¡¡Tacos de Bistec!! Or Mexican Steak tacos. If you have been to Mexico you have seen the taco stands at night with lights hanging from the roof, and people around it like bees on a honeypot. You can detect the smell from several yards away. If you like steaks, you know what I mean... the grilling and sizzling will follow you and call your name.
Mexican Steak Tacos / Tacos de Bistec
Mexican Tacos Recipe
There’s this unofficial rule that if you see a taco stand that’s overcrowded, then the tacos must be good, and according to the way someone holds his taco, you can tell if he is a good eater. Let's have some tacos! (You can also find another way to make tacos HERE). (Take a look at these salsas: Roasted Tomatillo and Árbol Pepper Salsa, Pico de Gallo, Salsa Verde Cruda, and Creamy Habanero Salsa, and pick your favorite to top your tacos!!
How to make Mexican Steak Tacos
DIRECTIONS:
- In a heavy skillet over medium-high heat add the vegetable oil. Place the steak when the oil is hot and brown the steaks.
- Cook for about 2 minutes and turn. If you are making several steaks, wrap the cooked ones in aluminum foil and keep warm in an oven while you finish cooking the rest of the steaks. Do not overcook.
Sometimes, I cook the meat in this Mexican pan/griddle, the process is the same as above just with some water added, kind of like parboiling the meat. Just like they do in some Taco stands in Mexico. It fits on top of your stove but you can get the same results in a regular skillet. The meat in this picture is thinly sliced steak for sandwiches, big mistake. It was too hard to eat. It's better to use Rib Eye. It's an expensive cut but it's worth the price.
- While the steaks finish cooking, start warming the tortillas in a medium heat skillet and wrap them in a kitchen towel.
- Chop the meat into small pieces and place some of the meat into each warm tortilla. Top each taco with the chopped onion and cilantro.
NOTE: A variation of steak tacos are Tacos Campechanos; that’s how they’re called in Toluca, the capital city of the State of Mexico. You mix chopped steak and chorizo in a taco. After previously cooking the steak, fry some chorizo in the same skillet until well cooked.
- Add the chopped steak to the skillet. Mix and serve in warm tortillas topped with chopped cilantro and onion. Now you are ready to enjoy a real taco!
Authentic Mexican Tacos
For this recipe, I used a cast iron skillet and also a Mexican Stainless Steel Comal
Did you like the recipe? Please let me know in the comments section, do you have questions, or share the link with your friends. I hope you have an incredible time cooking!
Provecho!
Mely, the cook at Mexico in my Kitchen!
📖 Recipe
Mexican Steak Tacos
Ingredients
- 2 pounds thinly sliced Steaks of Rib eye or Sirloin or Diezmillo at your local Latin Store.
- 12 corn tortillas
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil or lard Lard is better for an authentic taste
- 1 medium onion finely chopped about 1 cup
- 1 bunch of cilantro finely chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
- A good spicy salsa to top the tacos
- Add salt and pepper to the steaks.
Instructions
- On a heavy skillet at medium high heat add the vegetable oil. Place the steak when the oil is hot and brown the steaks.
- Cook for about 2 minutes and turn. If you are making several steaks, wrap the cooked ones in aluminum foil and keep warm in an oven while you finish cooking the rest of the steaks. Do not over cook.
- While the steaks finish cooking, start warming the tortillas in a medium heat skillet and wrap them in a kitchen towel.
- Chop the meat into small pieces and place some of the meat into each warm tortilla. (Some taco stands warm their tortillas in the same skillet the meat was cooked to absorb the flavor and some also add more oil to the skillet while warming the tortillas). Top each taco with the chopped onion and cilantro.
- Add the chopped steak to the skillet. Mix and serve on warm corn tortillas, top with chopped cilantro and onion. Now, you are ready to enjoy a real taco!
Bkhuna
Sometimes the simplest preparations make the tastiest tacos. I could eat these by the bag full.
Gina Bisaillon
Yep, those are authentic tacos like in Mexico. No muss, no fuss!
