The Affordable Cut Of Beef That Belongs In Your Slow Cooker

There are many ways to use a slow cooker, and using one to prepare meat dishes provides the convenience of hands-off cooking while producing a hearty and abundant meal. While you may be familiar with using a slow cooker to prepare pot roasts, there's another underappreciated cut that turns out tender and delicious when paired with a slow cooker: skirt steak.

Skirt steak is a flavorful steak cut that won't break the bank, and it's perfect for slow cookers. Cooking skirt steak is difficult to master, as it can be a little tough if not cooked properly. While many chefs recommend techniques like a quick sear over high heat and using a quick marinade, cooking a skirt steak in a humble slow cooker works wonders.

There are a number of steak cuts you should never put into a slow cooker, but skirt steak has characteristics that make it almost ideal. Skirt steak can get tough easily, but a slow cooker is the perfect way to counter that and transform it into a juicy dish. Slow cooking skirt steak in fluid breaks down the connective tissues, including collagen proteins. The collagen breaks down into gelatin, while the fat in the meat keeps it moist and flavorful. Skirt steak also works well with cooking liquids, as the meat has a loose structure that absorbs the liquids and spices when slow cooked, breaking down tough fibers, just like a marinade would do. In choosing skirt steak, be aware that there are two cuts, the inside and outside cut. The outside skirt steak is desirable for its longer, wider size and better marbling, which becomes more tender when cooked compared to the inside cut.

There's a basic way to prepare skirt steak in a slow cooker, and you can modify the cooking liquids and spices according to your desired recipe. After patting the steak dry, season both sides with your choice of spices, then sear for a couple of minutes until browned. Lay the skirt steak on a bed of onions and minced garlic, then add cooking liquid. Beef broth creates a rich flavor, and combined with balsamic vinegar, produces a sweet, tender meat. If you enjoy umami flavor, add Worcestershire sauce, and you can thicken the broth with rich tomato paste. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. After allowing the cooked steak to rest for a few minutes, slice the meat against the grain to make tender cuts.

To make a Tex-Mex dish, include chili powder, chipotle peppers, and cumin. To use this steak cut for soft tacos, use a slow cooker instead of on the grill, and then serve with cheese and cilantro on tortillas. You can also make adobo ranch steak taco bowls by altering the cooking liquid to include chipotle peppers, olive oil, lime juice, cumin, salt, pepper, and optional apple cider vinegar, orange juice, and dried oregano, then serving the steak on a bed of rice and salad greens. To expand the cultural reach of your meal, make an Asian-style dish by substituting soy sauce for the balsamic vinegar in your cooking liquid and adding ginger and sesame oil. The meal options are both delicious and varied when you make skirt steak in a slow cooker.