My whole family is obsessed with Mexican food. It’s recently become a thing. My husband has made it a practice to take the boys to various local Mexican taquerias for either breakfast or lunch in search of the “best taco“. My boys were hooked after the second outing. Their love of tacos and tortas is serious. I can’t say that they challenged me, but they did take me to one of their favorite spots so I could see what all the fuss was about. These beef tacos are inspired by the ones I had when I was there. The simplicity of the flavors is what makes this recipe so great in my eyes. I use a sirloin to keep it tender, I cook it on high heat quickly–making this a great fast meal option any night of the week.
Tacos rose in popularity around 1970 when Glen Bell went public with his widely successful Taco Bell chain. Today, Americans eat more than 4.5 billion tacos a year–ranking among one of Americans’ most beloved fast foods.
The homemade tomatillo salsa adds nice flavor and texture. Topped with some Mexican crema and you have (according to my guys) the “perfect taco“. Considering my classical French training, I take that as a huge compliment. This has quickly become a favorite in my house; I even have to make extra so my older son is guaranteed to have some the next day for his afternoon snack.
Beef Tacos
Ingredients
- 2 pounds top sirloin steak, roughly chopped into small ½-inch pieces
- 1/3 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- ¾ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 garlic cloves, grated
- 3 tablespoons Extra Virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1/4 cup yellow onion, finely chopped
- ¼ cup cilantro, finely chopped
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
- Crema Mexicana (optional)
- Small soft corn tortillas, lightly toasted in a pan
Directions
- Step 1 Place the cut sirloin into a medium size mixing bowl. Add the chili powder, cumin, onion powder, salt, pepper, garlic, olive oil and lime juice. Using your hands, mix well to coat. Allow to marinate for at least 30 minutes.
- Step 2 To cook to the beef, place a large sauté pan (cast iron if you have one) over high heat. When hot, add the beef and cook about 3 minutes. Turn the meat and cook for an additional minute. If you do not have a large pan, cook the meat in batches so as not to overcrowd it in the pan.
- Step 3 Remove the pan from the heat, add the onions and cilantro. Place in a serving dish with a side of lime wedges, Crema Mexicana, warm tortillas and tomatillo salsa.
Tomatillo Salsa
Ingredients
- 10 fresh tomatillos
- 2 Serrano peppers
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Directions
- Step 1 Preheat the broiler.
- Step 2 Rinse the tomatillos under warm water to help remove the outer skins and stickiness of the tomatillos themselves.
- Step 3 Cut the tomatillos in half and place on a baking sheet. Add the Serrano peppers. Drizzle with oil. Place on the top rack of the oven and char for about 3 minutes.
- Step 4 Add the smashed garlic and continue to broil for an additional 3 minutes until slightly charred. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly.
- Step 5 When cool enough to handle, remove the pepper stems and place everything (including any juices) in a food processor such as a Cusinart filled with a metal blade and puree until smooth.
- Step 6 Pour into a glass jar and mix in the chopped onion and salt. Chill in the refrigerator.
