Skirt Steak vs Flank Steak: What's The Main Difference?
posted on
April 21, 2025
Craving steak? We don’t blame you. Every bite is packed with juicy, tender, flavor-rich goodness that’s hard to resist.
But when it comes time to choose your cut, things can get a little confusing. With so many options—ribeye, filet mignon, sirloin—it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. And then there are cuts that seem almost identical at first glance.
For example, flank steak and skirt steak are often mentioned together, cooked in similar ways, and even look alike, but they’re not the same. Understanding what sets them apart can help you choose the right cut for your cooking style, taste preferences, and budget.
So, what are the differences between skirt steak and flank steak?
In this guide, we’ll break down everything you need to know about skirt steak and flank steak—where they come from on the cow, how tender they are, and which dishes they’re best suited for.
Originally published in 2020, this article was updated and republished on April 21st, 2025.
What Is a Skirt Steak?
When you picture a steak, a skirt steak is probably not the image that comes to mind. This cut is long, thin, and oddly shaped. It has a well-defined grain structure with plenty of loosely packed, tough fibers.
Skirt steaks are moderately meaty. They’re marbly, giving them a relatively high fat content, and the average cut weighs about 1.25 pounds and yields 3 servings.
As for their taste, skirt steaks have a beefy flavor. People commonly use them for fajitas or stir-fries because they work well when cut into strips.
It’s important to note that there are two types of skirt steaks:
- Inside: The inside variety is shorter and skinnier. It comes with hard fat and a membrane that you need to trim away.
- Outside: The outside variety is generally more desirable. While you should still trim this cut, it has much less fat. Additionally, outside skirt steak is much more flavorful. It’s usually the cut you’ll find in restaurants.
What is another name for skirt steak?
While most commonly known as skirt steaks, this cut goes by different names, including:
- Romanian tenderloin
- Philadelphia steak
- Arrachera (in Mexico)
What Is a Flank Steak?
Flank steak is a large and squat cut. It’s meaty and has a low fat content. Most meat markets sell flank steaks as the whole muscle. The average cut weighs around 2 pounds and yields four servings.
Flank steaks have a well-defined grain structure. They have a strong beefy flavor, but because they’re lean and a little thicker, they can be tougher to chew. People commonly use flank steak for fajitas, London broil, Chinese stir-fried beef, etc.
What is another name for flank steak?
While flank steak is the most popular name for this cut, you may also hear it called:
- Beef flank
- Jiffy steak
- Fraldinha (in Brazil)
- Sobrebarriga (in Colombia)
- Babette (in France)
What's the Main Difference Between Flank and Skirt Steak?
Now that you know what skirt and flank steaks are, let’s review their key differences.
From Different Parts of the Cow
Both cuts come from the side of the cow. Throughout the cow’s life, these areas work hard. This results in both cuts being relatively tough and fibrous.
So, where is the skirt steak on a cow? It comes from the plate primal. The outside variety is from the diaphragm, while the inside variety is from an abdominal muscle.
The flank steak, as you might’ve guessed, comes from the flank primal.
Shape
Skirt steaks are long, skinny, and thin. Compared to other cuts of meat, flank steaks are also long and slender. However, flanks are slightly thicker and more oval-like than skirts.
Taste
Skirt steak tends to have a richer, meatier flavor than flank steak due to its higher fat content. This is true both for outside and inside skirt steak.
That rich taste makes it a good match for spices, rubs, and strong marinades.
On the other hand, flank steak tends to have a slightly milder flavor, which makes it an excellent canvas for a broader range of marinades and rubs.
100% grass-fed beef flank steak is richer and more flavorful than the standard supermarket variety while still mellow enough to pair well with marinades and spices.
Tenderness
Is skirt steak tender? What about flank? In all honesty, these cuts are no filet mignon. While they offer great flavor, they’re a little tough to chew.
Flank is more tender than the inside skirt.
The outside skirt is more evenly matched and may be more tender than a flank. Keep this in mind if tenderness is important to you.
You can tenderize these cuts with a mallet or by marinating them in olive oil and citrus juice overnight.
Try Them Both in Similar Recipes
People use these cuts of meat for similar purposes. You’ll find them in fajitas, London broils, stir-fries, etc. One isn’t necessarily better than the other; it just depends on how flavorful and tender you want the dish to be.
Both cuts are great options for you, your family, and your guests. They’re tasty, affordable, and popular at barbecues.
As we’ve said, one thing to note is that because of their tough fibers, these cuts can be harder to chew. Young children and seniors might find flank easier to consume.
If you get a skirt cut, remove all of the membrane and excess fat so everyone can enjoy it.
Best Cooking Practices for Each
Seeing as they have a low fat content, flanks require little preparation.
With skirts, you should trim off the excess fat. If you get the inside variety, remember to trim away the membrane.
Both cuts have loosely packed muscle fibers, allowing them to marinate well. You can marinate them to give them a little extra flavor. This is why they work so well in Mexican dishes – they marinate amazingly in spices.
How to Grill Each Steak
Whether you’re using gas or charcoal, the name of the game is speed. Both skirt and flank steak are best if you cook them on high heat for a short period.
Get your grill up to temperature first. Around 400°F is a good temperature for flank steak, while you can boost the heat to 500°F for skirt steak.
Make sure to pat either steak dry before putting it on the grill if you marinate it first. This helps to get a good sear and prevents marinade from dripping and burning or causing flare-ups.
Grill skirt steak for 3-4 minutes per side, and then take it off the grill and let it rest before you cut and serve.
Grill flank steak for 4-6 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of the steak. Overall, you shouldn’t cook flank steak for longer than 10-12 minutes. Take it off the grill and let it rest for at least 10 minutes before you cut and serve.
Some people choose to smoke these cuts. This can add a bit of flavor, but it’s usually not worth the effort. The cut won’t be in the smoker very long, and you’ll still have to finish with a sear.
How to Cut the Meat
Both skirt and flank steak offer the best eating experience when you cut them against the grain instead of with the grain.
But what does that mean?
When you look at any steak, you can get an idea of the direction in which the muscle fibers are arranged. You can also see how long or short the fibers are.
Skirt steak and flank steak both have long muscle fibers, which can be tough to chew if you cut in the same direction as those fibers. So it’s best to cut in the opposite direction and make thin slices rather than thick ones.
Think of it like trimming the ends of a bunch of strings. You don’t want long, tangled strings – you want short bits that barely hold together.
You'll get the most tender result by cutting either flank steak or skirt steak this way.
Price
Skirt steaks are usually less expensive than flanks. However, the price difference is minimal. If you want to try a flank, it’s worth paying a little extra.
It’s also worth noting that not every grocery store carries both cuts or carries them at the same time. So you might not get the cut of meat you planned on cooking, and it definitely won’t be ethically raised 100% grass-fed!
Is Skirt Steak the Same as Flank Steak? Which is better?
After reading this guide, you’re probably left with a burning question. Which cut is superior?
One is not necessarily better than the other. It all depends on your personal flavor and tenderness preferences.
Check out our 100% grass-fed beef skirt steak and flank steak, or take a break from beef and try our 100% grass-fed bison skirt steak and bison flank steak!
