Is there such a thing as a perfect marinade? We’re tempted to tell you this is it. Made of tangy, savory pantry staples like Worcestershire and balsamic vinegar, it is a breeze to put together and transforms humble skirt steak into beefy heaven in just 2 hours (though you can let it sit for up to 6 if you have the time). You might be tempted to eat all the flavorful steak right off the cutting board but trust—it’s well worth the extra effort to build out the salad in its entirety, with funky blue cheese, juicy tomatoes, XL grilled croutons, and a dressing that calls back a few of the marinades flavors for added impact.
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What you’ll need
Instant-Read Thermometer
$35 At Thermoworks
Microplane
$18 At Amazon
Paring Knife
$10 At Amazon
16" Heavy Duty Stainless Steel Utility Tongs
$11 At Amazon
Chef’s Knife
$115 At Hedley and Bennett
Recipe information
Total Time
40 minutes (plus 4 hours and 30 minutes for marinating )
Yield
4–6 servings
Ingredients
1¼
3
¼
¼
¾
¼
1
1
1
½
2
1
1
3
Preparation
Step 1
Pat 1¼ lb. skirt steak dry with paper towels; halve crosswise if too long to fit on grill. Prick all over with a paring knife.
Step 2
Combine 3 garlic cloves, finely grated, ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce, ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper, ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, ¼ cup balsamic vinegar, 1 Tbsp. pure maple syrup, 1 Tbsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¾ tsp. Morton kosher salt, and 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper in a large resealable plastic bag. Add steak and seal bag; massage steak to coat. Chill at least 2 hours and, preferably, up to 6 hours. Let steak sit at room temperature 30 minutes before grilling.
Step 3
Prepare a grill for medium-high heat; oil grate with vegetable oil. Toss ½ loaf country-style bread, torn into 4" pieces, with ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil in a large bowl to coat. Grill bread, turning occasionally with tongs, until golden brown and lightly charred in spots, about 1 minute. Return to bowl and season with salt.
Step 4
Remove steak from marinade, letting excess drip back into bag, and pat dry with paper towels. Lightly rub all over with vegetable oil. Grill steak until evenly charred and medium-rare (an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of steak should register 125°), about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 10–15 minutes.
Step 5
Meanwhile, whisk 2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard and remaining 3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar and 1 tsp. pure maple syrup in a large bowl; season with salt. Slowly stream in remaining ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, whisking constantly until dressing is emulsified. Add 1 large head of romaine lettuce, leaves separated, torn, and 1 large tomato, cut into wedges, to dressing and toss to coat. Tear bread into very large pieces and add to salad; toss again.
Step 6
Transfer salad to a platter or divide among plates. Thinly slice steak against the grain and arrange on top; drizzle any accumulated juices over. Top with 3 oz. Danish blue cheese, thinly sliced, broken into large pieces, and season with black pepper.
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Reviews (3)
Back to TopA lot of different flavors going on here, maybe too many. This recipe makes a lot more dressing for 1 head of romaine and a large beefsteak. Maybe it was suppose to be more of a panzanella, and I just didn’t use enough bread
A cook from Buffalo
Buffalo, NY
2/4/2024
Fabulous except for the dressing for the salad which tasted a bit muddy. I switched to a vinaigrette made of EVOO and good Balsamic. It had a much cleaner and brighter taste. This was a hit with my family!
Anonymous
Mid Hudson Valley, NY
9/17/2023
This was insanely delicious. Definitely adding to my summer recipe rotation.
Heather
Bristol, CT
7/18/2023
I am frequently disappointed in BA reviews because the reviewer changes the recipe and rates a recipe different from that displayed Now I am doing the same thing. This recipe looked good, but I am currently into suis vide cooking. I put the marinated meat in bag aside for 30 minutes, then suis vide cooked it for 1 hr and 30 minutes. The meat was excellent, but suis vide likes basting in butter before serving. Unfortunately this basting in butter happens at the same time crotons are under the broiler. (Both require constant attention.) The recipe says turn the croutons constantly, but mine were quite happy laying on their backs. Lacking more hands my croutons were more than a little toasty. All in all, the recipe is very good cooked suis vide. Blue cheese is, however, a strong flavor that tends to take over the meat. With the balsamic vinegar, it has a bit of a greek olive flavor. Not bad, just unexpected.
zendog3
The Villages, Fl
7/12/2023