Authentic Street Tacos with Skirt Steak
Tender, marinated skirt steak seared to perfection in a hot cast iron skillet, piled into warm corn tortillas, and finished with fresh white onion, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime. This is the magic of authentic Mexican street tacos.
Equipment
- Cast iron skillet (10 to 12 inches / 25 to 30cm) - Preferred cooking surface for authentic sear
- Large zip-lock bags - Or glass marinating dish
- Sharp chef's knife - Essential for slicing the steak against the grain
- Cutting board
- Mixing bowl and whisk
- Measuring spoons and cups
- Meat thermometer (optional) - Helpful for perfect doneness
- Tongs or a spatula
- Small dry skillet or comal - For warming tortillas
- Paper towels - For patting steak dry before searing
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs skirt steak - 680g, or flank steak
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice - 45ml, about 2 limes
- 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce - 30ml
- 2 tablespoons canola oil - 30ml, divided
- 3 cloves garlic - minced
- 1 teaspoon chili powder - 3g
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin - 3g
- 0.5 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano - 1.5g
- 0.5 teaspoon salt - 3g
- 0.25 teaspoon black pepper - 0.5g
- 12 small (4-inch/10cm) corn tortillas - street taco size
- 0.5 cup white onion - 80g, finely diced
- 0.5 cup fresh cilantro - 15g, roughly chopped
- 2 limes - cut into wedges for serving
- cotija cheese - crumbled, optional
- salsa verde - or pico de gallo for serving, optional
Instructions
- Combine lime juice, soy sauce, 1 tablespoon oil, garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper in a bowl and whisk until well combined.
- Pat the steak dry with paper towels, place in a zip-lock bag or glass dish, pour marinade over, and massage into the meat. Refrigerate for 1 to 4 hours.
- While the steak marinates, finely dice white onion, roughly chop cilantro, and cut limes into wedges. Crumble cotija cheese if using.
- Remove steak from refrigerator 20 to 30 minutes before cooking. Remove from marinade, shake off excess liquid, and reserve the marinade.
- Heat cast iron skillet over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes, add remaining 1 tablespoon oil, and sear steak for 2 minutes per side. Pour reserved marinade over and cook for 1-2 more minutes until desired doneness (130-135°F for medium-rare).
- Transfer steak to cutting board, tent with foil, and rest for 5 minutes. Slice thinly against the grain, then chop into bite-sized pieces.
- Warm corn tortillas in a dry skillet over medium heat for 30-45 seconds per side until pliable with light char spots. Stack two tortillas for each taco.
- Place double-stacked tortillas on a plate, add a generous portion of chopped steak, and top with white onion, cilantro, cotija cheese (optional), and a squeeze of lime. Serve immediately with salsa verde on the side.
Notes
- Do not marinate longer than 4 hours - the lime juice will begin to cook the meat and create a mushy texture.
- Always slice skirt steak against the grain (perpendicular to the muscle fibers) for tender results.
- Double-stack your tortillas to prevent soggy, torn tortillas and keep the taco structurally sound.
- Use a cast iron skillet for the best sear - it retains heat far more effectively than a nonstick pan.
- Let the steak rest for 5 minutes before slicing to allow juices to redistribute throughout the meat.
- White onion is traditional - it has a sharper, cleaner bite than yellow or red onions in authentic street tacos.
- Substitute skirt steak with flank steak if unavailable - it's slightly leaner but works well.
- Store cooked steak and toppings separately in airtight containers for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
- Reheat steak in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of water or broth to prevent drying out - avoid the microwave.
- For a shortcut, use a pre-made taco seasoning blend in place of the individual spices.