Arrachera Steak Recipe

Mexico has a wealth of recipes that make the most of affordable cuts of beef, including strip steak. Arrachera is a way of cooking steak so it’s perfectly suited for slicing and serving in corn tortillas. If you’re a fan of traditional street-style tacos, you have to try whipping up your own Arrachera steak at home. It starts with a marinade to help tenderize the meat a little and to add plenty of flavor. As long as you have a propane or charcoal grill at home, you can get authentic flavor and wow your guests at your next Taco Tuesday celebration.

What is Arrachera?

The word Arrachera means skirt steak, and it’s also a reference to the most popular way to cook this cut in Mexican cuisine. Due to the amount of exercise it receives, this cut of steak can turn out tough when grilled without marinating first. The Arrachera cooking method combines marinating with a double cooking method that ensures a good depth of flavor while keeping the meat tender and juicy. You can slice the finished steak and toss it in sandwiches or on salads, but the traditional way to serve it is in corn tortillas and with toppings like pickled red onions and cilantro.

Tips and Tricks for the Best Arrachera

• Check the skirt steak to see if it was fully trimmed by the butcher. If there are chunks of surface fat or a silvery membrane on the back of the meat, trim it all off before marinating.
• Avoid overcooking or undercooking the steak. Using a relatively high heat level and aiming for just the right internal temperature on the grill is essential because you’re going to cook the steak further after slicing it. Allowing the steak to become fully cooked on the grill will lead to drier and tougher meat than is intended for the dish.
• Don’t skip the fresh citrus for bottled lemon or lime juice if you can help it. There are oils in the citrus peels that accent the flavor of the marinade far more than juice alone.

The Importance of Tenderizing Arrachera Steak

Since Arrachera is made with strip steak, there’s a chance that the meat will turn out chewy or tough if it’s cooked too long. Tenderizing the meat is recommended to produce tender results that are easy to chew in a taco or sandwich. The marinade used in this recipe will provide a mild tenderizing effect that is enough for some people. If you’re concerned your skirt steak might still be chewy, you can add a tenderizing powder to the marinade or use a meat mallet to pound the steak before adding it to the liquid.

Marinating and Seasoning Arrachera

Without the right marinade, you’re just grilling strip steak rather than making Arrachera. This marinade is unique because it uses multiple types of citrus to create a bright but complex flavor in the beef. You’ll also rub the surface of each steak with a mix of classic Mexican seasonings like chili powder, cumin, and garlic before placing it in the marinade. That combination results in a deeply seasoned steak that has unbeatable flavor once it’s done cooking.

Arrachera Steak Recipe

Whip up some Arrachera for your next backyard barbecue or taco night with friends with a little preparation in advance.

Ingredients

• 3 large oranges, washed and cut in quarters
• 2 limes, washed and cut in quarters
• 1 jalapeno or serrano chile, stems and seeds removed and sliced
• 4 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
• ½ cup of olive oil
• ¼ cup of finely chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 teaspoon of ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon of dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• ½ teaspoon of ancho chile powder
• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon cracked black pepper
• 2 pounds of skirt steak, trimmed
• To Serve (substitute to your preferences): 12 warmed corn tortillas, chopped cilantro, pickled red onion, sour cream, and assorted salsas

Instructions

1. Trim the Strip steak if it has any membranes or solid fat on the surface. Pound the surface with a meat mallet to tenderize it or add 1 teaspoon of a powdered meat tenderizer to the marinade.

2. Mix the olive oil, garlic, chopped cilantro, and jalapeno or serrano together. Squeeze the quartered citrus fruits to release their juices into the marinade. Toss the quartered citrus in and mix it together.

3. Combine the other seasonings and rub it on the surface of the steak. Place the steak in the marinade and add a few splashes of water if necessary to cover the entire steak.

4. Let the meat marinate overnight. Cook on the grill until the internal temperature is around 120 degrees F and remove. Slice thinly and sear in a cast iron pan for a few moments, then serve.

Notes

• If you don’t have a grill or want to skip using it, you can also heat a cast iron pan to very hot and use an oil with a high smoke point. Sear the steak for a few minutes on each side, keeping the internal temperature around 125 degrees F when you remove it from the heat. It’ll reach around 129 degrees F and medium rare doneness and stay tender this way.

Conclusion

Break out of your usual dinner routine with a traditional way of preparing steak for tacos. You’ll find plenty of other ways to enjoy Arrachera once you give it a try.