Description
Finally got around to writing this one down for y’all.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 2 lbs thin-sliced top round steak, cut into strips
- 12 6″ corn tortillas, cut into fourths
- 1 batch Chile Queso
- 1 batch Easy Refried Beans
- 1 batch Pico de Gallo
- 1 jalapeño, sliced thinly
- 1 small white onion, sliced thinly
- 2 C Colby jack cheese, shredded
- 1/4 C cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tsp lime juice, freshly squeezed
- 2 tsp Sazon*
- 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt, divided, to taste
- 1/2 tsp liquid smoke
- Vegetable oil, for frying
- Sour cream, guacamole, hot sauce, etc for garnish
Instructions
- Begin by making the Pico de Gallo if you haven’t already, so the flavor has time to meld. Store it in the fridge until you’re ready to use it. Ignore this if you’ve already made it, or if you’re using store-bought.
- Add the steak to a medium-sized mixing bowl, along with the sliced jalapeno and onion, cilantro leaves, and minced garlic. Next, add in the sazon, kosher salt, lime juice, and liquid smoke. Toss with tongs and make sure everything is well combined and the meat is evenly seasoned. Set the steak aside and let it marinate.
- Start on your Chile Queso. Once you’ve reached the step where it’s time to whisk out the lumps, start on the Refried Beans, too. When it gets to the step where you will mash or blend the beans, go ahead and start preheating the oil you’ll use to fry your tortillas. Also turn your oven on to the lowest setting, or to ‘warm’ if it has that option.
- Keep the Chile Queso and Easy Refried Beans on the lowest setting, just to stay warm. When the oil has reached around 365°F degrees begin frying the chips in small batches. Don’t crowd the pan or the temperature will drop causing the chips to become greasy and possibly hard and chewy. It should only take about 2 minutes before they’re floating on the oil and ready to flip. Fry for another 1-2 minutes, just until golden brown, and remove with a slotted spoon to a wire rack over a baking sheet. Once all of the chips are fried, pop the baking sheet into the oven so they stay warm while we work on the steak.
- Place a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat and allow it to preheat for 3 minutes, or until the surface of the pan is smoking slightly. Add your steak mixture to the pan and spread it out into an even layer. Let the meat sear undisturbed for 3 minutes, then use tongs or a spatula to flip the meat over and toss it around. Once the steak is mostly cooked through and the onions and peppers are charred, turn off the heat.
- Pull the cooked tortilla chips out of the oven and move the rack to the highest shelf. Switch the oven from warm to broil on high. Pour the chips into a large bowl and sprinkle in a fat pinch of Kosher salt. Move your arm in a circular motion to toss the chips around in the bowl and distribute the salt evenly amongst them.
- Line another large baking sheet with parchment paper, then add some chips. Spread them out into an even layer. You should use about half of the chips you made. Top with about half of the shredded cheese, distributing it evenly over the chips. Next, add a light but even drizzle of Chile Queso, then follow that up with a sparse layer of Easy Refried Beans, then a layer of the steak. Top with a light sprinkling of shredded cheese, then pop the baking sheet in the oven. Allow it to broil for about 2 minutes, just until the cheese has melted.
- Pull the nachos from the oven, then repeat the layers: scatter the remaining chips evenly across the top, followed by most of the remaining cheese, the rest of the queso, the rest of the beans, the rest of the steak, and the final bit of shredded cheese. Pop it back under the broiler and let it do its thing until the cheese on top is melted and bubbling.
- Now all that’s left is to spoon on the pico de Gallo and any other toppings you’ve got: Sour cream, guacamole, salsa, hot sauce, whatever. You’re done, dassit!
Notes
- I recommend the Latin Sazón Blend from Savor Spice Co. All of my other advice lives in the post above the recipe so don’t skip it!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
