Here is a perfect, grilled flat iron steak recipe which is sure to become a favourite of your summer barbecues. In many ways, tacos make for the perfect barbecue food; they arrive at a trickle, people build them themselves, you eat them with your hands, and they are downright delicious. Here, barbecued flat iron steak provides the focus but finds itself fighting for the limelight with this marrow bone salsa. From what I understand, and I must confess to being no expert, salsas are a key component of Mexican cuisine, with an array often being available. Salsas tend to all strike different notes in terms of their levels of spice and flavour profiles, but all begin with some well-charred vegetables, a curious touch which lends them depth and intrigue. In the case of this salsa recipe, the marrow bone is blitzed into the salsa, creating the ideal accompaniment to the flat iron steak. Do try and lay your hand on some good-quality corn tortillas as they will make all the difference.
Serves: 4 (as one dish in a wider BBQ spread)
Prep time: 4 hours 45 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Ingredients
Salsa
Method
Start by Marinating the Steak…
- Place the steak in a dish with the onions, garlic, spices, lime salt and lime juice. Mix thoroughly and leave to marinate for at least 4 hours.
- Light your barbecue and allow the coals to burn down to a grey-white heat.
- Season the exposed marrow bone with salt, then lay the canoes on the grill. Cook with the lid on for 10–12 minutes, until the marrow is pale yellow and bubbling.
- Put the tomatoes, jalapeños, shallot and garlic in a grill basket and place over the hottest part of the grill. Cook until completely blackened, then flip and repeat. Remove and allow to cool slightly before peeling the charred skin from the garlic and shallot.
- Tip everything into a blender with the juice of 1½ limes, a pinch of salt, the coriander and oil. Scoop the marrow from the bones and add it to the blender. Blitz until smooth, then taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt or lime juice as needed.
- Drizzle a little oil on the steak, then lay it on the hottest part of the grill. Cook for 1 minute, flip, and repeat. Continue flipping every 30 seconds for a further 4–5 minutes in total. Remove from the grill and rest for at least 10 minutes.
- Briefly reheat the tacos on the grill, about 10 seconds on each side. You want them soft and pliable, not crisp. Wrap in a clean tea towel until ready to use.
- Thinly slice the steak and season again with a little lime salt. Load the tacos with steak, marrow bone salsa, diced red onion, coriander leaves and a squeeze of lime juice to finish.
