I am fairly certain we all have a common thread… our LOVE of tacos! Oh my goodness, so much flavor, so much texture, such a variety of ingredients. There’s absolutely no right or wrong recipe other than creating what you like… wait…what you LOVE! I crave so many taco varieties, which most include protein with this recipe being one of my very favorites. I developed this recipe years, and years ago when I was taking classes at the Culinary Institute of America in Napa, California. Fast forward many years, I tweaked my recipe for Beef Loving Texans and now I tweak again as recipes and ingredients are often evolving.

This recipe uses flank steak which requires marinating 6 hours to overnight (I am a fan of overnight) to allow the flavors to enhance the beef and tenderize. This beef cut is high in protein, low in fat, and absorbs the marinade perfectly. I use a balance of oils and acids to create a perfect marinade. You can reduce the amount of salt if that’s a concern, increase the spice or completely omit the jalapeño peppers. I just love the flavor combination. Using my knowledge of flavor profiles, I combined ingredients such as tequila, soy sauce, garlic, orange juice, shallots, jalapeño peppers to create a palette of flavors that enhance.

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Tex-Mex Street Tacos

Author Chef Tiffany Blackmon

Ingredients

• 2 pounds flank steak
• ¼ cup silver tequila
• 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 lime juiced
• ¼ cup orange juice
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 jalapeño pepper ribs and seeds removed, finely chopped
• 1 shallot finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons cilantro chopped
• Cotija cheese crumbled
• 16 corn tortillas
• Toppings: Minced white onion chopped cilantro. Optional toppings: Cojita cheese, lime wedges, pico de gallo (recipe follows)

PICO DE GALLO (YIELDS 2 CUPS)

• 4 tomatoes seeded and chopped
• ½ cup red onion chopped
• 2 green onions white and green parts, thinly sliced
• 1 jalapeño pepper ribs and seeds removed, minced
• ¼ cup cilantro chopped
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1 lime juiced
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt

Instructions

• Place tequila, soy sauce, garlic, lime juice, orange juice, olive oil, salt, black pepper, jalapeño pepper, shallot and cilantro in a freezer-proof zip-top bag.  Add flank steak. Seal and marinate 6 hours to overnight in the refrigerator.
• Preheat gas or charcoal grill to 400°F.
• Remove meat and discard marinade. Place steaks on oiled grates and grill for approximately 4-6 minutes on one side or until moisture starts to pool on the top and beef releases easily from the grates with tongs. Flip once, grilling on the other side for 4-6 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 145°F with a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the steak. Transfer steaks to a platter and let rest for 3 minutes before slicing against the grain, into ¼-inch thick strips.
• Warm the tortillas for 30 seconds on each side in a dry skillet or on the grill.
• Stack 2 tortillas, add beef, toppings and lime juice if desired.
• Combine pico de gallo ingredients in mixing bowl and toss thoroughly.

Serve this with my salsa and guacamole recipes, add your favorite taco toppings, and enjoy!