Organization and planning can trim a seemingly lengthy procedure to just a few minutes of actual preparation.
In this case, beer is used to marinate the meat in advance, allowing you serve a flavorful meal in minutes after work.
For the marinade:
5 large shallots, thinly sliced
5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons salted butter
2 bay leaves
12 ounces (11/2 cups) American stout,
dry or sweet
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
2 pounds skirt steak, trimmed
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1. At least 6 hours ahead, for the marinade: To a large saucepan on low heat, add the butter, shallots and garlic. Saute until garlic is golden. Add bay leaves. Whisk in stout, tomato paste and Worcestershire until smooth. Simmer to reduce by one-third, 20 minutes. Let cool. Remove bay leaves.
2. Put 1 cup cooled sauce in a large, resealable plastic bag with the meat; seal and turn to coat evenly. Refrigerate to marinate 6 hours or overnight. Cover and chill remaining sauce (about 1/4 cup).
3. When ready to proceed, heat grill medium-hot. Move steaks to platter; discard bag. Bring reserved sauce to room temperature; whisk in vinegar and orange juice. Rub salt and pepper on steaks to taste.
4. Grill steaks as desired, turning twice for cross-hatch grill marks on both sides. Brush with sauce to glaze during last 2 minutes of cooking.
- From The Best of American Beer & Food:Pairing & Cooking with Craft Beerby Lucy Saunders (Brewers Publications).Beer Pairing: American pilsener or dark lagerPer serving (based on 6): 268 calories, 32 grams protein, 2 grams carbohydrates, trace sugar, 13 grams fat, 89 milligrams cholesterol, 131 milligrams sodium, trace dietary fiber.
