Arrachera (Mexican steak for tacos)is marinated with lime juice and zesty sazon seasoning for the most tender and flavorful Mexican steak tacos! Perfect for Cinco de Mayo or your weekly Taco Tuesdays, this mouthwatering grilled skirt steak can feed a crowd. Just pair it with tortillas and your favorite taco toppings!
Place 2 lbs skirt steak on a cutting board or solid surface and cover it with plastic cling film.
2 lbs skirt steak
Tenderize and flatten the meat with a meat mallet, working from the center toward the edges until the beef is even in thickness.
Marinate
Transfer the steak to a large zip-top storage bag or shallow dish with 2 tablespoon lime juice, 2 tablespoon olive oil, 3 tablespoon sazon seasoning, and the optional ½ cup fresh cilantro, ½ tablespoon adobo sauce, and 1 small white onion if using.
2 tablespoon lime juice, 2 tablespoon olive oil, 3 tablespoon sazon seasoning, ½ cup fresh cilantro, ½ tablespoon adobo sauce, 1 small white onion
Squeeze the air out and seal the bag, then massage seasoning into the meat. Let marinate for at least 10 minutes, but preferably 30 minutes (up to 8 hours).
Grill
Clean and preheat your grill to high heat.
Remove the steak from the marinade and discard the excess. Use paper towels to pat any excess moisture off seasoned beef.
Add the seasoned steaks to the grill and grill at high heat for 5-6 minutes or until nicely charred.
Flip and grill the opposite side for 5-6 minutes.
Rest and Serve
Transfer the grilled skirt steaks to a cutting board and loosely tent foil over the top. Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing against the grain to serve.
Notes
1Tips:
I recommend leaving the steak in the marinade for 8 hours or overnight for the most flavor. Any longer, the texture of the meat may start to become mushy.
It's essential to slice the meat against the grain. Find the lines of muscle fibers running along the meat and cut across them at a 90-degree angle.
Taco seasoning can also be used, but I think this easy sazon seasoning blends beautifully with the flame-kissed flavor from the grill!
To make the sazon seasoning batch for this recipe, combine ½ tablespoon of ground coriander, ground cumin, ground annatto seeds (or turmeric, or a turmeric/paprika combo), and garlic powder with 1 teaspoon of dried oregano and ½ teaspoon each onion powder, salt, and ground black pepper.
To pan-sear the steak, cook over high heat for 2-3 minutes per side, working in batches if necessary. I suggest a cast-iron skillet or grill pan for pan searing.
Storing:
Once cooled, put the leftovers in a zip-top plastic storage bag or airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Slice leftover skirt steak and transfer it to a heavy-duty Ziploc freezer bag. Squeeze out the air and seal it firmly, then freeze for up to 3 months.
Let frozen steak thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat in the oven at 250°F (120°C/ Gas Mark ½) for 20-30 minutes or until heated through.