Skirt Steak Tacos

It's time again to bust out the summer BBQ recipes. I always gravitate towards Mexican flavors for grilling out. Spicy, fresh and fun. As the Fourth of July weekend approaches, I know you guys are looking for some fun stuff to picnic with. This awesome skirt steak taco recipe was a hit for us this past weekend, when my sis was in town from Arizona. All the sisters together again (with one extra straggler), grilling out and eating tacos. How fun.

The prep work can all be done ahead of time. All you have to do it show up to the party with a bag of marinading meat to throw on the grill. Happy Fourth of July, everyone! Hope you have some fun plans with family and friends.

Skirt Steak Tacos

for the skirt steak
1.5 lbs skirt steak
1 lime
4 dried pasilla peppers
1 yellow onion
4 cloves garlic (minced)
2 tbsp dried oregano
1 tbsp coriander
1 tbsp cumin
 salt and pepper
olive oil
2 cups boiling water

for the tomatillo sauce
Follow this link to a previous recipe

taco fixings
queso fresco
flour or corn tortillas (warmed in the oven)
fresh cilantro
lime wedges

Get your skirt steak marinading as far ahead of time as you can. I let it marinade for 3 hours, but you could do it over night. To prepare the marinade, heat a saute pan over high heat. Add the pasilla chilies to the pan and toast until the skin is charred and bubbled, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and give a rough chop. Place in a bowl and cover with 2 cups boiling water. Cover bowl with a kitchen towel.

In the same saute pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, oregano, cumin, coriander, salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, until onions soften. Add minced garlic and cook for another 3 minutes. Transfer to a food processor. Add chilies and their liquid, salt and pepper to the food processor and pulse until smooth. Let cool completely before adding to the meat. You don't want the marinade to cook the steak!

Sprinkle all the surfaces of your skirt steak with salt and pepper. Drop into a large freezer bag. Squeeze the lime juice of 1 whole lime into the bag. Add the cooled marinade to the bag. Squeeze the air out and seal tightly. Place the bag in a baking dish to avoid leakage in the fridge. Place in the fridge and let marinade for as long as you have!

When ready to grill, take the meat out 30 minutes before you are ready to cook it. This gives it time to come closer to room temp. Crank up the grill to high heat. Shake off excess marinade and throw the steak onto the steaming hot grill. Cook each side for about 4 minutes to get a medium rare meat. Cook a little longer to get medium-medium well done-ness.

Remove from the grill, place on a cutting board and cover with foil. Let rest for 10 minutes before cutting. If you cut it before you will ruin it! Slice into thin strips with a sharp knife. Serve with fresh cilantro, queso fresco, tomatillo salsa and fresh lime on a warm tortilla. I also made some pinto beans cooked in Mexican spices that we served in the taco!

Happy grilling and happy summer!