Thin skirt steak seared fast over coals, the most prized cut of the parrilla. Eaten medium-rare with chimichurri, it is the asador's own reward, cooked first and eaten standing by the fire.
Entraña, the thin skirt steak, is one of the most prized and most-ordered cuts of the Argentine parrilla, the grill. It is a long, thin, intensely flavoured muscle from the diaphragm, and its thinness means it cooks in minutes over hot coals, developing a charred, crispy outside while the inside stays pink and juicy. The asador (grill master) traditionally cooks entraña first, slicing it and handing it around standing by the fire, before the slower cuts are ready. It is eaten medium-rare at most, any further and it turns tough. The flavour is deeper and beefier than tenderloin, with a slight chew that Argentines prize.
Charred, crispy-edged, thin steak with a deep beefy flavour and a slight chew, the inside pink and juicy. Eaten hot off the grill with a spoonful of chimichurri, standing by the fire, it is the first great bite of any asado.
The technique is fast, high-heat grilling. Entraña is a thin cut (under 1cm), so it cooks in 2 to 3 minutes per side over hot coals. The grill must be clean and well-oiled, the coals hot enough that the hand cannot be held over them for more than 3 seconds. The steak is salted coarse just before grilling (never ahead, as salt draws moisture from the thin cut). It is grilled until charred and crispy outside, flipped once, and served immediately, sliced across the grain into strips. Medium-rare is the correct doneness; the thinness means there is no middle ground between rare and overcooked. Resting is not needed for such a thin cut.
Variations
Some marinate briefly in garlic and parsley. It is also used as a steak sandwich filling.
On the Palate
Where Entraña sits in the Argentinian flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 4How it's made
5 steps · 10 min
- 13 min
Get a clean, hot grill going with coals at their peak, when you cannot hold your hand over them for more than 3 seconds.
Watch outThe coals are ready only when you can't hold your hand over them past three seconds — this thin cut needs fierce heat to char outside before the inside overcooks.
- 24 min
Trim 1 entraña (about 800g) of excess membrane; salt generously with coarse salt just before grilling.
- 34 min
Grill 2 to 3 minutes per side until charred and crispy outside, still pink inside.
Watch outGrill just two to three minutes a side to charred outside, still pink within — on a cut this thin there's no middle ground between rare and dried out.
- 43 min
Transfer to a board, slice across the grain into thin strips.
- 53 min
Serve immediately with chimichurri, eaten hot.
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