FLANK STEAK IN ADOBO

By á-32773

For a simple adobo sauce that still has the characteristic deep, earthy flavor, we use two kinds of dried chile—anchos (dried poblanos) for their fruitiness and pasillas for their bitter earthiness. Seeding the chiles tames their heat, while toasting them gives them more complex flavor. Blending the rehydrated chiles with lime juice, chicken broth, oregano, and canned salsa verde—a green salsa made from tomatillos—creates a rich yet tangy adobo sauce. Flank steak proved to be the ideal cut for this dish since it is leaner than a typical stewing cut and thus did not add flavor-muting greasiness to the sauce. Browning the meat before braising it adds another layer of meaty depth.

Ingredients

• Adobo
• 1 ½ ounces dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
• 1 ounce dried pasilla chilies, stemmed and seeded
• ¾ cup salsa verde
• ¾ cup chicken broth
• ½ cup orange juice
• ⅓ cup packed brown sugar
• ¼ cup lime juice (2 limes)
• 1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• Flank Steak
• 2 ½—3; pounds flank steak, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 onion, chopped fine
• 8 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 12 (8-inch) flour tortillas, warmed
• 4 ounces queso fresco, crumbled (1 cup)
• ½ cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

Details

Servings 4
Adapted from

Preparation

Step 1

Salsa verde is a green salsa made from tomatillos and green chiles. Our favorite store-bought brand is Frontera Tomatillo Salsa. You can substitute skirt steak for flank steak here, if desired. If queso fresco is unavailable, you can substitute farmer’s cheese or a mild feta. This dish is also great served over rice.

1. FOR THE ADOBO: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Arrange anchos and pasillas on rimmed baking sheet and bake until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Immediately transfer chiles to bowl and cover with hot tap water. Let stand until chiles are softened and pliable, about 5 minutes. Drain.

2. Process salsa verde, broth, orange juice, sugar, lime juice, oregano, salt, pepper, and drained chiles in blender until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Set aside.

3. FOR THE FLANK STEAK: Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees. Pat beef dry with paper towels and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add half of beef and cook, stirring occasionally, until well browned on all sides, 6 to 9 minutes. (Adjust heat, if necessary, to keep bottom of pot from scorching.) Using slotted spoon, transfer beef to large bowl. Repeat with remaining 1 tablespoon oil and remaining beef.

4. Add onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt to now-empty pot. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 3 to
5 minutes, scraping up any browned bits. Add garlic and cumin and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in adobo, beef, and any accumulated juices until well incorporated and bring mixture to simmer.

5. Cover pot and transfer to oven. Cook until beef is tender and sauce has thickened, about 1 1/2 hours. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with flour tortillas, sprinkled with queso fresco and cilantro.