flank steak tacos

Meat done right
There are a lot of little things that will allow you to grill or cook meat better than the average carnivore.  For me, the most important tool to have is a meat thermometer. You really shouldn't be in the grilling business without one. If you know the temperature inside your meat, you will always cook it the way you like it. For steaks, the following temperature guideline applies:
Medium Rare: 130-135°F     Medium: 135-145°F     Medium Well: 145-155°F     Well Done: 155-165°F
Once you've cooked it to the desired temperature, let it rest. I was always skeptical of this, but it really does make things better.  Take it off the grill and place it on the cutting board. Letting the meat rest allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat. It makes a big difference when it comes to the final outcome. 10 minutes is usually enough, but if it still looks tired, you can let it rest a bit more. Some people like to cover it in aluminum foil so it doesn't get too cold.  Seems like a lot of work to me.
Ingredients

The Meat
  • 1 flank steak (about 2 pounds)
  • 1/3 cup olive oil (or vegetable oil)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced (1 Tbsp ish)
  • 1/3 cup soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Stuff for the Tacos
  • Tacos shells (soft or hard or both)
  • Shredded cheese
  • Sour Cream
  • Guacamole (see recipe)
  • Shredded lettuce if you want it
  • Chips and Salsa​
Directions
  1. Get a ziplock bag or Tupperware or something you can use to marinate the steak.
  2. Mix everything together in the bag and then place the meat in the bag and the make sure it is covered in the marinade.
  3. Let it marinate for an hour or two or even overnight if you are that prepared.
  4. Make all the other stuff for your tacos and put them in tidy little bowls.
  5. Heat your grill to about 450 degrees (one side should be for high direct heat, the other side for low indirect heat).
  6. Take the meat out of the bag and sprinkle salt and pepper on it if you so desire (it helps create a bit of a crust on the sear, but it's not essential).
  7. Place the steak on the high direct heat side of the grill.  Grill for a minute or two on each side to get a good sear.
  8. Transfer to the indirect side of the grill (or not, half the time I'm too lazy to do this) and cook until it reaches your desired temperature as shown on your meat thermometer.  If you got this point and you don't have a meat thermometer, just throw the meat directly into the trash because you suck.
  9. Once cooked, let it rest (either open or under a snuggly blanket of aluminum foil.
  10. Slice the meat across the grain (if you don't the meat will be really chewy).  So slice it across the muscle fibers (the grain) so it's less chewy.
  11. Assemble the taco the way you want. If you're Madeline, that means just cheese and sour cream. For Emma, just meat and Guacamole, no dairy. For Abby, the whole enchilada. That's why she's my favorite.