Arrachera

published on Mar 28, 2024

6 comments

5 from 25 votes

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This Mexican arrachera recipe features a dry-rubbed and marinated skirt steak that’s been seared to perfection. I love it sliced up and used in tacos and quesadillas.

Love steak and beef recipes? Try my flank steak, sirloin steak, bavette steak, and flat iron steak.

Are you ready to take Taco Tuesday over the top? Look no further than my Arrachera. It makes a flavorful protein to use in all your favorite classics, like tacos, burritos, and more.

Table of Contents

What is arrachera?
Ingredients needed
How to make arrachera
Arman’s recipe tips and variations
Storage instructions
More meaty Mexican recipes
Arrachera (Recipe Card)

What is arrachera?

The term “arrachera” refers to skirt steak, a long strip of incredibly flavorful meat taken from the belly of the cow right below the ribs. It’s typically seasoned with a citrus marinade before being seared over high heat and sliced thin. Each bite is crisp, lightly charred on the surface, and succulent in the middle.

Here are some reasons why I love this recipe:

It’s flavor-packed and affordable. True to tradition, this recipe calls for budget-friendly skirt steak that’s soaked in a simple yet vibrant Mexican-inspired marinade.
Quick and easy. This recipe involves seasoning and marinating the meat, and searing it in a hot pan; that is it. Similar to carne picada, the marinade needs time to soak into the meat, but searing takes less than 10 minutes!
Elevated taco night. Arrachera is designed to be sliced into thin strips and then topped with your favorite taco toppings.

Ingredients needed

Skirt steak. This long, flat cut of beef isn’t the most tender steak but it’s one of the best for searing, slicing, and layering into tacos and other Mexican dishes. I recommend removing the silver skin membrane from the skirt steak before searing. The butcher can do this for you or you can do it yourself by sliding a knife under the white membrane, then peeling it away from the meat.
Lime juice. Use freshly squeezed lime juice. The acidity helps tenderize the meat and brighten up the dimension of flavors in the marinade. Lemon juice also works in a pinch.
Garlic. Minced fresh garlic cloves add a ton of flavor to the marinade.
Mexican oregano. You can use regular fresh oregano if that’s all you can find, but Mexican oregano has a brighter, citrusy flavor that makes the marinade shine.
Cumin. This gives the dry rub a hint of warmth.
Olive oil. Used as the base of the marinade.
Paprika. This is the base of the dry rub. You can use smoked paprika if you want deeper, smokier flavors.
Chili pepper. It gives the dry rub just a hint of spice and heat.
Salt and pepper. For flavor
Fresh coriander. For garnish.

How to make arrachera

I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Step 1 – Tenderize the meat. Place the steak on a cutting board and cut it in half widthwise. Cover both pieces with a layer of plastic wrap and pound them down to an even thickness.

Step 2 – Apply the dry rub. Combine the oregano, paprika, salt, chili pepper, cumin, and black pepper in a small bowl. Rub the spice mix over both sides of each steak, then place the meat in a bowl or resealable bag.

Step 3 – Marinate the skirt steak. Add the olive oil, lime juice, and minced garlic cloves to the bowl/bag with the meat. Place it in the fridge while it marinates.

Step 4 – Sear, then slice. Heat a skillet over high heat. Once it’s hot, add the marinated steak and sear on both sides.

When it’s done, transfer it to a cutting board to rest before slicing into thin strips. Garnish with coriander leaves, lime juice, salt, and pepper, then enjoy!

What to serve with this dish

Arrachera is often served in warm tortillas with classic toppings, like diced onion, coriander leaves (cilantro), and fresh lime wedges. It’s also excellent with pico de gallo, sliced radishes, chimichurri sauce, salsa, salsa verde, and guacamole on top.

The seared, thin slices of steak are also perfect for enchiladas, Mexican tortas, Mulitas, air fryer quesadillas, burritos, and even Mexican pizza. You can even swap out the chicken in Mexican soup with it or use leftovers for a steak bowl.

Arman’s recipe tips and variations

Pound down the thicker parts. Pounding the thick steaks to about a ½ inch thickness results in a quicker cooking time and even cooking.
Don’t marinate for too long. Leave the steaks in the marinade for a minimum of 10 minutes or a maximum of 8 hours. Any longer, and the fibers will break down too much.
Don’t undercook or overcook. For the best skirt steak, sear it over high heat to about medium rare (about 135°F). This should only take 2 to 3 minutes per side in a hot cast iron skillet. Also, you can use a meat thermometer to check the doneness.
Slice against the grain. In other words, slice against the direction of the fibers to make them shorter. This leaves you with skirt steak that’s tender and easier to chew.
Use a cast iron skillet. If you’ve made cast iron steak before, you know how much more delicious it is when cooked on this magical cooking utensil.
To cook arrachera on the grill, season and marinate the meat as instructed. Preheat the grill to 400°F and grill the steak for 2 to 3 minutes per side or until it’s cooked between medium rare and medium.

Storage instructions

To store. Keep the leftovers in an airtight container or wrapped in aluminum foil in the fridge for up to 4 days.

To freeze. The cooked steak also freezes well in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Let it thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

To reheat. The best way to reheat leftover skirt steak without drying it out is in the oven at 250°F until the internal temperature reaches 110°F. Alternatively, you can reheat leftovers in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of water to keep the meat juicy.

More meaty Mexican recipes

Originally published April 2023, updated and republished March 2024

Arman Liew

I’m a two time cookbook author, photographer, and writer, and passionate about creating easy and healthier recipes. I believe you don’t need to be experienced in the kitchen to make good food using simple ingredients that most importantly, taste delicious.