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    Ask Chef Dennis » Recipes » Pan-Seared Skirt Steak with Farro (Foil Packet Meal)

    Pan-Seared Skirt Steak with Farro (Foil Packet Meal)

    Published: Sep 23, 2020 · Modified: Oct 31, 2021 by Chef Dennis Littley · 25 Comments·This post includes affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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    5 from 20 votes
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    Pinterest image for pan seared skirt steak

    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.

    What do I need to make a Pan-Seared Skirt Steak for dinner?

    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 do I make Pan-Seared Skirt Steak with Farro in a Foil Packet?

    four images showing how to prepare the farro in a saute pan

    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.

    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!

    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 a 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 steaks 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.

    four images of the process of making the seared skirt steak foil packets

    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!

    overhead shot of pan seared skirt steak 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

    Did you make this? Please RATE THE RECIPE below!

    Please SUBSCRIBE and FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST!

    pan seared steak on a bed of farro topped with spinach mushrooms and blue cheese served on a white plate
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    5 from 20 votes

    Pan-Seared Skirt Steak with Farro

    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.
    Prep Time10 mins
    Cook Time30 mins
    Course: Entree
    Cuisine: American
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 641kcal
    Author: Chef Dennis Littley

    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 tbsp butter
    • 6 oz spinach
    • 4 oz bleu cheese
    • sea salt and black pepper to taste
    US Customary – Metric
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    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: 641kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 50g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 131mg | Sodium: 790mg | Potassium: 1338mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 4381IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 223mg | Iron: 6mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @askChefDennis or tag #askChefDennis!
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    About Chef Dennis

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    Chef Dennis is a semi-retired Chef, writer/blogger, photographer, recipe developer and creator of A Culinary Journey with Chef Dennis aka Ask Chef Dennis®. Chef Dennis worked professionally in White Table Cloth Restaurants for 40 years and has been developing easy to make, restaurant-style recipes since 2009. The second phase of his reinvention from chef to blogger has earned him a place at the Worlds Dinner Table. Join him on his Culinary Journey enjoying his easy to make Restaurant Style recipes and travel adventures. For more details, check out his About page.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Kay

      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
    2. Capri

      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
    3. Alexandra

      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
    4. Terra @ Terra's Bites

      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
    5. Tanara

      September 25, 2020 at 5:56 pm

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

      Reply
    6. Heather K

      September 25, 2020 at 2:33 pm

      5 stars
      Simply delicious!

      Reply
    7. Emily Flint

      September 25, 2020 at 11:50 am

      5 stars
      I LOVE easy clean-up recipes and if it has steak…even better!

      Reply
    8. Angela

      September 25, 2020 at 11:10 am

      5 stars
      Thank you Chef Dennis! I love all your recipe! And this is amazing! I will try soon

      Reply
    9. Andréa Janssen

      September 25, 2020 at 8:41 am

      5 stars
      What a beautiful and delicious recipe. And great flavor. Thanks for sharing the recipe.

      Reply
    10. Sue

      September 25, 2020 at 8:39 am

      5 stars
      I have been looking for a great skirt steak recipe, and this is it! Thank you!

      Reply
    11. Lois

      September 24, 2020 at 8:54 pm

      5 stars
      Chef Dennis you delivered again. It is not complicated, but it seems very delicious. Wraping it will make it tender also.

      Reply
    12. Glenda

      September 24, 2020 at 5:44 pm

      5 stars
      I really like all the ingredients in this dish. It looks so delicious too.

      Reply
    13. Kathy

      September 24, 2020 at 12:07 pm

      This recipe looks amazing. I sure do love steak. I’m always up for trying all kinds of steak recipes. I can’t wait to try this one too.

      Reply
    14. Nikki Wayne

      September 24, 2020 at 7:51 am

      5 stars
      You got me craving for this. Great recipe. Thanks for sharing.

      Reply
    15. Jennifer Van Haitsma

      September 24, 2020 at 6:44 am

      Emailing this to my husband for when i can eat lesser cooked meats again! LOL. Steaks are best at medium rare in my opinion. Looks amazing!

      Reply
    16. Catalina

      September 24, 2020 at 4:49 am

      5 stars
      What a healthy and delicious dinner idea! Something new that my family will appreciate!

      Reply
    17. Tasheena

      September 23, 2020 at 9:04 pm

      My son is a huge fan of steak. I can’t wait to make this recipe for him.

      Reply
    18. Kita Bryant

      September 23, 2020 at 5:56 pm

      5 stars
      Skirt steak is such a delicious cut. I would love to try your recipe!

      Reply
    19. Amber Myers

      September 23, 2020 at 10:39 am

      This will be an incredible dinner! I will have to make it one evening for sure. I know everyone will love it.

      Reply
    20. Pam Wattenbarger

      September 23, 2020 at 9:56 am

      Congratulations on the ambassador! Well deserved! I haven’t had farro in quite a while. Thank you for the tips on how to cook it correctly.

      Reply
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