Skirt Steak With Shallot-Thyme Butter

By Mark Bittman

Published May 30, 2000

  • Michael Kraus for The New York Times
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
30 minutes
Rating
4(488)
Comments
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Steve Johnson, the chef at the Blue Room in Cambridge, Mass., has been cooking skirt steak for years, long before it became wildly popular. But never before has he served a better – or simpler – rendition of this long, thin band of wonderfully marbled beef. His secret: a slice of compound butter, flavored with shallots, chives and thyme, that melts over the meat. It had been so long since I had seen flavored butter on steak that this version came as something of a revelation.

Featured in: THE MINIMALIST; You Better Believe It's Not Just Butter

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

  • ¼ pound unsalted butter, softened slightly

  • ¼ teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

  • 10 chives, minced

  • 1 shallot, peeled and minced

  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • ½ teaspoon red wine vinegar or lemon juice

  • About 24 ounces skirt steak, cut into 4 portions

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

3 grams carbs; 172 milligrams cholesterol; 549 calories; 17 grams monosaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 23 grams saturated fat; 45 grams fat; 1 gram trans fat; 1 gram fiber; 511 milligrams sodium; 35 grams protein; 1 gram sugar

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

  1. Step 1

    Prepare a gas or charcoal grill; the fire should be so hot you can hold your hand over it for only a couple of seconds.

  2. Step 2

    Meanwhile, cream the butter with a fork, adding thyme, chives, shallot, ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper and the vinegar or juice.

  3. Step 3

    Grill the steak, 2 minutes a side for rare, about a minute longer per side for medium-rare. As it cooks, season with salt and pepper.

  4. Step 4

    Spread each steak with about a tablespoon of the flavored butter, and serve. Remaining butter can be wrapped and refrigerated or frozen.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
488 user ratings
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Comments

Randye

I did this a bit differently b/c I didn't want raw shallots, so I put butter in a small saucepan, added the shallots & cooked for two minutes or so until soft. Then I also used the butter in my cast iron skillet & cooked the steak in there (I live in a hi-rise, so no grill). Then I made it with fingerling potatoes in the oven & drizzled the flavored butter on them. Superb!

TriciaPDX

Will you share your usual marinade?

brooke

Great recipe. Marinate in usual without soy and garlic. Serve with smashed potatoes and veg

Rob R

Just finished off 2 pounds of this with our family. The skirt steak can from Boyden Beef in Cambridge VT. Everyone went for seconds and thirds. The compound butter was loved by all. Had it with spinach and roast potatoes. Simple, fast, and great. Give it a try.

Steve

We make this often and it's always a treat. I find that using scallions in place of shallots and chives is delicious.

Genie Abrams

Can you fry the steak in a regular, nonstick pan?

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