Let them eat STEAK!

Howdy folks. For those of you who know me, you know that I was born and raised in Texas. For those of you who know Texans, it's in our DNA to love steak. In the panhandle you will be challenged to eat 4.5 lbs of steak in under an hour. In El Paso you can eat a steak cut to order while gazing over thousands of acres of ranch land. Pardon my french, but in Texas, steak is a big f***ing deal.

The only problems are that steak is expensive (if you're buying something better than dog food) and if you regularly eat an entire steak, you're likely on your way to having a gut as big as the lone star state. If we look a little south of the border, we can find the solution to our weeknight steak cravings. TACOS! This is a great way to use one steak to feed several mouths.

Caribbean Jerk Steak Tacos
Ingredients:
1 New York Strip Steak for every 3 people (for the huge steak I got, that's only a few dollars/person)
Flour or corn Tortillas
1 Tomato
1 Avocado
1 tsp Sea Salt
1 tsp Brown Sugar
2-3 tsp Caribbean Jerk Seasoning (I buy mine from the store. One day I'll come up with a recipe)
1 TBL Olive Oil

Mix the jerk seasoning, salt, and sugar in a bowl. The sugar helps the outside of the steak to caramelize. The jerk seasoning is a secret to having great flavor (still can't believe how delicious this comes out every time). Mix these ingredients with a teaspoon of olive oil to make a paste.

Let's talk about steak selection. Typically, one would use flank steak for tacos. Which is fine, but it doesn't really make me think "Texas Steak" for whatever reason. A New York Strip is easier to prepare, more tender, and it makes you feel like your eating a juicy steak rather than fajita meat.

Cover the outside of the steak with the paste (make more paste if necessary). Put a teaspoon or two of olive oil in a pan (preferably cast iron) and turn the heat to medium-high. Now let's cook our steak.

1. When it comes to cook times, it really depends on the thickness and the shape of the steak. If you have a steak that isn't uniform, then cut it into uniform pieces so they all cook in the same amount of time. The only way to tell when the meat is done is by measuring the internal temperature. So, get a meat thermometer (only $10). No, seriously, get one.
2. Put the meat in the ALREADY HEATED pan. You should hear a lot of sizzling.
3. If your steak is thin, it should cook in 4-5 minutes on either side.
4. If your steak is thick (like mine was) then you cook 4-5 minutes on either side then it goes into the oven at 450 degrees.
5. In the thick or the thin case, we are looking for 120-125 degrees (medium-rare) for the internal temperature. Always measure temperature by sticking the thermometer in the middle of the thickest part of the steak.
6. After the steak is done, let it rest for at least 5 minutes so all the juices can redistribute and stay in the meat.

Cut into slices and put on a tortilla with slices of avocado and fresh tomato.

I apologize for my sub par photography.

The spiciness of the steak is cut by the rich, creaminess of the avocado. The tomato adds some acid to even everything out. I hope you enjoy.

xo,
Levi