Skirt Steak Substitutes – 11 Best Options

Skirt steak is an affordable cut of beef that’s becoming more popular as it’s used for so many great recipes such as stir-fries, sandwiches, tacos, fajitas, BBQ, salads, and even as a pizza topping. It can happen that your go-to grocery store or local butcher ran out of it, in which case you can rely on one of these skirt steak substitutes!

🥩 What Is Skirt Steak?

Skirt steak comes from the beef plate primal cut, located in the abdominal area below the ribs.

There are two types of skirt steak: the inside skirt, which is the transversus abdominis muscle, and the outside skirt, which is the diaphragm muscle.

Both types have a similar shape: long and flat, with subtle marbling.

Outside skirt is the more tender cut and most of it is purchased by commercial restaurants which is why it’s more difficult to find than the inside skirt.

Also, the outside skirt is covered with a membrane that’s usually removed before selling.

Skirt steak is a relatively tough cut of beef that has an excellent beefy flavor. Of course, when cooked properly, it can turn out juicy and tender!

⚖️ Skirt Steak Substitutes Side-By-Side Comparison

Skirt steak is moderately tender and has a strong beefy flavor that’s best when cooked medium-rare to medium.

For an appropriate replacement, we’ll need to look for other cuts of beef that have these traits. Luckily, there are plenty of options that will increase your chances of finding a suitable skirt steak substitute.

Substitute	Description
Flank Steak	Thicker and slightly more tender. Requires marinating or low and slow cooking.
Hanger Steak	Rich flavor and slight marbling. Best cooked on medium-high heat after marinating.
Flat Iron Steak	More tender and thicker than skirt steak. Doesn’t require marinating.
Tri-Tip Steak	Similar, lean texture. Best when marinated.
Top Round Roast	Affordable cut that tenderizes well when marinated.
Strip Loin Steak	Visible marbling with fat on one side. Best when cooked medium to medium-rare.
Sirloin Flap Steak (Steak Tips)	Similar flavor and texture. Requires marinating.
Sirloin Steak	Lean and more tender. Easily available.
Denver Steak	Tender cut from the cow’s shoulder with pronounced marbling.
Ribeye	Easy to find, tender, and very flavorful.
Beef Tenderloin	Very tender with mild flavor.

Flank Steak

Compared to skirt steak, flank steak is thicker, shorter, slightly more tender and has a milder flavor. You can find a thorough comparison of skirt steak vs flank steak in our comprehensive guide.

It’s also a bit more expensive although still affordable compared to many other cuts of beef.

I find it to be ones of the best skirt steak substitutes and needs to be prepared similarly.

We absolutely love grilled flank steak, and when you have some time on your hands, it really is worth trying smoked flank steak too for your next cookout. Don’t forget the BBQ Sides that we love!

Hanger Steak

Hanger steak may not be one of the most popular beef cuts, but it is affordable, and packed with flavor. You might sometimes find it as “butcher’s steak”.

As it happens, it also comes from the plate primal cut, has marbling similar to skirt steak, and can become rubbery when overcooked.

The best way to cook hanger steak is on medium-high heat until it’s medium rare to medium. It will turn out delicious even if you season it with just salt and pepper!

Flat Iron Steak

Flat iron steak comes from the top blade of the cow’s shoulder area. It has subtle marbling, and its tenderness, and affordable price makes it a desirable cut.

Grilled flat iron steak is exceptionally easy to prepare and because it’s very tender, you don’t need to marinate.

It is thicker than skirt steak, though, so longer cooking times are needed.

Tri-Tip Steak

Tri-tip steak has a triangular shape and comes from the “tip” of the sirloin.

It’s pretty lean with a bit of marbling and it’s sometimes called sirloin tip, sirloin roast, triangle roast, or sirloin tip side steak.

For best results, try a marinated grilled tri tip. It’s worth waiting a bit extra for juicier and more flavorful meat.

Tri tip is a dense cut of meat, and marinating it is one of the most efficient ways to tenderize it.

If you’re willing to fire up the smoker, I’m sure you’ll love this smoked Santa Maria tri tip. It’s ready in about one hour and thinly sliced leftovers are wonderful in sandwiches!

Top Round Roast

Top round roast, or London broil, is an excellent skirt steak substitute as it’s also a budget-friendly cut of meat.

This lean cut comes from the round primal area of the cow and if not cooked correctly, it can become pretty tough.

However, smoking top round roast or marinating and grilling it to a rare to medium-rare doneness will ensure you get a highly enjoyable dish!

Strip Loin Steak

Also known as New York strip, this cut of beef comes from the short loin, which is the front section of the loin primal cut.

It has decent marbling, which ensures you can grill it to tender perfection without much preparation. For the best taste and texture, cook it medium-rare to medium.

Flavor-wise, it’s pretty intense, just like skirt steak, the most significant difference being the thickness of the cut.

Strip loin steak is thicker than skirt steak, although you can always cut it thinner at home, or ask your local butcher to do it.

