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My favorite thing that I've learned about Mexican cooking from my mother-in-law so far is you cook to the Mexican flag-- red, green, and white. And the ingredients are always fresh, never processed. This is why I have had a hard time understanding how Mexican food could ever be considered unhealthy! For these tacos, the flag consists of the medium-rare steak (red), cilantro (green), and white (onion).
We've had these tacos the last two weekends in a row. My full-blooded Mexican husband cannot get enough of these. We aren't allowed to have any cheese, lettuce, or sour cream on our tacos-- only the traditional onion and cilantro... I still sneak sour cream on mine every once in a while. The marinade is relatively simple, it's onion, cilantro, lime, jalapeno, salt, pepper, and oil.
A couple of months ago, Daniel and I were asked what the best steak we've ever had was. We turned to each other and both said the ones we make at home. Why? because of these quick and easy tips that are the foolproof way to make a perfect steak every time!
Tips to Make the Best Steak Every Time!
SALT YOUR STEAK AS EARLY AS YOU CAN. Any steak will be made SIGNIFICANTLY better by salting ahead of time-- even the cheapest cuts. If you are an MVP and remember to salt it early, you can presalt the night before and keep it in the fridge. Or if you're short on time, pull the steak out as early as you can, salt it, and leave it on the counter (up to an hour). I cannot stress how much this will change the way you make steaks at home.
Skirt and flank steak can be a little tough, I tenderized mine by stabbing it with a fork all over the place. This helps the marinade penetrate into the meat as well. I would not recommend this for any other cut of steak though.
Steaks cook more evenly if they are at room temperature, again, pull it out of the fridge as early as you can and let come to room temp. This helps prevent the center from being cold.
As @primal_gourmet would say, "surface moisture is the devil's playground." PAT DRY THE OUTSIDE OF YOUR STEAK RIGHT BEFORE COOKING. Sorry for yelling. I am passionate about this. The best steaks have a crispy, textured outside and a delicious buttery inside.
Rest your steak. This is absolutely crucial to make sure you have the juiciest steak ever. After removed from the stove, set aside (I put mine back in the marinade) for 5-10 minutes before slicing.
Cut against the grain. In the picture below you can see the lines going across the steak horizontally. That is the grain. When you're cutting, you would want to cut this steak vertically or perpendicular to the grain in order to keep everything juicy and intact!
Shopping List
1 lb Skirt or Flank Steak
1 pack of tortillas
1 onion
Cilantro
3 limes
1 jalapeno
Pantry Items
Neutral tasting oil
Salt
