Spicy Chipotle Steak Soft Tacos
SERVES 6
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS Most steak taco recipes call for marinating the meat using a handful of ingredients—including oil or vinegar, herbs, and other seasonings—but we wanted to find just one item that could stand in for all of these. After numerous tests, we landed on an ingredient that delivered everything we were after, plus some spicy, smoky notes: chipotle chile in adobo sauce. Pureeing the chiles in a food processor gave us a smooth mixture that coated our flank steak nicely. After half an hour, we removed the steak from the marinade and cooked it under the broiler. Once cooked and sliced thin, the meat was flavorful and juicy, and we didn’t even need to rub any oil on the steak thanks to the bit of sauce still clinging to it. With broiled red onions, cilantro leaves, and chunks of avocado for garnish, our chipotle steak tacos offered the perfect balance of bright, fresh flavor and rich, meaty bites. We prefer this steak cooked to medium, but if you prefer it more or less done, see our guidelines. Also, the flavor of this steak is fairly spicy; to make it milder, brush any extra marinade off the steak before broiling. If the steak begins to scorch before it is cooked through, adjust the rack further away from the broiler element and continue to cook.
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1 |
(12-ounce) can chipotle chiles |
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1 |
(1½-pound) flank steak |
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2 |
large red onions |
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12 |
(6-inch) flour tortillas |
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2 |
avocados |
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Fresh cilantro |
1. Process chipotle in adobo sauce, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper in food processor until smooth, about 15 seconds. Trim steak, toss with sauce in zipper-lock bag, and let steak marinate for 30 minutes. Peel and slice onions into ¼-inch-thick rounds.
2. Adjust oven rack 6 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Remove steak from marinade. Lay steak and onions on broiler pan top set over aluminum foil–lined broiler pan bottom. Broil, flipping steak and onions as needed, until onions are tender and lightly charred and steak registers 130 to 135 degrees (for medium), about 20 minutes. Transfer steak to carving board and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
3. Spread 6 tortillas onto baking sheet and broil until softened, about 2 minutes, flipping halfway through broiling. Wrap warm tortillas in foil and repeat with remaining tortillas. Halve and pit avocados; cut into ½-inch pieces.
4. Slice steak thinly against grain, separate onion rings, and toss together in bowl with any accumulated steak juices. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide steak mixture evenly among warm tortillas, top with avocado and cilantro leaves, and serve.