Tijuana Tacos Recipes

AUTHENTIC BAJA-MEXICAN STREET TACOS (CARNE ASADA)

Steps:

• Combine orange juice, 2 tablespoons cilantro, lime juice, garlic, salt, pepper, cumin, and cayenne in a large freezer bag. Submerge skirt steaks in the marinade. Seal the bag, squeezing out as much air as possible. Refrigerate, 1 to 8 hours.
• Preheat a grill to medium-high. Grill the steaks until hot and firm in the center or to your preferred doneness, 6 to 8 minutes per side. Transfer steaks to a flat work surface and slice as thinly as possible against the grain.
• Heat corn tortillas on the grill or in a microwave. Keep tortillas warm in a folded sheet of aluminum foil covered by a thick towel.
• Add steak to each tortilla and top with white onion and cilantro.

TAQUERIA STYLE TACOS - CARNE ASADA

Steps:

• Lay the flank steak in a large glass baking dish. In a medium bowl, whisk together the vinegar, soy sauce, 4 cloves of garlic, juice of two limes, and olive oil. Season with salt, black pepper, white pepper, garlic powder, chili powder, oregano, cumin and paprika. Whisk until well blended, then pour over the steak in the dish. Turn over once to coat both sides. Cover with plastic wrap, and marinate for 1 to 8 hours.
• In a small bowl, stir together 1 chopped white onion, cilantro, and the juice of 1 lime. Set aside to use as a relish for the tacos.
• Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Toast chile pods in the skillet for a few minutes, then remove to a bowl of water to soak for about 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
• Place the tomatoes, 1 onion, jalapenos, and 4 cloves of garlic onto a baking sheet. Roast in the oven for about 20 minutes, until toasted but not burnt. Place the roasted vegetables, and soaked chile pods into a blender or food processor, along with salt and pepper. Puree until smooth.
• Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cut the marinated flank steak into cubes or strips. Cook, stirring constantly, until the meat is cooked through and most of the liquid has evaporated.
• Warm the tortillas in a skillet for about a minute on each side to make them pliable. Tortillas may also be warmed in a microwave oven. Arrange two or three tortillas on a plate, and lay a generous amount of beef over them. Top with a sprinkle of the onion relish and a large spoonful of the pureed salsa. Add as much cheese as you like. Garnish with lime wedges, and serve.

TIJUANA TACOS

Steps:

• Saute diced onions in olive oil until brown, put in bowl, cover with aluminum foil.
• Pit avocados, remove the meat from the skin. Slice thinly, place in a bowl.
• Mix salt, avocado, and minced garlic until a relatively consistent texture (still chunky).
• Juice limes over avocado mixture, mix thoroughly.
• Warm the beans in a pot on low heat (include all the liquid from the can). While simmering, prepare the meat.
• First, make sure to buy steaks sliced 1/4" thick (carne asada cut).
• Marinade the steak if you want (I don't, with the seasoning).
• Let the steaks warm up to room temperature.
• Pre-heat grill on high.
• Rub steak seasoning on both sides of each steak.
• Place on grill.
• Put 1 teaspoon Siracha on each steak, rub to spread evenly.
• Grill on high for 3 to 4 minutes each side, or until medium rare.
• Remove the steaks, but leave the grill on. Throw the 6 jalapenos on the grill, set to low, and leave to cook, turning frequently.
• Cut the meat into 1/4" cubes, set in bowl, cover with aluminum foil.
• Layer half of each tortilla with cheese, fold, and grill on high for about 45 seconds each side (until starting to turn brown and cheese completely melted). Immediately remove. At the same time, remove now cooked jalapenos.
• Quickly open each quesadilla and layer with beans, meat, avocado, cilantro and onion, and top with your favorite salsa and jalapeno chilis.
• Eat quickly -- enjoy.