Grilled Chile-Lime Flank Steak Soft Tacos with Charred Pineapple Salsa
By: Amy Jeanroy
Published: October 2, 2016

October 4th is National Taco Day, AKA #TacoTuesday! We wanted to share this recipe from  GAEA to help you celebrate. Spoon up a juicy, colorful pineapple salsa next to these easy-to-grill soft tacos and you have a delicious dinner with some style and flair.
 
Chile powder and lime give an inexpensive cut of meat a lot of flavor. Then, when you spoon up a tangy, color pineapple salsa next to these soft tacos, you have a delicious dinner with style and flair. Every part of the meal can be done on the grill, but using a stovetop works just as well.
 
You can brown the pineapple slabs on the grill or leave the fruit on the grill until one side of the pineapple is truly black, 4 to 5 minutes. Some people prefer the charred look and love how it tastes in the salsa, but taste and see what you like. The pineapple needs a few minutes to cool when you take it off the grill, so you might want to grill the fruit first and use the time while it's cooling to cut up the remaining vegetables for the salsa. This recipe makes a lot of salsa, but it's good to have on hand in your fridge for a few days, ready to liven up simple quesadillas.
 
Ingredients
 
1 1/2 pounds flank steak, trimmed of fat
1 teaspoon chile powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons of Gaea's Kalamata D.O.P. Greek Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Charred Pineapple Salsa
 
1 small pineapple, 3 to 3 1/2 pounds
1 small red onion, diced (about 3/4 cup)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 tablespoons of Gaea's Kalamata D.O.P. Greek Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ fresh jalapeño or serrano pepper, scraped of seeds and minced
16 6-inch corn tortillas
 
For the Steak Marinade:
 
In a small bowl, mix all spices, salt, pepper, 2 tablespoons lime juice, 2 tablespoons olive oil, and blend well to make a paste. Place the meat in a shallow dish and rub the paste evenly over both sides. Cover the steak and let it marinate for 1 to 4 hours.
 
For the Charred Pineapple Salsa:
 
When the steak is done marinating, preheat the grill; you'll cut and grill the pineapple first and then put the steaks on the grill when the salsa is ready.
 
To cut the pineapple, slice off the leafy top and just enough of the bottom of the fruit so it rests flat on a cutting board. Slice off all the skin with a sharp knife, cutting from top to bottom and taking off as little of the flesh as possible, rotating the pineapple as you go. Discard the skin. Cut out any "eyes" with a paring knife and discard. Slice the fruit away from the core in four or five grill-friendly slabs.
 
When the grill is hot, place the pineapple slabs on the hot grill and grill quickly until the fruit just begins to show some browning, 1 to 2 minutes on each side. (If you want one side to be truly charred or blackened, let it go for 4 to 5 minutes on one side only.)
 
Take the fruit off the grill when it's as browned as you like. Set it aside to cool for a few minutes and then dice the pineapple for the salsa. In a medium bowl, mix the diced charred pineapple, red onion, cilantro, 2 tablespoons lime juice, vinegar, remaining olive oil, salt, and minced hot pepper and blend well.  Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
 
To cook the steak:
 
Place the steak on the grill and cook for about 5 to 6 minutes on each side or slightly longer if you like it more well done. Remove the steak from the grill and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing. While the grill is hot, place the tortillas on the grill and grill for 10 seconds on each side then wrap in a linen napkin for serving.
 
Slice the steak into 1/2-inch slices, place on a platter, and spoon over the charred pineapple salsa. Place the tortillas on the table and serve family style.