These easy BBQ Skirt Steak Tacos are filled with a spice-rubbed, tender steak and topped with a crunchy and slightly sweet slaw. These tacos are a low-stress meal that take minimal prep work. Plus, you can cook these on the grill or the stove, so they can be enjoyed no matter what the season is.
About BBQ Skirt Steak Tacos
The great things about these BBQ Skirt Steak Tacos are that the steak is a little bit sweet and spicy, and the slaw adds a nice crunch plus veggies to your meal.
There's also a slight sweetness in the slaw thanks to the carrots and orange juice.
My friend Sara Haas just came out with a new cookbook, Taco! Taco! Taco! with over 100 taco recipes that everyone can enjoy.
I made a few changes: I increased the amount of slaw, added cilantro, and used paprika + cayenne pepper in place of the Hungarian paprika. I also used red instead of green cabbage and corn tortillas instead of flour. Other than that, this recipe was perfect.
How to Make BBQ Skirt Steak Tacos
These are quite easy to make, and I decided to make my life even easier by buying shredded carrots and cabbage instead of chopping myself.
You'll start by rubbing the steak with a dry rub and letting it rest for a little bit. I read in The Food Lab that it's best to let your meat rest at least 40 minutes after salting so the steak has time to release the juice and then reabsorb it (giving you a juicy steak).
While the steak is resting, stir together the slaw ingredients and pop that in the fridge.
You can cook the steak of the grill or in a grill pan. I chose a cast iron skillet because I don't really have access to a grill. It was easy peasy: heat you skillet to get it nice and hot. Cook steak for 5 minutes per side then let rest for about 10-15 minutes.
I like my steaks medium (and don't mind if they're almost medium-well), so feel free to decrease or increase the cooking time according to your personal preference of doneness.
When you are ready to serve, be sure to slice the meat thinly and against the grain. This is incredibly important to keep your steak from being overly tough or chewy.
Recipe Tips
Buying Beef
Buying beef can be a little intimidating with all the different options available. I immediately found "skirt steak" in my local grocery store, but this steak is also labeled with a few other names.
According to the Beef. It's What's For Dinner website, you might see a skirt steak called Inside Skirt Steak, Outside Skirt Steak, Fajita Steak, Fajita Meat, Philadelphia Steak, or Boneless Diaphragm.
Make Ahead Tips
You can prepare the slaw in advance. I found it tasted better the longer it sat (in the fridge), but after about 24 hours, it started to not look as pretty and the cabbage & carrots were losing their crunch.
With the steak, you can add a rub right before cooking or a few hours in advance. Just keep it in the refrigerator if you won't be using it within the hour.
Variations & Substitutions
Substitutions for Skirt Steak
Skirt steak is pretty easy for me to find, but if it's not available or you aren't a fan, there are a few other options that would work equally well in this recipe. Flank steak
Variations
Seasoning: If you do not want spicy tacos, omit the cayenne pepper. You can also omit the cilantro.
Alternative Prep & Cooking
These can be cooked on the grill, in a grill pan, or in a cast iron skillet. The cooking method is relatively the same. Preheat the grill or pan. Rub with oil, and cook for about 5 minutes per side. Let rest for 10-15 minutes and slice (be sure to slice against the grain!!)
If you do not want to let the meat rest, you can technically cook the steak right after adding the rub since the rub will give flavor no matter how long it sits.
If you decide to do this, start by making the slaw. Then rub the meat and immediately cook.
What to Serve with BBQ Skirt Steak Tacos
This is a whole meal in one. You get protein & fat in the steak, veggies in your slaw, and carbohydrates in the tortillas.
However, you could round out your meal with a nice margarita to take this up a notch. A few of my favorite margs are the grapefruit margarita (which would go well with the orange juice in the slaw) or a sweeter blueberry margarita to take the edge off these spicy tacos.
Final thoughts:
I highly suggest you add these BBQ Skirt Steak Tacos to your meal plan as soon as possible. They're great for taking advantage of grill time in the summer and can easily be made inside with a grill pan or cast iron skillet.
MORE TACO RECIPES YOU'LL LOVE:
- Crawfish Tacos
- Beef Carnitas Tacos
- Black Bean and Kale Tacos
- Crock Pot Chicken Ranch Tacos
- Ground Beef Tacos
BBQ Skirt Steak Tacos
Ingredients
For the steak:
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅜ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cloves
- 1 pound skirt steak trimmed
For the slaw:
- ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons orange juice fresh
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 3 cups shredded carrots
- 3 cups shredded cabbage red or green
- 2 green onions chopped
- 1 tablespoon cilantro optional
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For the tacos:
- 8 small corn tortillas
Instructions
For the steak:
- In a small bowl, stir together brown sugar, cumin, chili powder, salt, paprika, cayenne pepper, and cloves. Rub the mixture on the steak, and set aside for 40 minutes.(Can rest for longer, but transfer to the refrigerator if so)
- Meanwhile, stir together the slaw ingredients and transfer to the refrigerator.
- When ready to cook the steak, preheat the grill to high or the skillet to medium high. Rub the grill with oil or add oil to the skillet & swirl around. Add the steak and cook for 4 to 5 minutes per side. Remove the steak and let rest for 10-15 minutes.
To serve:
- Slice the steak thinly and against the grain. Serve in tortillas with slaw. Enjoy!
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