- Serves
- 6–8
- Marinate
- At least 2 hours in the fridge, best overnight
- Grill heat
- Medium-high, about 450–500°F
- Grill time
- 3–5 minutes per side
Ingredients
Makes 6–8 servings.
- 3 lbs flank or skirt steak
- 4 limes, juiced
- 2 oranges, juiced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ cup chopped cilantro
- 1 large white onion, sliced (half for the marinade, half to grill and serve)
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 bottle beer, optional (a Mexican lager such as Modelo Especial or Corona)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Marinate
- In a large bowl, mix the lime juice, orange juice, garlic, cilantro, half of the sliced onion, olive oil, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, salt and pepper.
- If you like, add the beer to the marinade for extra depth.
- Add the steak and make sure it's fully coated. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or overnight for the best flavor.
Grill
- Preheat the grill to medium-high heat, about 450–500°F. Make sure the grates are clean, then oil them lightly.
- Take the steak out of the marinade and shake off the excess liquid. Throw the used marinade away.
- Grill the steak 3–5 minutes per side, depending on thickness, until a food thermometer in the thickest part reads at least 145°F. Don't press down on the steak; you want to keep the juices inside. If you like, grill the rest of the onion slices alongside to serve with it.
- Move the steak to a clean cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes.
- Slice thinly against the grain, or roll the steak up and slice across the roll.
Food safety for this recipe
- USDA's safe minimum for beef steaks is 145°F, measured with a food thermometer, followed by at least a 3-minute rest. The 5-minute rest above covers it.
- Marinate in the refrigerator, not on the counter, and don't reuse marinade that touched the raw steak unless you bring it to a boil first.
- Use a clean board or platter for the cooked steak, not the one that held it raw.
Tips
- Serve with warm tortillas, grilled onions, salsa and guacamole.
Grill safely
- Use a food thermometer. Beef and pork steaks, chops and roasts are safe at 145°F with a 3-minute rest. Ground meats need 160°F, and all poultry 165°F.
- Marinate in the refrigerator, not on the counter. To brush marinade on while grilling, use fresh marinade or bring the used one to a boil first.
- Keep raw and cooked apart. Put cooked food on a clean platter, never the one that held raw meat.
- Mind the heat. Keep cooked food at 140°F or warmer until serving, and don't leave it out more than 2 hours, or 1 hour when it's above 90°F outside.
- Set up the grill safely. Keep it well away from the house, deck railings and overhanging branches. Open a gas grill's lid before lighting it, keep kids and pets 3 feet away, and never leave a lit grill unattended.
- Clear grease and fat buildup from the grill and the trays below it. Built-up grease is a fire risk, and it's exactly what our grill cleaning removes.
Sources: USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Chart and Grilling and Food Safety; NFPA, Grilling safety.