Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Juniper-Thyme Paste
- 4 g juniper berries, dried
- 4 g fresh thyme, leaves stripped from stems
- 4 garlic, minced
- 30 ml olive oil
- 8 g kosher salt
- 3 g black pepper, freshly ground coarsely
Meat
- 800 g skirt steak, trimmed of excess surface fat and silver skin
- 15 ml neutral oil
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 455 kcal
- Protein
- 42 g
- Carbohydrates
- 3 g
- Fat
- 31 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 0 g
- Sodium
- 911 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 9 g
- Trans Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 14 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Cholesterol
- 128 mg
- Potassium
- 573 mg
- Calcium
- 34 mg
- Iron
- 3.9 mg
- Magnesium
- 47 mg
- Phosphorus
- 311 mg
- Zinc
- 12.6 mg
- Vitamin A
- 12 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 3 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.2 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.4 mg
- Vitamin K
- 9 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.9 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 5.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.13 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.57 mg
- Niacin
- 10.6 mg
- Folate
- 7 mcg
- Water
- 141 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Crush the juniper berries using a mortar and pestle, or firmly press them with the flat side of a chef's knife until coarsely ground.
In a small mixing bowl, combine the crushed juniper berries, fresh thyme leaves, minced garlic, olive oil, kosher salt, and black pepper. Stir until it forms a thick, uniform paste.
Pat the skirt steak completely dry with paper towels. Massage the spice paste evenly over both sides of the meat. Let it sit at room temperature for 45 minutes to marinate and temper, which ensures even cooking.
Place a cast iron skillet over high heat and let it preheat until it is very hot and begins to smoke lightly. Add the neutral oil, swirling to coat the bottom of the pan.
Lay the steak in the skillet, laying it away from you to prevent splashing oil. Sear without moving it for 2 to 3 minutes until a dark, deeply browned crust forms. Flip and cook the other side for another 2 to 3 minutes. The internal temperature in the thickest part should reach 54°C/130°F for a medium-rare finish.
Transfer the cooked steak to a cutting board. Tent it loosely with foil and let it rest undisturbed for 10 minutes. This allows the muscle fibers to relax and retain their juices.
Identify the direction of the grain on the steak. Using a sharp chef's knife, slice the meat thinly at a 45-degree angle, cutting strictly against the grain. Serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Juniper berries have a strong, piney flavor profile commonly used in gin and wild game recipes. Bruising them thoroughly is essential to release their volatile oils for maximum flavor impact.
- Skirt steak is a highly flavorful but inherently coarse and fibrous cut. It requires high, fast heat to develop a rich crust without overcooking the interior.
- Slicing against the grain is absolutely critical for skirt steak. Look for the pronounced striations running the length of the cut and ensure your knife slices across them, which physically shortens the fibers and guarantees a tender bite.
- Taking the chill off the meat by letting it marinate at room temperature for 45 minutes prevents the cold center from dropping the pan temperature, ensuring a fierce, uninterrupted sear.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container. Best stored unsliced to retain moisture.
Freezer: 2 months — Freeze solid in a vacuum-sealed bag or tightly wrapped in plastic and foil.
Reheating: Gently reheat slices in a skillet over low heat with a splash of beef broth, or serve cold on a salad to prevent overcooking.
Troubleshooting
Steak is extremely chewy and tough
Cause: The meat was sliced parallel to the grain instead of against it, leaving long muscle fibers intact.
Fix: Cut the remaining slices into smaller, bite-sized strips perpendicular to your original cuts.
Prevention: Always identify the long lines running down the meat before cutting and position your knife perpendicular to them.
Garlic and herbs burn before the steak cooks
Cause: The pan was too hot or large clumps of the marinade were left on the exterior of the steak.
Fix: Turn down the heat slightly, scrape off any blackened herbs, and finish cooking.
Prevention: Ensure the paste is rubbed flat into the meat rather than clumped. Avoid letting the pan exceed the smoke point of the oil for too long.
Steak steams instead of forming a crust
Cause: The meat was not patted dry before applying the oil paste, or the pan was overcrowded.
Fix: Remove excess liquid from the pan, increase heat, and add a small amount of extra oil to fry the exterior.
Prevention: Use paper towels to remove all surface moisture from the meat before seasoning, and cook in batches if necessary.
Cultural Context
Juniper berries have a long history in Northern European and Scandinavian cuisines, historically used to flavor rich game meats and cut through heavy fats with their bright, piney astringency. Applying this ancient spice profile to a rustic, highly-marbled cut like skirt steak bridges traditional European aromatics with a classic steakhouse cooking technique.