CHAR REINIG
We've been eating these tacos at our local Mexican food truck. I have searched for the recipe. Thank you so much.
Esteban Perez
when you say thinly sliced steaks, how think do you mean? and is it better to slightly freeze the steak, slice it thin and then cook it
Mely Martínez
Hello Esteban,
About 1/8" thin, make sure it is meat with some fat in it. Also, do not use the thinly slice steaks used to make a cheesesteak sandwich, that cut of meat is too dry for tacos. If you do not find already cut thin at Latin markets, you can freeze it in order to cut it into thin steaks. But, as always, fresh meat is the best for tacos.
Sophia
This might be too basic a question. But do we not need to marinate the meat?
Mely Martínez
Hello Sophia,
In México, we only marinate the meat that is going to be grilled like carne asada. Like when you make carne asada tacos. For this type of tacos, you do not need to marinate.aBut if you like marinating the meat you can absolutely do it.
Cindy- Taco lover
There is absolutely no seasoning listed for this recipe (?)
Mely Martínez
Hello Cindy,
These are authentic Mexican steak tacos, the way we made then in Mexico. Not sure if you have ever been to Mexico, and tried tacos de bistec. If you are looking for the flavors of TEX-MEX tacos, sorry, but I do not have a recipe for those. I hope you have nice weather in Illinois.
Linda Molina
No salt makes for healthier tacos! 😋
donnaQuixote
Delicious! Simple and crunchy! I will be making this again, perhaps I'll try the Campechanos later on. I used grocery store "steak taco" packet from our local Save Mart Grocery in Northern Nevada, which had some mild spices (I'd guess smoked paprika, garlic, cumin) as well as a few shreds of onion.
PS Your blog name is cute. If you can't visit Mexico, at least you have Mexico in your kitchen.
Mely Martínez
Hello DoonaQuixote,
Thank you for trying the recipe. And yes, that is the reason for the name. To bring Mexico to your kitchen.
Debby
Do you have any suggestions on how to cook espaldilla para azar?
mmartinez
Hello Debby,
You can dice it an cook as a stew with onion, garlic, tomatoes and pepper. Like in this Carne con papas dish.
MeMe
How do I make the the spicy sauce for the tacos need the recipe.
MeMe
How do I make the sauce for the tacos
mmartinez
Hello MeMe,
Please follow this link, it will take you to all the salsa recipes on the blog. Salsas
Anonymous
Question for anyone that can answer is diezmillo beef? Cause I don't eat pork and would love to make some real tacos
mmartinez
Hello,
Yes, Diezmillo es Chuck Steak, sold at latin market in very thin steaks sometimes.
Cynthia Rivas
Hi Mely, I make tacos all the time for my husbands lunch but we both work so i make his lunch at 4am and put it in foil and by the time he eats at 1 or 2pm the tortillas are tearing can you tell me a way to do the corn tortillas so they stay in tact so he doesnt have to eat them with a fork?
mmartinez
Hello Cynthia,
It also depends on the tortilla brand, i had found out that some yellow tortillas hold better than white tortillas. Also, where do you live? Can you find " la Escondida" brand?
Anonymous
Hi what is rib eye in spanish, i want to make sure i ask for the right meat at the carneceria. Ty.
mmartinez
Hola Anonymous,
It is called the same "Rib Eye" , you can also buy "diezmillo" at the latin carniceria, really good for tacos, too.
Anonymous
Hola mely para preparar la carne solo le pusiste aceite y sal y pimienta o ayi mismo le exhaste cilantro y cebolla??agradesiera mucho si me contestara
mmartinez
Hola,
La cebolla, el cilantro y la salsa, son al gusto del comensal. Usualmente se pone a la hora de servir los tacos.
Saludos!
Jaime
Que tal Mely..... Gracias por tus recetas. Yo a esos tacos les pongo tocino cocinado con cebolla y quedan muy buenos tambien, como tu sabes, a todo lo que le pongas tocino va a saber muy bien.....Saludos.....Jaime
Mely Martinez
Hola Jaime,
Claro que tienes razón, con Tocino todo sabe muy bien. ️Saludos!
