Spicy Cuban Flank Steak Recipes

CUBAN SHREDDED BEEF (SLOW COOKER)

Steps:

• SEARING THE MEAT: Take the beef chuck roast and using a small paring knife, make 3 small 'x' marks into the meat. Take 3 cloves of garlic and insert them into the 3 'x' marks so that the clove is completely inserted into the thickness of roast. Season both sides of the meat with a pinch of salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large, deep skillet. Add the beef in one piece and fry on each side for 5 minutes, turning only when the exterior is browned. This will splatter a bit but don't cover the pan as the meat will end up steaming rather than searing.
• FOR THE ROPA VIEJA: Chop the remaining 3 cloves of garlic into thin slices and add to the slow cooker along with all the remaining ropa vieja ingredients. I used a 6-quart slow cooker but a 3-quart slow cooker will work too. Cover and let cook on the low setting for 7-8 hours. When the beef falls apart easily when pulled with two forks, it's done. Shred the beef with the forks and give it a stir. Taste for seasonings, season with additional salt and pepper as desired.
• TO SERVE: Serve over a bed of rice with cuban-style black beans on the side topped with additional cilantro and a few lime wedges. You can also use the shredded beef for burritos, breakfast quesadillas, or tacos! The possibilities are endless!

ULTIMATE ROPA VIEJA

Steps:

• Pat the beef dry and sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Heat a little oil in a Dutch oven over high heat. Once very hot add the beef and brown generously on all sides. Transfer the beef to a plate. (Do not discard the drippings and blackened bits in the pot, they are key to the flavor.)
• Add the sliced vegetables to the pot and cook over medium heat for 15-20 minutes until caramelized. Add the garlic and spices and cook for another minute. Add the white wine and bring it to a rapid boil, deglazing the bottom of the pan (scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan).
• Add the broth, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste and bay leaves. Simmer for 5 minutes.
• Return the roast to the pot along with the pieces of carrots and celery. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 3-4 hours or until the beef is fork tender and falls apart easily. Discard the celery, carrots and bay leaves.
• Transfer the beef to a plate and shred it. Return the shredded beef to the pot.
• Stir in the olives, roasted red peppers, capers and pimientos. Simmer uncovered to thicken the sauce for 30 minutes. Stir in the parsley and add salt and pepper to taste.

SPICY FLANK STEAK

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the sour cream, mayonnaise, garlic powder and celery salt; cover and refrigerate until serving. Combine the chili sauce, lime juice, pepper flakes and salt; brush on each side of steak., Broil 2-3 in. from the heat until meat reaches desired doneness (for medium-rare, a thermometer should read 135°; medium, 140°; medium-well, 145°), 4-6 minutes on each side. Let stand for 5 minutes. To serve, thinly slice across the grain. Serve with sour cream sauce.

HOT 'N' SPICY FLANK STEAK

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the first 12 ingredients. Pour 1/3 cup marinade into a shallow dish; add steak and turn to coat. Cover; refrigerate for 1-3 hours. Cover and refrigerate remaining marinade for basting., Lightly coat the grill rack. Grill steak, uncovered, over medium heat or broil 4 in. from the heat for 6-8 minutes on each side or until meat reaches desired doneness (for medium-rare, a thermometer should read 135°; medium, 140°; medium-well, 145°), basting frequently with remaining marinade. Let stand 5 minutes before slicing. Thinly slice steak across the grain.

ROPA VIEJA ROULADE

Steps:

• Prepare an outdoor grill for direct and indirect grilling. (If your grill has a thermometer, aim to keep the temperature at about 350 degrees F throughout grilling.) Cook the poblano and bell peppers on the grill, turning occasionally, until completely charred on the outside, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and cover with a plate to steam for about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, grill the onions until golden and soft, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Peel the poblano and bell peppers and remove and discard the stems and skins. Cut the flesh into 1/2-inch strips and set aside. (Keep the poblano strips separate from bell pepper strips.)
• Set the steak on a cutting board. Using a long thin knife and starting at the thin, narrow end of the steak, slice it in half horizontally leaving 2 inches of the meat uncut at the wide end of the steak so the pieces stay attached. Open it up like a book so you have one long piece. Pound the steak with a meat mallet to an even thickness of about 1/4 inch.
• Arrange the steak flat on a work surface with a long side facing you. Combine the cilantro, tomato paste, oil, cumin, oregano, scallions and 2 teaspoons salt in a bowl. Spread the paste all over the top of the steak. Working in three batches, arrange vertical stripes of the poblanos, bell peppers, onions, and olives on the steak until the steak is covered, leaving 2 inches empty at each end.
• Roll up the steak like a jelly roll, starting at one of the short ends. Tie the steak closed around the circumference with butcher's twine at 2-inch intervals. Tie one more piece of twine lengthwise around the steak.
• Put the steak on the direct heat side of the grill and cook, turning, to brown all 4 sides, about 2 minutes per side. Move the steak to the indirect heat side of the grill, cover and cook, turning occasionally, until the center of the steak registers 115 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, 25 to 30 minutes for a steak that is well-done on the outside and medium-rare in the center. (Test frequently; the time will vary based on the temperature of your grill.) Let the steak rest about 10 minutes.
• Untie the steak and cut it into 6 thick slices.

SWEET AND SPICY FLANK STEAK FAJITAS WITH PEPPERS AND ONIONS

Steps:

• For the sweet and spicy marinade: Put the olive oil, cilantro, honey, lime juice, thyme, garlic, jalapenos, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper in a food processor and pulse to puree. Transfer the mixture to a nonreactive container, add the flank steak and toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours before cooking
• For the peppers and onions: Heat a cast-iron pan over medium-high heat until hot. Toss the peppers and onions in a bowl with the olive oil, lime juice and 1 teaspoon salt. Add the pepper-onion mixture to the hot pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and the edges are charred, 8 to 10 minutes. Set aside.
• Prepare a grill for medium-high heat and brush the grill grates with oil.
• Grill the flank steak until marked, 4 to 5 minutes per side for medium rare. Transfer to a cutting board and thinly slice.
• Serve with the warm tortillas and toppings.

SWEET AND SPICY GRILLED FLANK STEAK

Steps:

• In a food processor, pulse together scallion, ginger, jalapeño, garlic, sugar, lime zest and juice, and sriracha. With the motor running, pour in oil until smooth.
• Season steak with salt. Place in a large bowl and pour marinade over meat. Turn to coat well with the mixture. Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
• When you are ready to cook the steak, heat the grill to medium-high heat, or heat the broiler with the rack set 4 inches from the heat source. Transfer meat to the grill and cook, covered, until it reaches the desired doneness (about 5 minutes per side for medium-rare), or broil until charred and done to taste, 4 to 6 minutes per side. Let rest on a cutting board for 5 minutes, then slice thinly.

SPICY FLANK STEAK

Steps:

• In a large resealable plastic bag, mix the paprika, coriander, cumin, garlic salt, and pepper. Place steak in the bag, and shake to coat. Allow to sit 20 minutes in the refrigerator.
• Preheat the oven broiler. Lightly grease a baking sheet.
• Arrange steak on the baking sheet, and broil 5 minutes on each side, or to desired doneness. Serve with Ranch dressing for dipping.