Steak Habanero
Submitted by happyzhangbo
Steak Habanero: pounded flank steak seared and simmered in a fiery sauce of roasted poblanos, onion, garlic, habanero, and cilantro. Served with warm tortillas for dunking. Bold heat in about 20 minutes.
YIELD
5 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
10 minREADY
20 minFor chili-heads, this one delivers. Seared flank steak meets a sauce that runs hot and smoky, built on roasted poblanos and a real hit of habanero. It comes together in about 20 minutes, with warm tortillas on the side for mopping up every drop.
Smoke comes first. The poblanos get charred under the broiler, steamed in a covered bowl to loosen their skins, then peeled, a step the recipe walks you through if you’ve never done it.
The flank steak gets pounded thin with a tenderizer, which is key for a lean, fibrous cut, then it’s seared hard and pulled while still rare.
It finishes right in the sauce, onions and peppers softened in the pan, garlic, habanero, and cilantro stirred in, the steak slipping back to cook through. Medium-rare arrives in moments.
Chef Tips
- Pound the flank steak evenly before cooking. It’s a lean, tough cut, and tenderizing makes a real difference in the bite.
- Get the broiler ripping hot before the peppers go under it. You want to blacken the skin fast without cooking the flesh to mush.
- Steam the charred peppers in a covered container; the trapped heat loosens the skins so they slip right off.
- Habanero sauces vary wildly in heat, so add it gradually and taste before committing to the full amount.
Variations
- Can’t find poblanos? Roasted bell peppers stand in, just with less smoky depth.
- Slice the cooked steak thin against the grain and pile it into the tortillas as tacos.
Ingredients
Directions
First, roast the peppers in the broiler and then peel and remove the seeds. For those of you who have never roasted peppers, let’s go through the mechanics. Place your broiler pan as close to the flame as possible and allow the broiler to get fully heated before adding the peppers. You want fast, intense heat to char the skin but not the underlying flesh. Turn the peppers as each side turns black. Then place them in a covered container to allow them to steep. When they have cooled the seeds and stems can be easily removed. Place the peppers aside and continue with the recipe.
Pound each side of the steak with a meat tenderizer and then brush with olive oil. Sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides. Sear each side in a sauté pan. The moment it’s browned flip it, and then remove it as soon as the other side is browned. Set the steak aside. In the same pan add 3 tablespoons of olive oil and sauté the onions and roasted peppers. As soon as the onions and peppers get soft add the garlic. Sauté 1 to 2 minutes and then add the habanero sauce and half of the chopped cilantro. Simmer for a few minutes. Add the steak and continue cooking until desired doneness, (medium rare is just moments away). Add the remaining cilantro at the end. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with warm tortillas for dunking in the sauce.
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