AP
Hola Mely me encantan tus recetas, son tan autenticas!!! me podrias decir cuanta carne necesito para hacer estos tacos para 50 personas.
Gracias
Mely
Hola AP,
Considera 1/2 libra por persona, 3 tacos por cada media libra.
Saludos!
Kezz1812
Oh my goodness I love your recipes....living in Australia we had some problems getting REAL Mexican products...not any more since a little Chili Mojo shop popped up with all these wonderful goodies, now I've gone a little crazy & working my way thru all your recipes...the tacos were sensational & the kitchen smells sooo good lol....thank you ????
Mely
Hello Kezz1812,
I'm glad to know you can by the ingredients in Australia. Happy cooking!
Shonna Gentle
Hi Mely I am originally from Belize and reviewing ur recipes bring back so much memories... I can't wait to try them... The only downfall I have now is that I no longer eat pork or use pork products to prepare my food so that certain taste will not be there.
Mely
Hello Shonna Gentle,
There are many recipes that can be made using beef or chicken. I do hope you enjoy cooking the Mexican way!
Mely
Mamcita3b1g
Mely,
I can't wait to make these for my husband and Dad! Thank you for your blog!! You should make youtube videos.
Angelina
Mely
Hello Angelina,
You are welcome and enjoy! And I guess, I am camera shy.
johne3819
Delicious, thank you!
Mexico in my kitchen
Hello John,
Glad to know you like them.
Mely
johne3819
Delicious THANK YOU
Mutuelle sante
Utilizing your great instruction, now to make steak tacos is a pretty simple job.Thanks a lot
Miz Helen
I am going to have a plate of these wonderful Tacos de Bistec. They look delicious and I can't wait to try them. Thank you so much for bringing these wonderful Taco's to share with us at Full Plate Thursday. You have a great week end and please come back!
Melynda
These look delicious, I always enjoy learning a new technique. Thanks for sharing.
Jefte
You're recipes are amazing!
I was born and raised in Mexico and some of these recipes take me back to those days when I used to live there.
I even forgot about some of the dishes you have here, I know how shameful!
Your blog is very well written, very informational and the pictures are amazing!
🙂 I will be coming back and will attempt to cook every single recipe here haha!
Anonymous
Hope these are good - I had these in Mexico and I for got about these until I just saw the Taco Bell comercial. It seems easy enough, even for me
Lidia Polio
Que ricas recetas!!! Gracias por la receta de tinga.. Unas amigas me estaban diciendo que deliciosa es, y yo no sabia que era. Busque y encontre tu blog. Que rica receta. Y apenas la voy a hacer este fin de semana!
Gracias!
Anonymous
I am on my way to the store now to pick up the ingredients, man these better be good or I WILL FIND YOU!!! LOL thanks
Mely (mimk)
Hello Anonymous,
I wish you had left your name,
Thanks for stopping by. Please let me know if you make them.
Enjoy!
Anonymous
I was watching no reservations the other night and he was eating these tacos at a stand in mexico. They looked so good i've spent about an hour looking for a recipe. Thank you so much!! They look amazing and I can't wait to make them!
Mely (mimk)
Hello Anonymous!
Glad to know we share the same opinion about Authentic Tacos.
Thank you for visiting.
Anonymous
i love authentic tacos !!!!!! Taco bell booooooo!!!!!!:{
Mely (mimk)
Hola Nora,
Luego me platicas como te quedaron.
Saludos!
NORA
MELY, Ya tengo todo para hacer los taquitos de bistec... ahora con tu modalidad con chorizo mm mm Un saludo!
Mely (mimk)
Hola Silvia,
Que rico, verdad? Y la salsita que este bien picosita.
Silvia
Que delicia Mely! Esto si lo hago super seguido, nomas que doro cebollita (tipo cebolla asada) con la carne... y ¡como necesito el cilantro y el limon para todos mis taquitos! Gracias por el tip de usar lard.