Grilled Beef Oaxaca Style Food

OAXACAN MARINATED GRILLED FLANK STEAK

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, boil 4 cups of water. Place anchos into boiling water and cover, turn off heat. Let stand and steep for 15 minutes or until chiles are soft. Strain the chiles and reserve the chile water.
• Into a blender, add the ancho chiles, serranos, garlic, cilantro, oregano, cumin, cinnamon, black pepper, soy sauce, olive oil and lime juice. Blend on medium speed until a paste forms. If this mixture is too thick, add some of the reserved chile water.
• Put the flank steak and the ancho marinade into a large bowl. Thoroughly coat the beef on all sides, mixing with your hands if necessary. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and tin foil. Let beef marinate in your refrigerator for 2 to 5 days. (The longer you let it marinate, the stronger the flavors will be.).
• Grill and cook the flank steak to your liking over a charcoal or mesquite fire.
• When done, slice the meat thinly, cutting across the grain of the meat. Place meat on serving platter. Garnish with sprigs of fresh cilantro.

GRILLED BEEF OAXACA-STYLE

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the grill to high.2. When ready to cook, if using wood or charcoal, toss the scallions and chiles right on the charcoals. Cook, turning with tongs, until nicely charred and tender, about 5 minutes per side. If using gas (or if you don't have easy access to the coals of your grill), cook the scallions and chiles on the grate. After removing, cover the scallions with aluminum foil and set aside while you prepare the chiles.3. Scrape the skin off the chiles with a sharp knife (don't worry about removing every last bit). Halve them and scrape out the seeds. Cover with foil and set aside.4. When ready to grill the beef, oil the grill grate. Generously salt the beef and place it on the hot grate. Grill, turning with tongs, about 3 minutes per side for well-done (the way Oaxacans like their beef cooked). While you're at it, throw the tortillas, a few at a time, on the grill for a few seconds to heat them and keep warm in a cloth-lined basket. Transfer the beef to a cutting board and cut into thin strips or 1/2-inch dice.5. To serve, set out bowls of limes, guacamole, and salsa. To eat, place a few pieces of beef on a tortilla. Place a grilled scallion and chile half on top. Top with spoonfuls of guacamole and salsa, and a squeeze of lime juice. Roll the whole thing up and eat.Serves 8Note: Ask your butcher to cut the beef for you on a meat slicer. The advantage of cutting the steaks so thin is that you maximize the surface area exposed to the heat and smoke.