Recipe | America’s Test Kitchen’s Flank Steak Tacos You Can't Go Wrong With Flank Steak & Charred Corn Salsa

Charred corn salsa combined with cumin-scented flank steak is a winning match.

We wanted all the char and perfectly seared steak without having to step outside to grill, so we turned to our cast-iron skillet. We cut the steak into fourths to increase its surface area and seasoned it with ground cumin, salt, and pepper so that when we seared it, it developed a great crust.

After cooking the steak, we took it out to rest and added the corn to the skillet. We let the corn cook without disturbing it to create a flavorful char.

We then built our salsa: We added the corn to a lively combination of red onion, spicy jalapeno, lime juice, and cilantro. Finally, we cut the meat thin against the grain, ensuring that each bite was as tender as it was flavorful. Serve with your favorite taco toppings.

Flank Steak Tacos With Charred Corn Salsa

Servings: 4

Start to finish: 45 minutes

Ingredients: 

1 teaspoon ground cumin

Salt and pepper

1 (1 1/2-pound) flank steak, trimmed

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 1/2 cups fresh or thawed frozen corn

1/4 cup finely chopped red onion

1 jalapeno chili, stemmed, seeded, and minced

2 tablespoons lime juice

1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro

12 (6-inch) corn tortillas, warmed

To Make The Steaks: 

Adjust oven rack to middle position, place 12-inch cast-iron skillet on rack, and heat oven to 500 F. Meanwhile, combine cumin, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in bowl. Cut steak lengthwise with grain into 2 equal pieces, then cut each piece in half crosswise to create four equal pieces. Season steaks with spice mixture and let sit at room temperature.

When oven reaches 500° F, pat steaks dry with paper towels. Using potholders, remove skillet from oven and place over medium-high heat; turn off oven. Being careful of hot skillet handle, add oil and heat until just smoking. Cook steaks, without moving, until lightly browned on first side, about 2 minutes. Flip steaks and continue to cook until lightly browned on second side, about 2 minutes.

Flip steaks, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, flipping every 2 minutes, until steaks are well browned and meat registers 120° F to 125° F (for medium-rare), 4 to 8 minutes. Transfer steaks to carving board, tent loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest while making salsa.

To Make The Salsa: 

Add corn to now-empty skillet and cook over medium heat, without stirring, until lightly charred, about 4 minutes. Stir corn and continue to cook until tender, about 1 minute; transfer to medium bowl. Stir in onion, jalapeno, lime juice, cilantro, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Slice steak thin against grain and serve with tortillas and corn salsa.

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Nutrition information per serving: 132 calories; 83 calories from fat; 9 g fat (1 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 0 mg cholesterol; 318 mg sodium; 11 g carbohydrate; 3 g fiber; 7 g sugar; 4 g protein.

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For more recipes, cooking tips and ingredient and product reviews, visit https://www.americastestkitchen.com. Find more recipes like Flank Steak Tacos with Charred Corn Salsa in “Cook It In Cast Iron.”

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