20-Min Charred Arrachera with Lime & Cilantro
Thin-cut skirt steak seared hard until edges blacken, finished with lime juice, garlic, and fresh cilantro. Serve with warm tortillas for a weeknight Mexican dinner that tastes like a real taquería.
- Total time
- 20 min
- Servings
- 4
- Calories
- 380
- Protein
- 42g
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb skirt steak (arrachera cut)
- 3 cloves garlic cloves, minced
- 2 whole limes (juiced)
- ⅓ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 8 whole warm flour or corn tortillas, for serving
Instructions
- 1
Pat the steak dry with paper towels. Season generously with salt and black pepper on both sides.
- 2
Heat olive oil in a large cast iron or heavy skillet over high heat until it shimmers and wisps of smoke appear, ~2 minutes.
- 3
Lay the steak flat in the skillet without moving it. Sear 2–3 minutes until the bottom is dark and charred.
- 4
Flip once and sear the other side 2–3 minutes until the center reaches medium-rare (130°F internal temp).
- 5
Transfer to a cutting board. Sprinkle minced garlic and half the lime juice over the top, let rest 2 minutes.
- 6
Slice against the grain into thin strips. Toss with remaining lime juice and cilantro. Serve with warm tortillas.
Tools you’ll need
- large cast iron or heavy skillet, 12-inch
- cutting board
- sharp knife
- paper towels
- meat thermometer (optional but recommended)
Cook smarter
Get matched recipes for what’s in your fridge
CookSnap is a free iOS app that finds real recipes from the ingredients you already have. No more grocery-list aspirations.
