Lock Your Pickup Doors
Around here, we’ve reached that time of summer when you’d better lock your pickup doors.
Not because anyone is going to take anything.
Because if you leave them unlocked, somebody might put 2 or 3 zucchini inside.
Gardens are producing faster than most of us can keep up with right now, so this week’s Cut of the Week is an easy way to use some of that zucchini, summer squash, peppers, green beans—or whatever else is piling up on the kitchen counter.
Garden Fresh Skirt Steak Stir-Fry
Skirt steak is one of my favorite cuts for a quick supper because it cooks fast and has plenty of beef flavor.
And we're going to make this version easier than the original recipe.
No need to mix up a long list of ingredients for a sauce. Grab your favorite bottle of teriyaki sauce and use whatever vegetables you have.
What You’ll Need
- • 1½ lbs skirt steak
- • Your favorite bottled teriyaki sauce
- • A little oil for the skillet
- • About 6 cups of fresh vegetables
Zucchini, yellow squash, peppers, broccoli, green beans, carrots, mushrooms and onions all work well.
You don't need all of them. Use what you've got.
The Secret Is Cooking the Beef First
Put the skirt steak in the freezer for about 15–20 minutes. That firms it up and makes it much easier to slice thinly.
Or, if you're like me and got busy and forgot to get your steak out, that's OK. It's actually easier to slice when it's still partially frozen.
Slice the steak across the grain into thin strips.
Get a large skillet good and hot, add a little oil, and cook the beef quickly. Don't crowd the pan—you want the beef to brown instead of steam.
Remove the beef and set it aside.
Now add your vegetables, starting with the ones that take a little longer to cook. Add your zucchini and summer squash toward the end so they stay bright and a little crisp.
Return the beef to the skillet, pour in enough teriyaki sauce to coat everything, and toss it together for another minute or two.
That's supper.
Serve it over rice if you'd like.
Skirt steak comes from the plate, along the underside of the animal. It has long muscle fibers, which is why slicing it across the grain makes such a difference.
And because it is thin, you don't have to remember to thaw something first thing in the morning. It makes a great cut for those nights when you need supper on the table quickly.
Want More Beef Like This in Your Freezer?
We just finished updating our Beef Share page for fall.
Whether you're ready to start with a 1/8 or fill the freezer with a 1/4 or 1/2 beef, you can see what comes with each share, how much freezer space you'll need, and how delivery works.
Our fall beef deliveries begin in September, and shipping is included.
If you don't have skirt steak in the freezer, sirloin or flank steak would be just as good.
P.S. If you've got a favorite way to use up zucchini, email it to me. At this point in August, I think we could all use a few more ideas.
