Fire up the grill and whip up a steakhouse-worthy treat at home. This grilled skirt steak salad with blue cheese dressing is a hearty salad for the steak-loving crowd.
This meal was originally inspired by a skirt steak with blue cheese wrap at a hotel restaurant during one of my business trips. However, I feel the story behind making this salad is worth telling instead of talking about the inspiration.
I was talking to The Godmother about the wrap, as it was a delicious meal and an excellent “pub fare” version on something that could either have been a burrito or a health-food misadventure. The Godmother and I talked about using the highlight ingredients (skirt steak and blue cheese) in some other way, and we agreed on making a salad. There was one problem: I was on a heavy business travel schedule. I had less than 48 hours between arriving home and going back to the airport for my next business trip. If nothing else, I really wanted a healthy, homemade meal before hitting the road again.
The Godmother and I went ahead and planned to buy the needed ingredients. I would take care of the steak preparation while The Godmother prepared the blue cheese dressing. I helped The Godmother set up the photo shoot, and all the while our children needing to be fed, changed, or otherwise needing our attention. The Godmother made the rest of the meal preparation and photo shoot seem like magic in such a short period of time.
In the end, this salad is incredibly satisfying, and one I will not mind having with a pint. The great thing about salads is the ability to add anything you like. Don’t like blue cheese? Use cheddar and ranch dressing, or whatever combination speaks to you. Arugula makes a great alternative base to lettuce.
Just do not compromise on the steak preparation. Skirt steak is best made by placing the raw meat on a hot grill, with the grill temperature no lower than 300 degrees Fahrenheit. To avoid drying out the steak, do not spend too much grilling time on one side. You’ll want to watch the clock and flip on time. Similarly, resting the steak before cutting is equally important, or else the texture will be gummy and you’ll lose the juicy-ness you’ve cooked into the steak. A little patience goes a long way in this situation.
I hope you enjoy this recipe…I know I did!
p.s. by The Godmother… If you love grilled salads, don’t forget about the grilled plantain salad posted recently. <3
Grilled Skirt Steak Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing
Ingredients
- For the Grill
- 1 lb skirt steak
- 1 red onion medium
- 2-3 small potatoes we have used red or gold
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- kosher salt
- ground black pepper
- Salad Base
- 6-8 cups lettuce of your choice
- Blue Cheese Dressing
- 4 ounces blue cheese, divided
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup whole milk
Instructions
Make the dressing
- In a small food processor, or a blender, blend half the blue cheese (2 ounces) with the mayonnaise and milk until mostly smooth. Stir in the remaining cheese for texture. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes, or until ready to serve. May be made up to 3 days in advance.
Grill your salad
- Brush the steak with olive oil and season it with a portion of the kosher salt and black pepper. Use the remaining kosher salt and black pepper for the onion and potatoes.
- Set your grill to medium-high heat (~350 degrees Fahrenheit). Use a grill basket for the onion and potatoes, and occasionally shake the basket to prevent over-charring.
- Place the steak over direct heat for seven minutes, and flip to the other side to grill for an additional five minutes for a medium finish (adjust the grilling time for desired finish).
- Remove the grill basket and steak from the grill and let the steak rest for five minutes. Slice 3-to-4 inch segments along the grain of the steak, followed by thin slicing across the grain.
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