Grilled Steak Tacos & Corn Elote

Boom, this is simple EPIC! The weather is getting nice and toasty here in Brisbane, so I’m cranking up my BBQ on the regular. If perfectly grilled meat, charred flour tortillas, crunchy red cabbage and a DELICIOUS creamy corn elote are your thing, then you have come to the right place 😉 Keep scrolling to see how to make my delicious grilled steak tacos!

close up of 1 steak taco with corn elote with sliced steak, red cabbage and tortillas in background

sponsored by Heirloom Vineyards, McLaren Vale

Why I Love This Recipe

it’s simple to make
takes 20 minutes
shag all cleaning as it’s cooked on the BBQ
good for parties/to feed a crowd
tasty AF
it’s steak & corn – what more do you want?

Yep, that’s right – I am BIGGING up this recipe and rightly so. These grilled steak tacos with creamy corn elote are a thing of sheer beauty. The fact they are ready in 20 minutes, and you can feed a crowd with them is simply a winner. Not to mention how damn tasty they are too. Smokey, creamy, and a little spicy with a lovely texture from your charred tortilla and crunchy red cabbage. I am literally drooling as I write this!

The Best Steak For Tacos

Right, so you are used to cooking either sirloin, eye fillet or a nice piece of rib-eye steak. You know, serve it with some mashed potatoes, a little sauce and maybe some mushrooms. TOTALLY old skool but tasty nonetheless. This time round we are grilling hot and fast so here are my favourite cuts to use.

birdseye view of ingredients for grilled steak tacos with a bottle of wine next to the ingredients

Flap Meat

It’s not the most common of cuts but it’s a little hidden gem in my opinion. Located on the bottom sirloin of the cow – near the back leg close to the flank. It’s a relatively inexpensive cut, works beautifully with marinades and cooked medium rare is simply a treat.

When cooking this cut I like to either cut the piece in half depending upon how even the thickness is. If possible leave as one whole piece – makes it easier when turning! You want your grill HOT. Get a hard sear on it and flip it after a few mins. Aim for an internal temperature of 48-52c and allow it to rest for 8-10 minutes before slicing. Slice across the grain for best results.

someone cutting flap steak in the kitchen

Hangar Steak

PACKED with flavour this cut hangs from the diaphragm or lower belly of the cow. It’s not an area that does a ton of work so it’s SUPER tender too. Taste wise it’s got a real beefy flavour – I know that sounds crazy but once you compare it to other cuts you’ll understand.

Similar to my friend above it’s best suited for hot and fast cooking, allowing it adequate time to rest and slice against the grain for the perfect grilled steak tacos

Skirt Steak

A long and thin cut that comes from the plate (belly area) of the cow. It’s often confused with flank, but visually it’s thinner and narrower than its friend. Another difference between the two is the grain. Skirt runs widthways whereas the flank runs lengthways.

The cooking of skirt is very simple but like most things also easy to screw up! I advise marinade or rub it in your favourite BBQ rub for maximum flavour. ROASTING hot grill and give it a quick sear. I’m talking literally 90 seconds a side for rare to medium rare. Slice it thin against the grain and you will have a cut of beef with maximum flavour. If you like your meat cooked more medium to medium well then just slice the meat thinner when serving it to help retain flavour and texture.

You won’t regret this choice for your grilled steak tacos or fajitas.

Flank Steak

The last of the 4 cuts that are my favourite for making grilled steak tacos. Flank, like the other 3 cuts is long, and thin with amazing texture to it. This cut comes from the flank of the cow which is just below the loin. It’s a hardworking cut so therefore loves being tenderized through rubs, marinades or a few punches to the gut. It needs to be cooked hot and fast or low and slow – there is no in-between if you want to enjoy it 😉

Medium rare is the best way to eat flank and don’t forget to rest your meat before slicing against the grain!

Corn Elote

I fell in love with this Mexican street snack when living in NYC. There was this taco shop called Tacombi around the corner from my work that sold its tacos out of a VW campervan in an old airy warehouse. Probably my 1st time having real Mexican food. Growing up in Ireland, Mexican food was usually the most bastardized thing you could do to Mexican food…..

Corn elote is served 2 ways. Either grill your corn on the cob with some spices, top ith with a tangy sauce (mayo/sour cream based), sprinkle with cotija cheese and some coriander OR as they served it in Tacombi in a little bowl. All the same components just not as messy to eat as you can use a spoon 😉

Either way, it’s served it’s an EPIC snack and one that everyone should have up their sleeve for BBQ time. For my delicious grilled steak tacos, I have taken the corn elote flavours – added a little extra mayo/sour cream and popped it inside the crispy tortilla. The result is epic – go on, give it a try!

Heirloom Vineyards

If you have been following my journey on socials or here on my site you will have noticed I’m quite fond of the wines made by Heirloom Vineyards in the Mclaren Vale. Not only are they affordable but they are just so damn good. The wine in question today is their Adelaide Hills Syrah.

Someone swirling a glass of red wine in the kitchen with taco ingredients on the counter top

Syrah vs Shiraz

Now, you may think Syrah, isn’t that the same as Shiraz? Technically yes it’s the same grape but stylistically completely different. Syrah originated in France and is softer, less tannins, typically less alcohol and more blue fruits, pepper and herbaceous notes. Shiraz – what we call it here in Australia (until a few cooler climate areas started making it more in the Syrah style) has higher levels of alcohol, bolder tannins and likes oak a little more. Flavours of black fruits, plums, vanilla, pepper, and dark chocolate are some that spring to mind.

Heirloom Syrah & Grilled Steak Tacos

When I was asked to pair a dish with the Heirloom Adelaide Hills Syrah – my grilled steak tacos with corn elote was one of the first that came to mind. Partially because I eat tacos every week but many because I knew it would just work! The Syrah is beautiful velvety purple in colour with a nose of plums, lavender and nutmeg. The palate is where it’s all at with this one – tons of fruit, a beautiful balance of tannins and acid and the more it’s open the better it gets 😉

Birdseye view of grilled steak tacos with red cabbage, corn elote and a bottle of Heirloom Syrah next to them

Crack this bottle, pour a small glass and pop the rest in the decanter. Get cooking your grilled steak tacos, and the wine will be singing as you sit down to eat!

Alternative Taco Recipes

If these grilled steak tacos with corn elote haven’t got you pumped, then these other taco dishes on my site are defo going to help a little too 😉

Grilled Octopus Tacos w/ Mango Salsa

Crispy Fish Tacos w/ Apple Jalapeno Salsa

Blackened Salmon Tacos

Pork “street” Tacos

Happy Cooking & Happy Eating Friends!!