Description
These Grilled Skirt Steak and Elote Tacos bring together smoky, juicy steak with the bright, creamy flavors of classic Mexican street corn, all piled into warm tortillas for a deliciously satisfying main course. The tender skirt steak is perfectly charred on the grill and thinly sliced, while the elote topping—corn, cotija, creamy sauce, and spices—adds layers of flavor and texture, making these tacos perfect for your next summer cookout or family dinner.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
For the Skirt Steak
- 1 1/2 pounds skirt steak
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
For the Elote (Street Corn) Topping
- 2 ears fresh corn, husked
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon sour cream
- 1/3 cup cotija cheese, crumbled (plus more for serving)
- 1 tablespoon cilantro, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- Salt and pepper, to taste
For Assembling
- 8 small corn or flour tortillas
- Extra sliced lime wedges, for serving
- Chopped cilantro, for garnish
Instructions
- Marinate the Skirt Steak: In a large bowl, whisk together olive oil, lime juice, minced garlic, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Add skirt steak and rub the marinade all over. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 4 hours.
- Prepare the Grill: Preheat your grill to high heat (about 450°F). Clean and oil the grates to prevent sticking.
- Grill the Corn: Place husked corn directly on the grill. Grill for 8-10 minutes, turning every 2-3 minutes until charred all over. Remove from grill and let cool slightly. Cut the kernels from the cobs into a bowl.
- Make the Elote Topping: Add mayonnaise, sour cream, cotija cheese, cilantro, chili powder, cayenne (if using), lime juice, salt, and pepper to the corn kernels in the bowl. Stir until well combined. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Grill the Skirt Steak: Remove steak from marinade and let excess drip off. Place steak onto the hot grill and cook for 3-4 minutes per side for medium-rare, or until desired doneness. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes.
- Slice the Steak: Cut steak thinly against the grain for maximum tenderness.
- Warm the Tortillas: On the grill or a dry skillet, warm tortillas for 20-30 seconds per side until pliable and aromatic.
- Assemble the Tacos: Place slices of grilled skirt steak in each tortilla. Top generously with elote mixture, extra cotija, chopped cilantro, and serve with lime wedges.
Notes
- For deeper flavor, marinate the steak overnight in the refrigerator.
- You can substitute cotija with feta cheese if needed.
- Flank steak can be used instead of skirt steak if unavailable.
- If you don’t have fresh corn, use thawed frozen corn and char in a hot skillet.
- For a spicier kick, add more cayenne or a splash of hot sauce to the elote topping.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 tacos
- Calories: 460
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 490mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 75mg
