Carne Asada Tampiqueña (Mexican Steak)

Step 1

Place the skirt steaks on a plastic board. (Or on a wooden cutting board covered with plastic wrap.) Cover the top of the skirt steak with plastic wrap. Use a meat mallet to vigorously pound the skirt steak into a very thin even layer, flipping to pound on both sides. The more you pound the steak, the more tender the steak will be. Yet stop before the steak falls apart. Then remove the plastic wrap. *You don’t have to use plastic wrap, but it does keep little raw meat flecks from flying through the air.

Step 2

Cut each flattened skirt steak in half, lengthwise, to create four long strips. (You can leave them whole for cooking and cut them later if desired. However, one long thin strip per plate is traditional at restaurants.)

Step 3

Cut the tops off the poblano peppers. Remove the seeds and slice the peppers into long strips. Then peel the onion, and slice into strips. Mince the garlic.

Step 4

In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, dried thyme, 2 teaspoons of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of cracked black pepper.

Step 5

Place the steak strips in a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Place the onions and peppers on top of the steaks. Pour the marinade over the top, then move the steaks around a little to make sure the pieces are fully coated in marinade on all sides. Cover and refrigerate. Allow the Tampiquena steak to marinate for at least 6 hours, but the longer the better. This is a great recipe to prep the night before it is needed!

Step 6

When you are ready to cook, preheat the grill to medium-high heat, around 400°F. Set a grill basket on one side of the grill for the peppers and onions. (If you do not have a grill basket place a piece of foil on the grill for the vegetables.)

Step 7

Once the grill is hot, place the vegetables in the grill basket. Then place the steak on the grill. Grill the steak 2 minutes per side, for medium rare. Remove the steak and flip the vegetables over, cooking for another 3 to 4 minutes until they are softened.

Step 8

To plate restaurant-style, place the Carne Asada a la Tampiqueña in the center of the plate and arrange Mexican beans, rice, guacamole, and a small cheese-filled enchilada on the side. Place some of the grilled onions and poblano peppers on top of the steak. (Or serve homestyle with rice, beans, and tortillas.)