Arrachera Steak Recipe
Grilled steak with chorizo, caramelize onions, and nopales — finished with lime-cilantro garlic sauce. Bold, authentic, and satisfying.
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Ingredients
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Steak & Marinade
Chorizo & Toppings
Lime-Cilantro Garlic Sauce
Finishing & Service
Method
Steak & Marinade
- 1
Prepare the marinade
In a shallow bowl or zip-top bag combine lime juice, 2 tablespoons olive oil, soy sauce, minced chipotle, minced garlic, cumin, 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt, and 1 tsp black pepper. Whisk or shake until combined.
- 2
Marinate the arrachera
Pat the skirt steak dry with paper towels. Place the steak in the bowl or bag with the marinade, ensuring it is well coated. Marinate in the refrigerator for 1 to 3 hours (no more than 4 hours to avoid texture changes). Remove from fridge 30 minutes before grilling to come closer to room temperature.
- 3
Preheat grill
Preheat a grill (or grill pan) to high heat — target surface temperature about 450–500°F (230–260°C). Oil the grates lightly to prevent sticking.
- 4
Grill the steak
Shake off excess marinade and place the arrachera on the hot grill. For medium-rare, grill 3–4 minutes per side depending on thickness, rotating once for cross-hatch marks if desired. Use a meat thermometer: 125–130°F for medium-rare, 135°F for medium. Transfer to a cutting board and tent loosely with foil; rest 8–10 minutes before slicing across the grain into thin strips.
Chorizo & Toppings
- 5
Cook chorizo
While steak rests (or in a separate skillet before grilling), heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Crumble the chorizo into the pan and cook, stirring and breaking into bite-sized pieces, until browned and cooked through, about 6–8 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer cooked chorizo to a plate lined with paper towel, leaving rendered fat in the pan.
- 6
Caramelize onions
To the skillet with about 1 tablespoon of fat (add 1 tbsp vegetable oil if needed), add the thinly sliced yellow onion and 1/2 tsp salt. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until soft and deeply golden brown, about 15–20 minutes. If the pan becomes too dry, add a splash of water to deglaze and scrape up browned bits. Finish onions with 1/4 tsp black pepper. Remove from heat and keep warm.
- 7
Prepare nopales
If using canned nopales, drain and rinse well. If fresh, parboil or grill until tender and slightly charred. Sauté the drained nopales briefly (2–3 minutes) in the skillet with a teaspoon of the reserved chorizo fat or 1 tsp oil to warm and impart flavor. Season with a pinch of salt. Keep warm with the onions and chorizo.
Lime-Cilantro Garlic Sauce
- 8
Make the sauce
In a blender or food processor combine 1/2 cup packed cilantro, 3 garlic cloves, 1/4 cup lime juice, 1/2 cup olive oil, 1/2 tsp honey, and 3/4 tsp salt. Pulse until smooth. If the mixture is too thick, add up to 2 tablespoons of water to reach a pourable consistency. Taste and adjust salt or lime as desired.
- 9
Finish the sauce
Transfer to a small bowl. The sauce can be made up to 1 day ahead and refrigerated; bring to room temperature before serving or thin with a little water or lime juice if it firms up.
Finishing & Service
- 10
Assemble and serve
Arrange sliced arrachera on a platter. Scatter cooked chorizo, caramelized onions, and warmed nopales over the steak. Drizzle the lime-cilantro garlic sauce over everything or serve on the side. Garnish with extra cilantro leaves, crumbled queso fresco if using, and lime wedges. Serve immediately.