kitchen.

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