Skirt Steak

[Fiona23]

Does anyone know where to get skirt steak in Houston? I have been to the Kirby Whole Foods, Central Market, and Costco. I would prefer organic and grass fed, but a lead on anywhere that even carries the cut would be appreciated.

Thanks.

[Fiona23]

I went to Pete's Fine Meats and they were having a special on what they called fajita meat this month. I inquired and unlike at other places I had gone to, they said it was skirt, inside skirt specifically. Because it was a special, i decided to give it a try. Will update with how it was.

[James Cristinian]

Fiona23 how was it and how much? In the past few weeks skirt steak/fajitas prices have skyrocketed. HEB angus 8.88 lb, El Tiempo Market 6.49 for the pricier arracherra, up about a buck a pound, and kosher fajitas 12.49 at Belden's, where they also had veal cutlets at 22.50, almost double from a year or so ago. Ouch!!

[Fiona23]

It was really good and it was 5.49 a pound, but I think it was a special for January.

[Fiona23]

I will try these places and get back to you. Thanks everyone.

[jscarbor]

INO the best place to but it is at the hispanic offshoot of HEB, Mi Tienda in South Houston. They carry "inside" and the hard to find "outside" skirt.
Also, just about every grocery will have skirt but it is usually inside skirt.

[Fiona23]

Thank you for your comments, but I am not sure if everyone is understanding exactly what I am looking for. I understand that fajita meat is technically supposed to be skirt steak, as that is what the word fajita comes from, belt, However, many markets seem to be marketing flank steak as fajita meat, as it seems to be with the "fajita arracharra" mentioned above, which is flank steak. I am not planning on making fajitas. I just really like skirt steak as just that, a steak rare with potatoes, etc. Flank steak and skirt steak seem to be used somewhat interchangeably in what is sold as fajita meat, when they are very different cuts of meat, one from the flank of the cow and the other from the plate. Flank steak will not work for me. I am not trying to be snarky, I am just at a loss for where to purchase what I actually want.

I recently moved to Houston and I don't know where to get things here outside of where I have already tried, i.e. Whole Foods, Central Market, and Costco and I have asked the butchers at all of these locations.

[algernon]

Someone already mentioned Pete's Fine Meats on Richmond near the Galleria. Have you tried there? I'm pretty sure they have or can get just about anything you want. Plus, it's just an awesome place to check out if you just moved here.

[texasredtop]

Try flank steak tenderized for chicken fried steak sometime. It's wonderful.

I get skirt steak at any grocery store although I haven't purchased any lately. I don't like messing with it a lot because of having to cut the silver skin stuff off of it.

[Bulldozer]

Fiona23, good luck on finding skirt steak. I agree Pete's is probably the best place to try, but you'll pay a lot for it. Let us know if they have it and how much it is.

Here is a feature article on skirt steak from 2009. It appears we're exporting most outside skirt to Japan. Supply goes way down, price goes way up...

http://www.houstonpress.com/2009-06-1...

[Jaymes]

Eye-opening thread. As I said, I haven't bought skirt steak in a while. I had no idea it had gotten so expensive or difficult to find. In the way olden days (and by that I mean the mid-70's when fajitas became, first, popular and then, ubiquitous), skirt steak was one of the cheapest cuts to buy. It was often referred to as "butcher's steak" in those days because there was too little of it to make a nice package for the meat display case, so that's what the butcher would take home to feed his family.

My, how things have changed.

[James Cristinian]

The fajita arrecharra I mentioned is not flank steak, but a better cut of fajita that is more tender. I'm thinking is is outside cut. If you actualy saw it you would know it is not flank streak. I never really pay attention to what the packages say, if I want skirt steak or fajita, I know what to look for. I can't believe you are having trouble finding skirt steak, you're just looking in the wrong places. Go to any Mexican carneceria, there are hundreds, and you'll find it. The best to me is El Tiempo, but La Michoacan, Teloloapo, and for carnitas fin de semana, Carneceria Super Brillante on Beechnut.

[Lambowner]

Sorry, I haven't bought skirt steak since the 80's when it was everywhere. I quickly learned that the prep of removing the silverskin took too much effort and the final fajita, no matter how long I marinated it, was inferior to restaurant fajitas. Good luck!

[James Cristinian]

If you reread the original post, he /she is not interested in fajitas, but in the meat as a steak. This is essentially how I eat it, although I do wrap some, but not all in tortillas, much as I do a ribeye or strip. The op is looking for a rare steak, I'm more rare to medium rare. Skirt steak has a great favor, especially when not marinated to death as the restaurants do. I splash on some lemon and lime, salt and pepper, and through it immediately on mesquite charcoal, cooking quickly until desired doneness. As far as the silverskin and fat between segments, that's something I have no problem dealing with, kinda like peeling small crawfish or blue crabs, too much work for some but bring it on. Fiona23, I'd like to hear your cooking prep. You should really try the arrecharra at El Tiempo, very tender and flavorful, worth and extra 1.50 or so a pound.

[Fiona23]

I do a soy sauce and garlic based marinade with a little lime and olive oil. I would like to cook it on charcoal, but sadly I live in a tiny apartment and so I do the old hot cast iron skillet method instead.

[Jaymes]

I'm sure Pete's has it. But frankly, that's the original fajita ("little sashes") meat, and that's what I use and I have no trouble finding it in the meat case at my local HEB.

At least I never have. Haven't bought it in a while, though. Has something changed?

[James Cristinian]

El Tiempo Market on Washington has two different kinds of skirt steak/fajitas. There is a fajita regular, and a fajita arrecharra. Both come plain or marinated, pay the extra money and get the arrecharra. I get the plain and marinate it myself. The market is a former Mexican market taken over by El Tiempo, but it has not changed one bit. They also sell cooked food, fajitas, carnitas, and the like. It is located next to the restaurant on Washington and TC Jester.

[Lambowner]

As far as I know, skirt steak is in every grocery store in Houston. Maybe it is being called something else. The OP should ask the butcher for fajita meat.