Tacos al Carbon

4.76 from 50 votes

A quick and easy preparation for the best Tacos al Carbon at home (and indoors)! Featuring flavorful, pan-seared flank steak and flour tortillas.

Prep Time15

Cook Time8

Marinate4

Total Time4 23

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican, Tex-Mex

Keyword: Tacos al Carbon

Servings:

Calories: 431kcal

Author: Kelly Anthony

Ingredients

½ cup freshly squeezed lime juice (about 4-6 limes)
1 tablespoon + 1 ½ teaspoon Kosher salt, separated
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
3 teaspoons black pepper, separated
1 cup + 4 tablespoons canola or avocado oil, separated
¼ cup chopped cilantro
4 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
2 pounds flank steak (no more than ¾" thick -- see note below)
12 flour tortillas
Topping Ideas: Queso, shredded cheese, guacamole, pico de gallo, shredded lettuce, or sour cream

Instructions

Add the lime juice, 1 tablespoon Kosher salt, sugar, and 1 ½ teaspoons pepper to a small mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Slowly drizzle in 1 cup of oil, whisking all the while. Then, add the cilantro and garlic and stir to combine.
Transfer the marinade to a zip-top bag and add the flank steak. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to overnight.
Remove the beef from the bag and pat dry with a paper towel. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of oil and sprinkle with 1 ½ teaspoon Kosher salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Rub all over to adhere, and set aside until ready to use.
Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil to a large, skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium-high to high heat. Once the oil has come to temperature, sear the steak for 6-7 minutes on the first side, turn, and sear for 4-5 minutes more.
Allow to rest 10 minutes. Then, slice the beef as thin as possible (cutting against the grain), roll in flour tortillas, and top as desired.

Notes

The thickness of the flank steak matters. If it is thicker than ¾", it will very likely be rare if you use the indicated cook times. Thinner flank steaks work best for this recipe, but if you cannot find one, there is a fix:

If the flank steak is between 1 to 1 ¼" thick (before searing the steak) preheat the oven to 375°F degrees. Cook the flank steak as indicated in the recipe card. Then, transfer it to a baking sheet and bake for 7-10 minutes, depending on how "done" you like your beef.

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