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Steak Tacos

Source of Recipe

From "The Complete Make-Ahead Cookbook" by America's Test Kitchen


Recipe Introduction

"To develop an indoor steak taco recipe that yielded meat as tender, juicy, and rich-tasting as grilled, we chose flank steak, which is beefy and tender when sliced thin across the grain. Pan searing gave us the browned exterior and crisp, brittle edges characteristic of grilled meat. A paste of oil, cilantro, scallions, garlic, and jalape�o, which we applied to the meat and then scraped off just before cooking, gave our steak taco recipe a flavor boost without sacrificing browning. We prefer this steak cooked slightly above medium-rare, but if you prefer it more or less done, see our guidelines. For a less spicy dish, remove some or all of the ribs and seeds from the jalape�os before chopping them for the marinade. In addition to the toppings suggested below, try serving the tacos with salsa, pickled onions, or thinly sliced radishes or cucumber."

List of Ingredients

Herb Paste:
◦ � cup packed fresh cilantro leaves
◦ 3 scallions, chopped coarse
◦ 1 jalape�o chile, stemmed, seeded, and chopped coarse
◦ 3 cloves garlic, chopped coarse
◦ � teaspoon ground cumin
◦ � cup vegetable oil
◦ 1 tablespoon lime juice

Steak:
◦ 1 (1 �- to 1 �-pound) flank steak, cut lengthwise (with grain) into 4 equal pieces
◦ Salt
◦ � teaspoon sugar
◦ � teaspoon pepper
◦ 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Tacos:
◦ 12 (6-inch) corn tortillas, warmed
◦ Fresh cilantro leaves
◦ Minced white onion
◦ Lime wedges


Recipe

For the herb paste: Pulse cilantro, scallions, jalape�o, garlic, and cumin in food processor until finely chopped, 10 to 12 pulses, scraping down sides as necessary. Add oil and process until mixture is smooth and resembles pesto, about 15 seconds. Transfer 2 tablespoons herb paste to bowl and whisk in lime juice; set aside for serving.

For the steak: Using dinner fork, poke each piece of steak 10 to 12 times on each side. Place in large baking dish, rub all sides of steak with 1 � teaspoons salt, then coat with remaining herb paste. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Scrape herb paste off steak and sprinkle all sides of pieces evenly with sugar and pepper. Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Place steak in skillet and cook until well browned, about 3 minutes. Flip steak and sear until second side is well browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Using tongs, stand each piece on cut side and cook, turning as necessary, until all cut sides are well browned and meat registers 125 to 130 degrees, 2 to 7 minutes. Transfer steak to cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes.

For the tacos: Using sharp chef's knife or carving knife, slice steak pieces against grain into ⅛-inch-thick pieces. Transfer sliced steak to bowl with herb paste-lime juice mixture and toss to coat. Season with salt. Spoon small amount of sliced steak into center of each warm tortilla and serve immediately, passing toppings separately.

Serves 4 to 6






❧ To Make Ahead:
Marinated steak and reserved herb paste, prepared through step 2, can be refrigerated separately for up to 24 hours. To cook, bring reserved herb paste to room temperature and continue with step 3.