I think skirt steaks offer the most bang for your beef buck — its extra marbling makes it so tasty! For this dish, I grilled the meat, then made a “salsa” with a little twist, using figs to make a chunky sweet and tangy topping with balsamic vinegar, lime juice, honey and shallots.

An image of an oval serving platter containing sliced grilled steak topped with a fig and parsley sauce, with lime slices.

To serve this dish for a casual party or potluck, slice up the steak, pile the slices on a platter and spoon the tangy-sweet salsa all over it.

An image showing a bowl of chopped dried figs mixed with olive oil, lime and fresh parsley leaves.

Next to just eating dried figs out of hand, they’re perfect to add to recipes when you want a touch of sweetness. To make them a part of the salsa, first rehydrate the figs in warm water for a few minutes to soften and plump them up a bit.

Fresh Mission figs have a deep purple skin and sweet dark red-colored flesh inside. You can use them instead of dried ones in the salsa, or use a mixture of both.

Karen’s tips fo juicy grilled skirt steak

  1. For the best tasting beef, choose a tasty fat-streaked steak cut that isn’t too lean. My top picks are boneless skirt steak or flank steak
  2. Bring the steak to room temperature before cooking (about 30 minutes before cooking) and season generously on both sides with kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper. This step ensures a tasty steak that will cook evenly on the grill.
An image of an oval serving platter containing sliced grilled steak topped with a fig and parsley sauce, with lime slices.
5 from 4 ratings

Grilled Skirt Steak with Fig Salsa

Karen Tedesco
I think skirt steaks offer the most bang for your beef buck — its extra marbling makes it so tasty! For this dish, I grilled the meat, then made a "salsa" with a little twist, using figs to make a chunky sweet and tangy topping with balsamic vinegar, lime juice, honey and shallots.
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Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients
 

Fig salsa

  • 1 cup (250 g) dried purple Mission figs, stems removed
  • 1 cup (250 ml) boiling water
  • ½ cup finely chopped shallot
  • 2 thin lime wedges, skin peeled and finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
  • 2 tablespoons (30 ml) balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lime juice
  • 2 teaspoons honey
  • ¼-½ teaspoon crushed red chili, to taste

Steak

  • 1 ½ pounds (680 g) skirt or flank steak
  • Kosher salt

Instructions
 

Make the fig salsa:

  1. Put 1 cup dried purple Mission figs in a heatproof bowl and pour 1 cup boiling waterover them. Soak 15 minutes, then drain them well. Chop the figs into small pieces.
  2. Combine ½ cup finely chopped shallot, 2 thin lime wedges, skin peeled and finely chopped, 2 tablespoons chopped parsley, 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, 2 teaspoons honey, ¼-½ teaspoon crushed red chili, and ½ teaspoon salt in a bowl. Stir in the figs and parsley. Taste the salsa and season with more salt, honey or pepper as needed.

Grill the steak

  1. Sprinkle salt and black pepper generously on both sides of 1 ½ pounds skirt or flank steak and allow to come to room temperature. Grill the steak about 4 minutes per side for medium-rare. Remove from the grill and let rest 10 minutes.
  2. Heat a grill to medium-high heat for direct grilling.
  3. Slice the steak into thin slices and arrange on a serving platter. Spoon some of the salsa over and serve.

Notes

  • The salsa will keep refrigerated for 2 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.
  • You can use fresh figs (no need to soak them), or a 50/50 mix of fresh and dried ones.

Nutrition per serving

Calories: 429kcal Carbohydrates: 34g Protein: 39g Fat: 16g Sodium: 106mg Fiber: 5g Sugar: 24g

Nutrition facts are calculated by third-party software. If you have specific dietary needs, please refer to your favorite calculator.

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