Sheet-Pan Carne Asada with Charred Lime and Cilantro Crema

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb skirt steak or flank steak, patted very dry
• 3 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice, from about 2 limes
• 2 tbsp fresh orange juice
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp gluten-free tamari or gluten-free soy sauce
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ancho or regular chili powder
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 small handful cilantro stems, roughly chopped, leaves reserved for garnish
• 1 medium red onion, halved and very thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup fresh lime juice, for pickling
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt, for pickling
• 1 pinch sugar, optional
• 1/2 cup sour cream or Mexican crema
• 1 lime, zested and juiced, for crema
• 2 tbsp cilantro leaves, finely chopped, for crema
• 1 small clove garlic, grated, for crema
• 2 limes, halved, for charring
• 12 corn tortillas, warmed
• 1 avocado, sliced, optional
• 1/2 cup queso fresco, crumbled, optional

Steps

1. 1

   Start the marinade. Whisk the lime juice, orange juice, olive oil, soy sauce, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, and smashed garlic in a wide dish - large enough to lay the steak flat in one layer. Stir in the chopped cilantro stems. Slide the steak in, flip once to coat both sides, and let it sit at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes. (Up to 4 hours in the fridge if you're a Future You kind of cook - pull it out 20 minutes before broiling to take the chill off.)

2. 2

   While the steak marinates, pickle the onion. Pile the sliced onion into a small jar or bowl, pour over the 1/2 cup lime juice, sprinkle in the salt and a pinch of sugar, and press everything down with the back of a spoon so the liquid covers the onions. It will turn bright pink and be ready by the time the steak is cooked and rested.

3. 3

   Whisk the crema. Combine the sour cream, lime zest and juice, chopped cilantro, grated garlic, and a pinch of salt in a small bowl. Taste - it should be sharp and bright, not shy. Refrigerate until serving.

4. 4

   Set an oven rack 4 to 6 inches from the broiler element and turn the broiler to high. Let it preheat for at least 5 full minutes - a cold broiler is a sad broiler. Line a heavy sheet pan with foil and slide it onto the rack to preheat alongside the broiler. The screaming-hot pan is the closest thing your apartment has to a grill grate.

5. 5

   Pull the steak from the marinade and pat it very dry on both sides - moisture is the enemy of char. Carefully pull the hot sheet pan from the oven (oven mitts, please), drop the steak straight onto it - it should sizzle hard the second it lands - and nestle the lime halves cut-side up around the steak. Slide the pan back under the broiler and cook for 4 to 5 minutes without opening the door.

6. 6

   Flip the steak with tongs. The first side should look deeply charred, almost worryingly so. Broil the second side until the thickest part reaches 145°F on an instant-read thermometer, starting to check after 3 to 4 minutes. The lime halves should be blackened on top and bubbling at the edges.

7. 7

   Transfer the steak to a cutting board and let it rest for at least 5 minutes. This is non-negotiable - slicing early dumps every gram of beef juice onto the board instead of into the tacos. While it rests, warm the tortillas directly over a gas flame or in a dry skillet, about 20 seconds per side, then stack them in a clean kitchen towel to steam.

8. 8

   Slice the steak thinly against the grain. Skirt and flank have very obvious lines running through them - follow them at a 45° angle for the most tender bite. Pile onto warm tortillas with a tangle of pickled onion, a drizzle of cilantro crema, a squeeze of the charred limes (use a folded towel - they're hot), and a scatter of cilantro leaves. Avocado and queso fresco if you've got them.