Idaho Today: Eva's Ancho Chile Skirt Steak Tacos with the Grill Dads

Serves: 3 to 4 | Prep Time: 2 hours and 15 minutes | Cook Time: 20 minutes

These are my favorite tacos to make! When I make them for guests they sometimes look at the dish’s name and exclaim, “I don’t like spicy!” but I always assure them that the chili powder

adds only a beautiful color and nice flavor. I promise it does not pica, as my Aunt Elsa would say, meaning that it’s not spicy.

For the Tacos

• 2 lb (907 g) skirt steak, cut into strips
• 3 tbsp (45 ml) olive oil
• 3 tbsp (45 ml) lime juice
• 4–5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1–2 serrano peppers, sliced
• 1 tsp cumin
• 2 tbsp (11 g) ancho chili powder
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• 12 corn tortillas

For the Guacamole

• 3 ripe avocados, diced
• 2 medium ripe tomatoes, seeded and diced
• 1 small white onion, finely chopped
• ¼ bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
• ½ serrano pepper, finely minced
• 2 small lemons, juiced, about 4 tbsp(60 ml)
• 1 tsp kosher salt

1. Place the skirt steak in a medium sized bowl. Pour the olive oil and lime juice over the skirt steak. 
2. Add the garlic, serrano peppers, cumin, ancho chili powder and kosher salt. This will be your marinade. Massage the marinade into the meat with clean hands, then cover with plastic wrap. Place in refrigerator for a minimum of 2 hours.
3. While the steak marinates, mix your guacamole. In a large bowl, combine the avocados, tomatoes, onion, cilantro, serrano peppers, lemon juice and kosher salt. Taste and add more kosher salt, if desired. Transfer to a serving bowl.
4. Lightly oil your grill grate with a neutral oil and heat the grill to medium- high. 
5. Add the steak directly to the grates and cook, turning once, 3 to 5 minutes per side for medium-rare. 
6. Transfer the steak to a cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes.
7. Cut the steak diagonally across the grain into thin strips. Stack the tortillas on a cutting board and use a sharp, thin-bladed knife to trim them into 4-inch (10-
8. cm) squares. Heat the tortillas on a comal, or a flat cast-iron griddle over medium heat, until warm and soft. 
9. Transfer to a plate forserving.
10. Place 2 to 3 strips of steak across the center of the tortilla. Garnish with guacamole. Pull thediamond-shaped tortilla together corner to corner (so it looks like a triangle), and secure it with atoothpick. Repeat for additional tacos, and serve.

Credit:

Reprinted with permission from The Best Grilling Cookbook Ever Written by Two Idiots by Mark Anderson and Ryan Fey. Page Street Publishing Co. 2022. Photo credit: Ken Goodman