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Grilled steak tacos with onions, cilantro and lime on corn tortillas, similar to tacos made with this skirt steak marinade
Chef Emma

Skirt Steak Marinade for Tacos and Fajitas

Skirt steak marinated in lime, orange juice, soy sauce, garlic, jalapeño, cilantro and cumin, seared hot and fast, sliced across the grain and served as tacos or fajitas.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Marinate (30 min to 12 hours) 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 40 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican, Tex-Mex
Calories: 390
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Marinade
  • 1/3 cup olive oil or avocado oil 80 ml
  • 1/4 cup fresh lime juice 60 ml, about 2 limes
  • 1/4 cup fresh orange juice 60 ml, about 1 orange
  • 3 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce 45 ml
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 jalapeño minced, seeded for less heat
  • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro about 8 g, chopped
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano Mexican if possible
  • 1 tsp brown sugar
  • 1 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt or 1/2 tsp table salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
Steak
  • 1 1/2 lb skirt steak 680 g, preferably outside skirt, trimmed
  • 1 tbsp high-heat oil for the pan or grates
To serve
  • 12 small corn tortillas 6-inch, or 8 flour tortillas for fajitas
  • 1/2 white onion finely diced
  • chopped cilantro, lime wedges and salsa to taste
  • 2 bell peppers sliced into strips, for fajitas (optional)
  • 1 large onion sliced, for fajitas (optional)
  • 1 tbsp oil for the fajita vegetables (optional)

Equipment

  • Grill or 12-inch cast iron skillet
  • Gallon zip-top bag
  • Instant-read thermometer
  • Tongs

Method
 

  1. Whisk all the marinade ingredients together. Set aside 1/4 cup in a clean container to use as a sauce later, if you like.
  2. Pat the steak dry, trim silver skin and cut long pieces into 2 or 3 sections. Put it in a zip-top bag with the rest of the marinade, press out the air and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, ideally 2 to 8 hours, and no more than about 12 hours.
  3. Heat a grill to high (500 to 550°F / 260 to 290°C) or a cast iron skillet over high heat with 1 tbsp oil until it just smokes.
  4. Remove the steak from the marinade, let it drip and pat lightly dry. Discard the used marinade.
  5. Sear the steak 2 to 4 minutes per side, in batches if using a skillet, until well browned. Pull at about 130°F (54°C) for medium-rare or 140°F (60°C) for medium; USDA recommends 145°F (63°C) with a 3-minute rest.
  6. Rest the steak 5 minutes. Cut it with the grain into 4- to 5-inch sections, turn each section and slice thinly across the grain.
  7. For tacos, warm the corn tortillas and fill with steak, onion, cilantro, lime and salsa.
  8. For fajitas, cook the pepper and onion strips in the hot skillet with 1 tbsp oil and a pinch of salt for 6 to 8 minutes until charred at the edges, toss with the sliced steak and serve with warm flour tortillas.

Notes

Don't marinate much past 12 hours with the lime juice or the surface can turn mushy; for longer marinating, leave the lime out and squeeze it over the cooked steak. Never use raw marinade as a sauce unless it has been boiled for at least 1 minute. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours for 3 to 4 days. Calories are an estimate per serving (2 corn tortilla tacos) from USDA FoodData Central values.