Matteo’s Recipes - Arrachera a la Plancha
There is a certain hour in the afternoon when the heat in Tulum softens and the air tastes like metal and salt. That is when the plancha calls. Hot. Flat. Honest. A piece of steel waiting for something worthy of it.
Arrachera is that cut.
It is a meat that does not pretend. Tough when ignored. Tender when respected. The ranchers in the north knew this long before fancy kitchens tried to claim it. They learned to marinate it with citrus and salt and a little fire. Not enough to hurt you. Just enough to make you remember the bite.
In my kitchen I add a small twist. A guajillo softened in hot water. A chile de árbol crushed between fingers until it releases its anger. The marinade turns the color of late afternoon. Bright. Warm. Alive. When the meat hits the plancha the air changes. Dogs stop barking. People turn their heads. Even the sea seems to hold its breath.
This is arrachera the way it should be cooked. Fast. Hot. With a little danger in the flavor. A cut that reminds you Mexico is gentle only when it wants to be.
Recipe (Serves 4)
Ingredients
800 g arrachera (skirt steak)
30 ml lime juice
30 ml orange juice
40 ml soy sauce
20 ml Worcestershire
20 ml neutral oil
1 guajillo chile, softened in hot water and blended
1 chile de árbol, crushed
4 garlic cloves, minced
6 g salt
5 g black pepper
Method
1. Make the marinade
Blend the softened guajillo into a smooth paste.
Mix with lime juice, orange juice, soy, Worcestershire, oil, garlic, salt, pepper and the crushed chile de árbol.
2. Marinate the steak
Coat the arrachera well and let it rest
Refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours in either a covered bowl or a ziploc bag.
No more. The citrus will start cooking it.
3. Heat the Plancha
Set it over high heat until it smokes lightly.
Add a thin coat of oil.
4. Sear
Cook the steak 2 to 3 minutes per side for medium rare.
The edges should char. The center should stay soft.
5. Rest and slice
Let the meat rest 5 minutes. Hit it with some finishing salt.
Slice thin, always against the grain.
Serve with grilled onions, warm tortillas or nothing at all. The flavor stands on its own.