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Grilled Steak and Elote Street Tacos

Smoky cumin-rubbed skirt steak and charred elote street corn topping assembled in warm tortillas for a restaurant-quality taco dinner ready in 30 minutes.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican-American, Tex-Mex
Calories: 455
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb skirt or flank steak
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
  • 2 ears fresh corn husks removed
  • 2 tbsp mayonnaise
  • 2 tbsp sour cream or Greek yogurt
  • 0.25 cup cotija cheese crumbled, divided; feta can substitute
  • 1 tbsp lime juice plus zest of 1 lime
  • 0.5 tsp chili powder or Tajín seasoning
  • 2 tbsp fresh cilantro chopped
  • 10 small corn or flour tortillas warmed on the grill
  • sliced jalapeños, red onion, lime wedges optional, for serving

Equipment

  • Gas or charcoal grill
  • cutting board
  • medium mixing bowl

Method
 

  1. Preheat grill to medium-high heat, about 400°F. Oil the grates lightly with a paper towel dipped in vegetable oil held with tongs.
  2. Pat steak dry. Rub with olive oil and season with cumin, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Let rest at room temperature while grill preheats.
  3. Place husked corn directly on grill grates. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, turning every 2 to 3 minutes, until kernels are tender and charred in spots on multiple sides.
  4. Place steak on the hottest part of the grill. Cook 3 to 4 minutes per side for medium-rare (130°F internal temperature). Remove to a cutting board and rest uncovered for 10 minutes.
  5. Cut corn kernels off the cob into a bowl. Add mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, lime zest, chili powder, cilantro, and half the cotija. Stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning.
  6. Place tortillas on grill grates for 30 seconds per side until warm and lightly charred. Keep stacked in a towel to stay warm.
  7. Slice steak against the grain into thin bite-sized strips.
  8. Layer steak strips into each tortilla. Top with a generous spoonful of elote mixture and a pinch of remaining cotija. Serve with lime wedges.

Notes

Storage: Store steak and elote mixture separately in airtight containers for up to 3 days. Reheat steak slices in a hot skillet for 60 to 90 seconds per side rather than microwaving. Elote mixture can be made up to 24 hours ahead; stir and add fresh lime before serving. Off-season corn: char frozen or canned corn in a hot cast iron skillet with oil. For leaner elote, replace mayo and sour cream with plain nonfat Greek yogurt. Slicing against the grain is essential for tender steak; look for visible parallel lines in the meat and cut perpendicular to them.