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+ servings
assembled tacos with salsa on an oval platter
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5 from 1 vote

Skirt Steak Tacos with Easy Marinade

These Skirt Steak Tacos are made with an easy citrus marinade, which not only adds lots and lots of flavor, but also tenderizes the meat beautifully.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Marinating2 hours
Total Time2 hours 20 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 528kcal
Author: Tania

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds skirt steak excess fat trimmed and outer membrane removed if needed
  • Corn tortillas for serving

Skirt steak marinade

  • Juice of 1 orange, plus its zest
  • Juice of 2 limes, plus its zest
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • cup olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • ¼ cup finely chopped cilantro
  • 1 ½ teaspoons Kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

Corn salsa

  • 1 (14-ounce) can sweet yellow corn, drained
  • 4 roma tomatoes, diced
  • cup chopped cilantro
  • Juice of 1 or 2 limes, to taste
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • In a large resealable plastic bag, combine all the marinade ingredients and add the meat, making sure it’s evenly and coated throughout. Seal and refrigerate for 2-3 hours, no longer than 3 hours.
  • Once it’s marinated, remove from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes prior to grilling.
  • Make the corn salsa: In a bowl, combine all corn salsa ingredients until evenly combined. Set aside.
  • Heat a grill or grill pan(if doing indoors) over high heat. Shake off any excess marinade and grill the skirt steak for about 3-4 minutes per side for a medium rare, about 130-135 degrees F using an instant meat thermometer.
  • Transfer steak to a plate and let rest for 10 minutes, loosely covered with foil to keep warm.
  • Slice steak: The grain lines in skirt steak run parallel to the shorter side of the meat, but you need to slice perpendicular to the grain to ensure it’s tender. To do so, cut the steak into 3-4 smaller pieces parallel to the grain lines. Then, slice each smaller piece perpendicular to the grain (against the grain).
  • Serve over warm tortillas and top with the prepared corn salsa and guacamole. Enjoy!

Notes

  • Marinate for 2 hours, maximum 3 hours. Citrus-based marinades can make the meat tough if marinated for too long. If using flank steak, marinate for 3-4 hours.
  • Slice against the grain to ensure the steak is tender. The grain lines in skirt steak run parallel to the shorter side of the meat, but you need to slice perpendicular to the grain to ensure it’s tender. To do so, cut the steak into smaller pieces parallel to the grain lines. Then, slice each smaller piece perpendicular to the grain (against the grain).
  • Make ahead: Marinate for 2-3 hours in advance, no longer than that. As an alternative, you can also make the marinade 1-2 days in advance and add the meat 2-3 hours before grilling. The corn salsa can be made 1-2 days ahead.
 
Substitutions and variations:
  • Skirt steak: Flank steak (marinate for 3-4 hours, and grill for 6-8 minutes per side or until internal temperature reaches 135-140 degrees F for medium to medium rare).
 
Disclaimer: Nutritional values (per serving) are approximates only.

Nutrition

Serving: 2tacos | Calories: 528kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 95mg | Sodium: 845mg | Potassium: 824mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 604IU | Vitamin C: 26mg | Calcium: 95mg | Iron: 4mg