Skirt steak is a long, flat, flavorful piece of beef cut from the diaphragm muscle in the plate section of a cow—essentially where the waist would be if a cow had a waist. Also known as plate steak, it is used for making fajitas.

　　

Ingredients

serves 4 to 6

　　1 tablespoon canola oil, plus more if needed

　　1 1/2 pounds skirt steak

　　Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

　　2 tablespoons unsalted butter

　　2 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced

　　1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

　　1/4 cup dry red wine

　　

Step 1

To cook the steak, in a heavy-duty skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Season the steaks with salt and pepper. Add the meat to the skillet without crowding, in batches, if necessary, and cook on both sides until well browned and medium-rare, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a warm plate and cover loosely with aluminum foil to keep warm while preparing the sauce.

　　

Step 2

To prepare the sauce, return the pan to the cooktop over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the butter and the shallots. Cook until the shallots are soft and translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the vinegar and stir to combine. Cook until the vinegar evaporates, 30 to 45 seconds. Add the red wine and cook until reduced by half, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter; swirl to coat. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper.

　　

Step 3

To serve, slice the steak into thin strips against the grain. Overlap the slices on a plate and pour over the red wine glaze.

　　From Bon Appétit, Y’all: Recipes and Stories From Three Generations of Southern Cooking, © 2008 by Virginia Willis. Reprinted by permission of Ten Speed Press. Buy the full book from Amazon or Abe Books.