Steak Tacos using "Choice Chunk" Steak Cut

[panzarotti]

Great Steak Tacos (with “choice chunk” steak)

So a lot of people don’t buy choice chunk steak because it is a “cheap cut” but choice chunk is actually quite prefect for cooking certain things like Cuban Sandwiches and Steak tacos.

So the first step is too enderize the beef. Layer the top and bottom with salt for one hour for each inch of thickness

Wash the salt off thouroughly

Then take a sauté pan and mix a olive oil / canola oil blend with a tiny little garlic clove.

When you feel the garlic has permeated the oil. Throw it into the big pan.

And add the steak. Cook both sides until the steak starts to brown.

Finally on a cutting board and cube the steak into ½ millimeter cubes. Like a taco place would. And diced onion. (You can refrigerate this steak and use it for omelttes the next morning. )

Have ready green lettuce washed a can of corn and Newman’s Oil and Vinegar Dressing to top.

On the sautee pan use butter or shortener to lightly toast each side of the tortillas you use till it slightly starts to brown.

Now you have ever thing you need.

Final Step assemble your STEAK tacos.

Enjoy.

-Teeky

 

[babetoo]

sounds good to me. welcome

 

[Andy M.]

Never heard of choice chunk. Did you mean choice grade chuck steak?

Also, salt doesn't act as a tenderizer but it's great for adding flavor.

 

[Zhizara]

I'm confused. The recipe says cut into 1/2 millimeter cubes. Should it be 1/2 centimeter or 1/2 inch? 1/2 a millimeter is incredibly small.

 

[ChefJune]

"Choice Chunk" is not a cut of meat. it's a marketing ploy to get folks to buy the leftovers after the beef is cut into the "real" cuts. If you go to the beef web site, you can see the whole steer broken down into the recognized cuts. There's no "choice chunk."

 

[panzarotti]

Yes thanks for catching all the errors yes i did mean 1/2 cenimeter cubes not milimeter.

And yea this is a recipe that works great with a cheap cut of steak.

As for salt being a tenderizer. I got the idea from this article.


Steak Recipe: Turning Cheap "Choice" Steak into Gucci "Prime" Steak | Steamy Kitchen Recipes

 

[Andy M.]

...As for salt being a tenderizer. I got the idea from this article.


Steak Recipe: Turning Cheap "Choice" Steak into Gucci "Prime" Steak | Steamy Kitchen Recipes

I disagree with that. That salt treatment will draw salt into the steak and improve the flavor but will not tenderize.

 

[TATTRAT]

Steak, for a Cuban sandwich?

 

[jennyema]

Steak, for a Cuban sandwich?

Right-O. There is no steak in a Cuban sandwich.

There is generally no salad in a taco, either.

 

[panzarotti]

Steak, for a Cuban sandwich?

Cuban steak sandwiches were HUGE where I grew up.

Like this place

Photos for DOS Amigos Restaurant | Yelp

Dos Amigos in West New York, NJ

Ok point taken, what then is a better way to tenderize steak?

 

[panzarotti]

I disagree with that. That salt treatment will draw salt into the steak and improve the flavor but will not tenderize.

Thanks any suggestions for actual tenderizing ?

 

[panzarotti]

Steak, for a Cuban sandwich?

Sorry Chef, I was not specific enough... I meant Cuban STEAK sandwiches like the one pictured below.

 

[panzarotti]

This is end result of the taco meat. I personally think its better than the taco spot across the street from me.

 

[buckytom]

i've had cuban steak sandwiches and they were awesome! they are marinated in a salty garlic solution, what might be called a brine, with other spices and herbs like bay leaves, culantro, oregano, allspice, cloves, pepper and sugar.

as far as tenderizing goes, there's two ways: chemical or mechanical.

chemical is done by adding a tenderizing agent such as pineaple, papaya, or dairy/yoghurt which contain enzymes that help break down the meat tissue.

mechanical is to physically pound or stab the meat to break it down a bit. in the case of meat cubes, i'd get something called a jaccard to poke the whole steak before it is sliced. or you can just go to town on it with a fork on both sides until you can actually see it getting softer and beaten up.

i also can see how cubed meat would be great in a taco rather than ground, just like the way it workes better in many chili recipes. i'm gonna have to try that. thanks.

 

[panzarotti]

Thanks for coming to my rescue BuckyTom us Jersey cats stick together.

 

[Dawgluver]

I'll have to try this too, Panzarotti! Thanks!

 

[babetoo]

l live in so. calif. we are very fond of mexican food here. i have had many different things in a taco. the everyday quick kind has salad. onions, tomato and lettuce or cabbage in fish tacos. probably not a good or kind thing to pan someone else version.

 

[buckytom]

aw, i wouldn't call it a rescue, just a bridge across wide borders of knowledge. the good people who pointed out things only meant good as well, in accuracy terms.

 

[Dawgluver]

Where we stay in Mexico, the vendors grill the seasoned meat on a flat top, bash it around with a blade along with vegs, and serve with tortillas and condiments. Delicious!

Your recipe sounds like some great street food, Panzarotti!

 

[TATTRAT]

OP's user name is making me crave a darn Panzarotti. Almost worth the trip up just to grab some. I have never seen a Panzarotti outside of NJ.