Is it wrong that I want to eat all of my favorite Mexican flavors together? This Grilled Steak Burrito Bowl does just that, punching your tastebuds with the bold spices from the chiles, the different layers of fats, and incredible pico de gallo. This skillet brings maximum flavor, topped with fajita-style peppers and onions, fresh guacamole, and shredded cheese. We’re going to break down a few of the components for this bowl and end with delicious steak!
Article & Photos by Brad Prose
Steak Burrito Bowl Flavor Foundation: Rice & Beans
Trust me, there’s nothing simple about rice and beans. Sure, you could use instant rice or just a can of beans, but you’d be missing out on so many textures and layers of flavor. Let’s discuss!
We start with white, fluffy rice. Use your rice cooker or stovetop, but make sure the kind of rice you’re using is long-white grain. This is not only more classic, but the level of starch and fiber is just right for this dish, creating a lighter bite. Stirring in fresh-chopped cilantro and lime juice at the end elevates the flavors and also helps separate the grains for a little more texture.
The beans: Charro Beans. Really, these could be an entire meal on their own. Starting with small bits of smoked bacon slowly cooked down, we add a healthy amount of chopped onions and jalapenos. Cooking these down slowly, we’ll add in a large can of black beans (you can use pinto) and a few dashes of the Hatch Chile seasoning. This bold blend adds another layer of heat, garlic, cumin, and other spices to tie in the upcoming hero of our Grilled Steak Burrito Bowl: Flank Steak!
Flank Steak is our Grilled Steak
Traditional carne asada uses thinner cuts and higher heat to take advantage of a quick sear and charred crust. The process locks in the juices quickly, even if you don’t get that nice medium-rare color.
Well, medium-rare is hard to pass up. We wanted to use a steak with a thicker profile, so we decided to use flank steak. This allows for that ruby-red perfection. Seasoned with a custom mix of spices similar to carne asada, this larger steak is cooked with a slightly lower temperature. Using this method ensures that the fats have enough time to render, also providing you a bit more control over the final temperature. If you’re not familiar with this cut I’d recommend using a meat thermometer. Since it’s thicker than the traditional carne asada meat and easy to undercook. Just keep flipping for that gorgeous crust and check the temp!
Jump on the Assembly Line
The key with this dish is to have as much prepared as you can before you grill the steak. The steamy rice is cooked and the pico de gallo has been marinating. The guacamole is also ready, minus the few “test bites”. Grilling the steak is our final step.
Before we add the steak to the grill throw the peppers and onions on. The fiery aromas from the beans, vegetables and steak are guaranteed to build anticipation. Don’t worry, we’re almost there! Once the steak was resting, we used the skillet to build the bowl: half rice and beans, topped with vegetables, slices of charred flank steak, fresh pico, guacamole, and shredded cheese. Tell us if you’d add anything else!
Grilled Steak Burrito Bowl
Ingredients
Grilled Flank Steak
- 1 Flank Steak 2-3lb
- 1 green bell pepper seeded and sliced thin
- 1 red onion sliced thin
- 2 tsp vegetable oil
Steak Seasoning
- 2 tsp of Kosher Salt
- 1.5 tsp of Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp of Black Pepper
- 1 tsp of Ground Cumin
- 1 tsp of Chipotle Powder
- ½ tsp of Cayenne Powder
- ½ tsp of Ground Cinnamon
- ½ tsp of Dried Oregano
Charro Beans
- 12 oz smoked bacon chopped fine
- 1 white onion diced
- 1 jalapeno diced
- 28 oz can black or pinto beans
- 2 tsp Spiceology Hatch Chile Seasoning
- Salt & pepper to taste
White Rice
- 1 cup white rice long grain
- 2 cups water
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- Juice of ½ lime
Guacamole
- 1 poblano chile whole
- 2 avocados
- ¼ cup of cilantro chopped
- ⅛ cup of red onion diced
- 2 limes juiced
- 2 tsp of salt
Heirloom Pico De Gallo
- 3 medium heirloom tomatoes diced
- 1 white onion diced
- 1 jalapeno diced
- ½ cup cilantro chopped
- Juice of 1 lime more as needed
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat your charcoal grill for grilling at medium-high temperature (around 350F).
- Season the flank steak with the seasoning, allowing it to rest as you prepare the food.
- Dice and prepare ingredients for pico de gallo. Mix and marinate for at least an hour ahead of time.
- Once the coals are lit, place the poblano pepper directly on the coals and char on all sides, flipping as needed. After each side is charred, place the pepper in a plastic bag to allow it to steam, which makes removing the charred skin easier.
- Assembling the guacamole: When cool enough to handle, remove the charred skin from the poblano, and dice the chile into small pieces. Mix into a bowl with the avocado and other ingredients, mashing and seasoning to taste.
- Making the rice: Wash the rice thoroughly. Place the washed rice and the water into a medium saucepan, adding the salt. Bring to a boil. Stir the rice gently, cover the pot and reduce the heat down to low. Cook for about 16-18 minutes, checking to make sure all of the liquid is absorbed. Turn off the heat and allow it to sit to absorb any other liquid. Add in the cilantro and lime juice, and fluff the rice with a fork.
- Cooking the beans: Place a skillet over the coals. Add in the bacon and cook to render down some of the fat. Add in the jalapenos and onions before the bacon is fully crisp. After a few minutes, the vegetables should start to be translucent. Add in the beans with liquid and stir, breaking up anything on the bottom of the skillet. Season with the Hatch Chile and salt to taste. Cook for a few minutes until it thickens.
- Remove the beans from the skillet and wipe it clean. Add in a few tsp of oil and place it back over the coals. Add in the peppers and onions, seasoning with salt. Cook to preferred doneness for a few minutes.
- Wipe the grates clean, and place your flank steak on the grill. Allow it to char for 3-4 minutes before flipping. You will need to do this a few times until preferred temperature. For a nice medium-rare, cook until about 125F and let it rest while you assemble the bowls.
- Prepare your bowls with the rice, charro beans, peppers & onions, steak, pico de gallo, and guacamole. Toss on some shredded cheese as well!
