Grilled skirt steak tacos. First, the meat takes a quick bath in a marinade of chipotle in adobo, cumin, coriander, and lime and then it’s tossed on the grill. Weeknight friendly and oh so good.
We just found one more reason to adore tacos. Skirt steak takes a quick marinade before taking a quick turn on the grill and then being tucked inside warm tortillas. Heaps of pickled red onions, jalapeño, and cilantro don’t hurt anything. No need to wait until Tuesday.–Angie Zoobkoff
Grilled Skirt Steak Tacos
Skirt steak is one of the most flavorful cuts on the entire steer, and when grilled and sliced properly, it’s one of the best values at the butcher shop. I like my tacos on the spicy side, so I load them up with plenty of sliced jalapeño and garnish with a squeeze of fresh lime, cilantro, and pickled red onions.
For the grilled skirt steak
Make the skirt steak
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In a small bowl, mix the chipotle purée, brown sugar, coriander, cumin, salt, and lime juice until combined. Pat the skirt steak dry with paper towels, place it in a resealable plastic bag, add the chipotle marinade, and toss the meat inside the bag to coat. Seal the bag and marinate in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours. Remove the meat from the bag and discard the marinade.
Make the pickled onions
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While the steak is marinating, pack the onions into a 1-quart mason jar. Fill the jar with cold water, leaving 1/2 inch (12 mm) of space at the top. Pour the water from the jar into a measuring cup (use a spoon to keep the onions in the jar) to calculate its volume. Discard half the water and replace with an equal quantity of vinegar. Add 2 teaspoons sugar and 2 teaspoons salt for every 1 cup liquid.
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In a small nonreactive saucepan set over high heat, combine the vinegar mixture, garlic, peppercorns, coriander seeds, red pepper flakes, mustard seeds, and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Cook for 2 minutes and then carefully pour the hot liquid over the onions in the jar, seal, and refrigerate for as little as an hour and as long as a month.
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Preheat a charcoal or gas grill to high.
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Grill the skirt steak over direct heat until cooked to the desired doneness, 3 to 5 minutes per side for medium-rare, depending on the thickness of the steak. While you’re grilling, feel free to toss the tortillas on the side of the grill over indirect heat to get them warm and taco ready.
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Transfer the steak to a cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes. Thinly slice the meat against the grain and serve with warm or lightly charred tortillas, cilantro, jalapeño, pickled onions, and lime wedges.
*How to make puréed chipotles
To make puréed chipotles, blend the entire contents of a 12-ounce (340 g) can of chipotles in adobo sauce in a blender. It will make much more than what you need, but that’s ok. You can stash the extra in a jar in the fridge for up to 3 weeks or in the freezer until the next time you’re craving these smoky grilled tacos or any other recipe that calls for chipotle en adobo.
Serving: 1portionCalories: 397kcal (20%)Carbohydrates: 36g (12%)Protein: 37g (74%)Fat: 13g (20%)Saturated Fat: 5g (31%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 95mg (32%)Sodium: 917mg (40%)Potassium: 747mg (21%)Fiber: 7g (29%)Sugar: 6g (7%)Vitamin A: 481IU (10%)Vitamin C: 17mg (21%)Calcium: 100mg (10%)Iron: 4mg (22%)
Originally published June 12, 2018
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