Skillet Beef Alambre
Tender beef strips grilled with peppers and onions in a cast iron skillet, finished with melted cheese. A Mexican street-food classic ready in 25 minutes with one pan.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Servings
- 2
- Calories
- 542
- Protein
- 48g
Ingredients
- 1 lb beef sirloin or skirt steak
- 1 whole poblano pepper
- 1 whole white onion
- 4 oz oaxaca cheese or fresh mozzarella
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 to taste salt and pepper
Instructions
- 1
Place the beef on a cutting board. Hold the knife parallel to the board and slice the beef against the grain into thin strips about 1/4 inch thick and 3 inches long, as if slicing a steak into ribbons.
- 2
Place the poblano pepper on the cutting board and slice it lengthwise from stem to tip into 1/4-inch-thick strips, removing seeds as you see them.
- 3
Peel the onion and place it on the cutting board with the root end toward you. Slice it lengthwise from root to tip into 1/4-inch-thick strips that hold their shape.
- 4
Tear the oaxaca cheese into 2-inch irregular pieces about 1/4 inch thick by hand, or cut it into roughly 1/2-oz chunks.
- 5
Heat a 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Pour in the olive oil and wait until it shimmers and moves quickly when you tilt the pan, about 90 seconds.
- 6
Add the beef strips to the hot skillet in a single layer, breaking them apart slightly with a spatula. Let them sear without stirring for 2 minutes until the underside turns golden brown.
- 7
Stir the beef with a wooden spoon or spatula, breaking up any clumps, and cook for another 1 minute until no pink remains on the surface.
- 8
Push the beef to the edge of the skillet. Add the poblano strips and onion strips to the empty space in the center of the pan.
- 9
Stir the peppers and onions with the beef using a wooden spoon, coating everything with the oil. Cook, stirring once every 30 seconds, for 3 minutes until the onions turn translucent and the peppers look soft.
- 10
Sprinkle salt and pepper evenly over the beef and vegetables, then toss with a spatula to distribute.
- 11
Scatter the cheese pieces over the top of the beef and vegetables in an even layer, covering most of the surface.
- 12
Reduce heat to medium-low and cover the skillet with aluminum foil or a lid. Wait 2 minutes until the cheese melts completely.
- 13
Remove the skillet from heat and uncover it. Let it rest for 1 minute so the cheese sets slightly, then divide between two plates.
Tools you’ll need
- sharp knife
- cutting board
- 12-inch cast iron skillet
- wooden spoon or spatula
- aluminum foil or lid
- tongs (optional)
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