Filet Mignon vs. Skirt Steak: Which is Better?
This past week the Boston Globe ran the obligatory "when times get tough, the tougher, cheaper cuts of meat become more popular" story. In fact, I prefer cheaper, slightly tougher cuts even when times are not tough. Which would you rather chow down on—skirt steak or filet mignon? No contest, right?
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31 Comments:
No contest...skirt steak done right is FAR better, imo!
Curlz at 8:26PM on 11/16/08
I love them both. Filet mignon wrapped in bacon and cooked medium rare is a rare treat. Skirt steak is absolutely delicious and so much more affordable and versatile. I like having both of them in this world. Can't really choose a favorite.
PerkyMac at 8:29PM on 11/16/08
Right. It's not even about the cost.
wookie at 9:03PM on 11/16/08
I went through a phase where I always chose filet mignon when I could because I thought it was the "better" choice (for social/political reasons). Then I came to realize that it just has absolutely no flavour and there are so many better choices out there - and I've never looked back.
rheogs at 9:17PM on 11/16/08
No contest is right, I'll take skirt steak any time.
brooke29 at 9:18PM on 11/16/08
Yes, I agree skirt steak 10 times out of 10. Just cooked one up last night too.
foodscience at 9:35PM on 11/16/08
Well, there is one thing I would like to say. It's a ridiculous contradiction in terms, but there's a place that serves a filet mignon po' boy that is just phenomenal. The crusty bread and the butter-soft rare steak topped with garlic butter is just so juicy and delicious.... and it comes with an order of tasty spicy potatoes that can't be beat. Cheap lunchtime special that is so fantastic I crave it once a week.
nightowl at 9:38PM on 11/16/08
Skirt steak - more flavor and more roles
renoles at 9:42PM on 11/16/08
Flatiron. Then skirt. Then sirloin. Then... Then filet.
crispyontheoutside at 10:16PM on 11/16/08
I don't like beef much but I do like tougher cuts. I'd take the skirt, but I'd take lamb over beef, wild over domestic, offal over meat. The problem with economic downturns is competition over the actual good cuts. Here's to a strong dollar so the masses can have their filet and I can the kidneys...
christopher at 10:44PM on 11/16/08
It's less about the cut of meat and more about how it's prepared. I've had some great filets as well as some great skirt steak over the years.
(For whatever it's worth, I've been coking a lot of flank lately...)
Dan Dickinson at 10:56PM on 11/16/08
It all depends on the way the steak is being prepared. I would not want fajitas from a filet, nor would i want a pan seared skirt steak with homemade boursin.
supersu75 at 11:38PM on 11/16/08
I don't like filet mignon, I think it's flavorless.
Skirt steak is fabulous, and I don't know about it being cheaper for me, I pay $13.99 a pound for angus skirt steak that melts in your mouth and I have no idea how much filet is because I don't even look at it in the butcher glass.
Southern_bella at 6:50AM on 11/17/08
Definitely skirt steak over filet, but I'll take hanger over skirt steak most of the time. So tasty, although if its not a good source it can be awfully chewy. But still, I love it. Grew up eating it at home when it was a special treat my mom got from the butcher, and not so ubiquitous as it is today.
jinx35 at 8:00AM on 11/17/08
My brother out west loves skirt steak but I have a hard time finding it where I live, I feel like I'm missing something great. I guess I will only be able to say I like filet.
joanpieroni2 at 8:33AM on 11/17/08
I was just wishing last week that I wish skirt steak were cheaper! Out here, I can usually only find it in large, somewhat pricey chunks.
OneWallKitchen at 9:53AM on 11/17/08
I'll take the filet.
redfish at 10:06AM on 11/17/08
filet wrapped in skirt steak.
intheyearofthepig at 10:12AM on 11/17/08
Rib-eye > Flank steak > Skirt steak > Filet.
Flavor trumps tenderness. I'd rather be able to taste my steak than cut it with a grapefruit spoon.
shoneyjoe at 10:26AM on 11/17/08
How about some skirt steak recipes?
1stmakearoux at 10:34AM on 11/17/08
Gimme a piece of that skirt!
The thing is, if cooked properly, skirt steak doesn't behave like a cheaper cut of meat. It's rich and fatty and just melts in your mouth. And supersu75, you can TOTALLY pan sear a skirt steak and it will be every bit as delicious as it is grilled.
Skirt steak has all the visceral sexiness that makes you a meat eater in the first place. Filet is just a flaccid, mushy mess that requires bacon and compound butter in order for it to taste like anything.
Soigne at 11:18AM on 11/17/08
I like the skirt myself...but lately have been hugely into the flatirons...i love marinating them for a while then throwing them on the grill. I think there is more flavor in those cuts.
juliebugsmama at 11:21AM on 11/17/08
Skirt steak; I don't care for soft meat, i find the texture disturbing.
mongoose at 11:31AM on 11/17/08
First it was pumpkin pie.
Then, came sweet potato fries.
Now filet mignon.
What's next? Chocolate? My childhood?!
semarr at 12:46PM on 11/17/08
A big part of why I stopped eating red meat stemmed from fear of it as a kid. It was always prepared for me in thick, rubbery, flavorless chunks. I never liked it.
But then I had a bite of my husband's skirt steak...and it was pretty good! It might be time to expand my horizons.
IbisFlight at 1:43PM on 11/17/08
Definitely skirt steak. Salt and pepper, grill until medium or med rare, cut thin slices across the grain, slap into a soft homemade corn tortilla with a dollop of spicy guacamole and a squeeze of lime. Doesn't come even close to a filet mignon.......
Kimc54 at 2:12PM on 11/17/08
If just those two choices, skirt , esp. inside skirt. Love the grainier texture and funky, adventurous flavor.
As for the article, it's a little ironic to suggest the skirt or hanger steak as a way to keep costs down as they're not exactly available in mass quantities. You typically get less than 10 lbs. of inside and outside skirts from a 1,150lb steer (10 one lb. steaks), less than that for hangers, plus they're nearly impossible to find at the supermarket. I also suspect a lot of people would be turned off by the very strongly flavored (often described as livery tasting) hanger, esp. if they're used to eating no-age supermarket grain-fed Angus.
OliverRanch at 2:29PM on 11/17/08
I'm a no-fat, all-meat kind of girl so I have to pick the filet (grr the more expensive one of course - It's not easy being meat picky!) Skirt steak can taste good when done right, but more often than not, I don't like it. Filet mignon is always good!
Hillary
Chew on That
Chew on That at 2:36PM on 11/17/08
I'd take the skirt steak over the filet. I love skirt steak because it is not as well known and when cooked properly, it is excellent!
justinlevy at 8:30PM on 11/17/08
I think it depends on how much work I want to put into it. A filet is great, seared just a few minutes per side. When I make skirt steak, I usually braise it in the oven for hours, but tend to put more work into it (stuffing or braised vegetables, interesting sauce, etc.)
Filet mignon is the fancy meal that doesn't take much work. Skirt steak is the fancy meal that takes some time and creativity.
buttonwillowsix at 12:09AM on 12/01/08
There is no comparison, I think Filet Mignon is great once in a while but I'll take my beloved skirt steak any day of the week!! I absolutely love skirt steak because the meat is so soft and juicy, yummy just thinking about it makes me hungry.
LAENANA5 at 3:53PM on 01/23/09