Steak Tacos + Roasted Tomatillo Salsa

Welcome back to QCK!

As we all know, Cinco de Mayo is extra special this year because it falls on a Taco Tuesday. This only happens every SEVEN years people! I was so looking forward to celebrating this year but of course… Coronavirus. Ironic. But we’re still going to have Cinco de Mayo at home over here.

On the menu for tonight: These amazing steak tacos with roasted tomatillo salsa (extra spicy), elote, beans and rice, and some really awesome Pineapple Chamoy Margaritas with a Tajin Salt rim.

These tacos are so simple. The steak gets seasoned with a cumin/oregano/paprika/Chile powder crust, seared in butter and garlic and thinly sliced. All the salsa ingredients simply get tossed in olive oil and salt and popped in the oven to roast and then get a quick blend. Charred tortillas take a minute or two and then you have a really delicious 30 minute taco dinner.

My favorite part of this recipe is the roasted tomatillo salsa. I like to make a big batch and keep it in the fridge to go on eggs or eat with chips, etc. Roasting the vegetables brings out the natural sugars and then adds a nice smokey flavor as well. It’s not something to miss out on.

Substitutions and Add On’s

• If you don’t like steak you can throw this spice mix on any protein and cook it up.
• If you can’t get ahold of tomatillos, you can use regular red tomatoes for a really nice roasted salsa.
• If you don’t like corn tortillas, substitute flour tortillas instead.
• If you don’t want a spicy salsa, substitute poblano peppers for jalapeño.
• If you want a creamy salsa, add half an avocado to the blender. Do not roast the avocado.
• You could easily turn this into a fajita recipe by adding some sautéd red onion and bell pepper.
• We went pretty basic with these tacos because the salsa and the steak are so incredibly flavorful, but if you want to add some stuff on, you can top your tacos with sliced radishes, diced onion, avocado, sour cream, lettuce, or diced tomato.

Tips and Tricks

• You can also make this recipe on a grill. Start by roasting the vegetables on the lower rack to get a nice char, then move to the top rack to roast and absorb the grill flavor. Grill the steak as you normally would. Grill the tortillas to get a nice char.
• A cast iron skillet is the best for cooking steak, and if you want a faster roast on the salsa vegetables, you can simply sear them in a cast iron as well.
• If you want an extra flavorful salsa, you can add some of the pan drippings or garlic cloves from the steak.
• If you want a spicier salsa, add extra jalalpeño or your favorite spicy pepper.
• When roasting garlic, leave the peel or skin on so it doesn’t burn.

Recipe

Prep: 10 Min

Cook: 30 Min

Difficulty: Medium

Servings: 8 Tacos

Ingredients

For the Salsa

• 3 large Tomatillos
• 1 Jalapeño
• 1/2 Yellow Onion
• 2 Cloves Garlic, crushed with skin on
• 1/4 Bunch Cilantro
• 2 Tbsp Lime Juice
• 2 Tbsp Chicken Stock, or half Chicken Bullion Cube
• Salt to taste
• Olive Oil for Roasting

For the Tacos

• 2 lbs Steak, your choice of cut.
• 1/2 Tbsp Kosher Salt
• 1/2 Tbsp Black Pepper
• 1 Tbsp Ground Cumin
• 1 Tbsp Mexican Oregano
• 1 Tbsp Chilli Powder
• 1 Tbsp Smoked Paprika
• 2 Cloves Garlic
• 2 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
• 2 Tbsp Canola Oil, for cooking
• 8 Corn Tortillas, charred
• Chopped Cilantro, for serving, optional
• Diced Yellow Onion, for serving, optional

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450°F.
2. Start the salsa by placing tomatillos, onion, garlic, and jalapeño on a sheet tray and drizzling with oil and a sprinkle of salt. Roast until a char begins to form, 20-25 minutes.
3. In the meantime, start the steak. In a small bowl, combine salt, pepper, cumin, oregano, chili powder, and paprika.
4. Sprinkle the spices over the steak making sure each side gets an even coat, rub it in.
5. In a medium sauté pan, preferably cast iron, over high heat, add canola oil and let it get hot, but not smokey.
6. Once hot, add the steak and sear on one side, 3-4 minutes.
7. Flip the steak and add butter and garlic. Spoon the melter butter and garlic on top of the steak while it cooks.
8. Cook the steak to your desired temperature, the time will vary depending on your cut and the thickness of your steak.
9. Remove from heat and rest 10 minutes. Thinly slice.
10. Once the salsa vegetables are done roasting, add them to a blender with cilantro, lime juice and chicken stock. Blend until smooth. Salt to taste. At this step you can decide whether or not to remove the seeds from the jalapeño.
11. Char the tortillas.
12. Serve on a warm tortilla with tomatillo salsa and preferred toppings.

As always, I hope you enjoyed this recipe! If you tried it out let me know in the comments. For more recipes check out my homepage and follow along on Instagram. Don’t forget to like, follow, comment and share. Thanks for reading! 

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