Korean Garlic-Grilled Skirt Steak
Quick answer
Anchangsal is the inner skirt cut from the diaphragm muscle, yielding roughly a kilogram per animal, which explains why Korean grill restaurants price it as a premium item.
What makes this special
- Korean Garlic-Grilled Skirt Steak features premium Anchangsal beef with a coarse grain and deep marbling.
- Under 1 kg per animal; prized cut from the diaphragm interior
- Short soy-sesame marinade preserves the cut's natural beefy depth
Key ingredients
Core cooking flow
- 1 Remove tough sinew between thick muscle fibers with scissors, then slice acr...
- 2 Combine 1.5 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp syrup, 1 tbsp sesame oil, 1 tbsp cooking...
- 3 Halve 10 garlic cloves and sear in an oiled pan over low heat for 3 minutes...
Anchangsal is the inner skirt cut from the diaphragm muscle, yielding roughly a kilogram per animal, which explains why Korean grill restaurants price it as a premium item. The grain runs coarse, marbling is tight within the thick muscle fibers, and the beefy flavor is intense - more so than well-known cuts like galbi or samgyeopsal. Marinating for too long or with aggressive seasoning buries those qualities. A short soak in soy sauce, sesame oil, minced garlic, and black pepper is enough. On a charcoal grill, thin slices cook in under a minute per side. The right doneness shows as caramelized edges with a slight char while the center stays pink - at that point the fat has rendered into the grain and the full flavor of the cut is present. Whole garlic cloves grilled alongside undergo a different transformation: about ten minutes of high heat takes away the sharpness and turns them sweet and soft. The standard way to eat it is wrapped in lettuce with ssamjang and a roasted garlic clove folded in together.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Prep
Remove tough sinew between thick muscle fibers with scissors, then slice across the grain into 1cm thick bite-sized pieces for the best texture.
- 2Finish
Combine 1.5 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp syrup, 1 tbsp sesame oil, 1 tbsp cooking wine, and pepper, then marinate the beef for exactly 20 minutes to preserve its natural aroma.
- 3Control
Halve 10 garlic cloves and sear in an oiled pan over low heat for 3 minutes until golden brown to remove the sharp bite and infuse the oil.
- 4Step
Raise heat to high until the pan smokes slightly, then sear each side for 1.5 minutes until the edges are caramelized and fat renders into the muscle grain.
- 5Season
Season with 0.5 tsp coarse salt and let the meat rest for 1 minute at room temperature, allowing the concentrated juices to redistribute evenly throughout the cut.
- 6Finish
Plate the grilled steak with the softened garlic cloves, garnish with 1 tbsp chopped chives, and serve with lettuce and ssamjang for a complete Korean grill experience.
After the steps
Pick a recipe that fits this dish.
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