Sirloin Flap Steak (Steak Tips)

Flap steak is a very affordable alternative to skirt steak. With similar flavor and texture, flap steak is a cut from the bottom of the cow’s rib cage.

You might also find it cut into smaller pieces and labeled steak tips. I highly recommend marinating flap steak or steak tips before grilling.

Marinating and cooking the meat to medium rare or medium doneness will ensure it turns out flavorful and tender. Try our marinated grilled steak tips for a simple recipe that will get you raving reviews!

Sirloin Steak

You can’t go wrong with grilled sirloin steak, I’m sure you can agree!

Sirloin is not quite as tender as a strip loin steak but I think it has just the right chew factor, which is what makes it a good skirt steak alternative.

Of course, sirloin steak is thicker so you will need to adjust the cooking time.

Denver Steak

A cut of beef that started gaining more recognition in recent times, Denver steak has nice marbling and tenderness.

It comes from the chuck primal, which is the shoulder of the cow. This area gets a lot of exercise, with Denver steak being the exception.

It is located under the shoulder blade bone and also the most tender part of the beef chuck.

On that note, it’s a bit more forgiving than skirt steak as far as cooking and preparation go.

There is one important thing you should look for when buying Denver steak: check that it’s sliced across the grain. This way of slicing ensures the meat will be tender after cooking.

Ribeye

Do we have a cheaper alternative on the list? Yes. And I do feel a bit “off” for suggesting this as a true alternative as it’s tender, juicy and a few bucks more per pound. However, ribeye is a very popular steak, so you might have an easier time finding it.

It comes from the rib primal and the muscle in this area is little used. The pronounced marbling and strong beefy flavor make it a desirable cut.

Grilled ribeye steak will have a lovely taste even if you season it with salt and pepper only. The meat tastes amazing on its own!

I highly recommend you cook it medium-rare or medium for the ideal buttery texture. One big “pro” with going for a ribeye is that you can cook it until it’s well done and it still will be tender.

Beef Tenderloin

Milder in flavor compared to other popular cuts of beef like ribeye and New York strip, beef tenderloin and filet mignon are considered the most tender cuts of beef. Of course, the price reflects this sought-after quality. Just as the comment about the ribeye, I feel guilty including this but when you are in a pinch for suggestions, I want to give them all to you.

This long muscle called the psoas major is in found in the cow’s sirloin primal. It’s lean, fine-grained, and has a buttery melt-in-your-mouth consistency that’s amazing!

For any recipe where you need your beef to be incredibly tender, you can rely on tenderloin as a substitute for skirt steak.

Grilling it is quick and easy, as tenderloin is best medium to medium-rare. If you have some time on your hands, try this smoked beef tenderloin for a stronger smoky flavor and the same buttery texture.

💡 How To Choose A Skirt Steak Substitute

When replacing skirt steak, you need to consider how close to this cut you want the substitute to be.

If you’re fine with a tougher muscle that needs marinating, opt for flank steak, hanger steak, or sirloin steak that can be cut thin across the grain. Most times, I will cook these a lot less time as to not overcook them.

Did you plan to use skirt steak as a main dish? For grilling and pan searing, you can use more expensive cuts like ribeye, tenderloin, or New York strip. These are great options when you need to cook the steak longer as they are less likely to get tough.

📝 How To Marinate Your Skirt Steak Substitute

As I already mentioned, the tougher and leaner cuts will need marinating, just like a grilled skirt steak would.

Luckily, our skirt steak marinade goes well with any other cut of beef.

The combination of olive oil, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, garlic, and dried onions makes a simple marinade that will perfectly flavor and tenderize beef.

Place the marinade and the meat in a resealable plastic bag, or a bowl with a lid. Massage the meat, making sure the marinade reaches all nooks and crannies.

Allow the steak to marinate for at least one hour and up to a whole day.

For thinner sliced cuts, it’s best to grill them on direct high heat so they can get a nice sear without overcooking them in the center.

The USDA recommends cooking beef to an internal temperature of 145°F, although there are several stages of doneness and you can definitely turn off the heat earlier.

This is especially important for lean tougher steaks that require marinating, like skirt steak and flank steak.

I recommend you use a digital meat thermometer and the temperature guidelines below to cook beef steaks to your liking:

120-130°F – Rare
130-135°F – Medium Rare
135-145°F – Medium
145-155°F – Well
155-165°F – Well Done

When it’s time to store your leftovers, make sure to give the How Long is Steak Good for in the Fridge.

❓F.A.Q.

What Would I Do?

No skirt steak at the grocery store or butcher shop? If available, I would choose flap steak, hanger steak, flat iron steak, top round, or steak tips as a replacement.

We also listed softer-textured steaks or with more pronounced marbling like ribeye and New York strip steak because they’re easily available and for some recipes, their tender texture actually works.

Don’t forget to marinate the tougher cuts and always slice across the grain. The extra time and attention spent for this is totally worth it!