Arrachera A La Parilla Recipe

marinate

Pat the 10 oz skirt steak dry with paper towels. In a shallow dish or zip-top bag combine 1 tbs olive oil, 2 tbs fresh lime juice, 1 tbs soy sauce, 1 tsp minced garlic, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp coarse salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Add the steak and coat thoroughly. Marinate at room temperature 20–30 minutes (or refrigerate up to 2 hours).

grill

Preheat a grill or cast-iron pan until very hot (medium-high). Remove steak from marinade and blot excess liquid. Lightly oil grill grates or pan. Sear the skirt steak 3–4 minutes per side for medium-rare (internal ~125–130°F / 51–54°C), 5–6 minutes per side for medium. Because skirt is thin, watch closely to avoid overcooking. Let rest on a cutting board 5–8 minutes tented loosely with foil to redistribute juices.

slice

Trim any excessive fat if desired. Slice the rested skirt steak across the grain into thin strips about 1/4" wide for tender bites.

If your nopal is not yet cooked: rinse, remove spines, dice and simmer in salted water 8–10 minutes until tender; drain and pat dry. Combine diced tomato, 2 tbs finely diced white onion, 2 tbs chopped cilantro, 1 tsp minced jalapeño, 1 tbs fresh lime juice, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper in a bowl. Gently fold in the 1/2 cup cooked diced nopal.

Peel and pit the ripe avocado; dice and immediately toss with a little lime juice to prevent browning. Gently fold diced avocado into the pico mixture just before serving so it stays fresh and chunky. Adjust seasoning to taste.

Warm the sourdough tortillas: heat a skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 tsp neutral oil and warm each tortilla 30–45 seconds per side until pliable and slightly toasted. Keep warm wrapped in a clean towel.

If using store-bought salsa macha, stir to incorporate oil. Spoon 1 tbs salsa macha into a small bowl and reserve 1 tsp of the chili oil on top for finishing. If making salsa macha from scratch, use a toasted dried chili, garlic, nuts/seed, oil and salt blended and heated—strain and reserve the oil.

Place a warmed sourdough tortilla on a plate. Arrange a portion of sliced skirt steak in the center (for a 10 oz steak for one serving, use all slices; if serving multiple people split accordingly). Top with generous spoonfuls of avocado & nopal pico.

Drizzle about 1 tsp salsa macha oil over the assembled taco (or more to taste). Sprinkle with coarsely chopped cilantro and a pinch of sea salt and black pepper. Serve with lime wedges for squeezing.

Optional vegan swap: in place of steak, heat 1 tbs vegan oil in a hot skillet and sear 10 oz sliced oyster mushrooms or portobello in a single layer until deeply browned and slightly crisp at the edges, 3–5 minutes per side. Season with the same marinade spices (brush with reserved marinade or sprinkle with salt, cumin, smoked paprika) and assemble as above with avocado & nopal pico.

Serve immediately with chilled mezcal (2 oz) or agua de piedra (sparkling mineral water).