Cecina Tacos
Thin-sliced beef seared until crispy and caramelized, served in warm tortillas with lime and fresh toppings. A classic Mexican street taco that's ready in under 30 minutes.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Servings
- 2
- Calories
- 385
- Protein
- 32g
Ingredients
- ¾ lb beef sirloin or flank steak
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ medium white onion
- 2 cloves garlic cloves
- ½ teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 6 tortillas corn or flour tortillas (6-inch)
- 1 lime fresh lime
Instructions
- 1
Place the beef on a cutting board and place it in the freezer for 10 minutes so it becomes partially frozen and easier to slice very thin.
- 2
Remove the beef from the freezer and slice it as thin as possible—nearly transparent slices—cutting against the grain, which means across the lines running through the meat.
- 3
Slice the onion lengthwise from root to tip into thin crescents about 1/8-inch thick, then cut them in half so the pieces are shorter.
- 4
Mince the garlic cloves until the pieces are smaller than a grain of rice—about the size of pencil-tip dots.
- 5
Heat a 12-inch cast iron skillet or large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat until the surface is very hot, about 2 minutes—you should feel significant heat when you hold your hand 3 inches above it.
- 6
Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the hot skillet, then immediately add half of the sliced beef in a single layer and let it sit undisturbed for 45 seconds so it browns.
- 7
Stir the beef constantly for 60 seconds until it is completely cooked through and the edges are deeply browned, almost charred in spots.
- 8
Transfer the cooked beef to a clean plate, then repeat steps 6 and 7 with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and remaining beef.
- 9
Return all cooked beef to the skillet, then add the onion, minced garlic, oregano, and salt, stirring constantly for 30 seconds until the onions soften and everything smells fragrant.
- 10
Place each tortilla directly over a medium flame on your stovetop or in a dry skillet for 5 seconds per side until warm and pliable, then stack on a plate.
- 11
Divide the beef mixture evenly among the warm tortillas, placing it in a line down the center of each one.
- 12
Cut the lime into 2 wedges and place one wedge on each plate, then serve the tacos immediately so they are still warm.
Tools you’ll need
- 12-inch cast iron skillet or heavy-bottomed skillet
- sharp cutting board
- sharp knife
- rubber spatula or wooden spoon
- clean plate
- stovetop or additional skillet for warming tortillas
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