What it is
Two different cuts that behave similarly. Flank comes from the lower rear belly; skirt comes from the plate, further forward, and is the diaphragm muscle. Both are lean, both have a pronounced open grain, and both carry more beef flavor per ounce than almost anything else on the animal.
Both take marinade beautifully because the loose grain lets it penetrate. These are the cuts for carne asada, fajitas, and steak salad.
How to cook it
Cook them fast and hot — two to three minutes a side over the hottest fire you can build — and never past medium-rare. Then slice thin, hard against the grain. The grain is impossible to miss on these cuts, which makes them forgiving to slice correctly.
Pull it at
130°F See the full doneness chart for every level.
What to look for
Look for even thickness. Skirt in particular can vary a lot along its length, and the thin end will be overdone before the thick end is ready.
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