I love steak salads. It must be something about the contrast in texture and temperature that I find appealing. The best steak salads give you meat that is juicy and flavorful with a charred exterior crust on the steak that goes great against the fresh, crisp lettuce. The glaze is the key to this salad because the sugars in it caramelize and create that crunchy exterior.
Recipe information
Yield
serves 4
Ingredients
Preparation
Marinate the Onion
Step 1
Put the onion in a small bowl and pour in enough red wine vinegar to cover well. Set aside for at least 30 minutes.
Prepare the Salad and Dressing
Step 2
Combine the lettuce, tomatoes, and avocado in a serving bowl or platter.
Step 3
In a small bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons of the red wine vinegar from the marinating onion, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside until you are ready to dress the salad.
Prepare the Glaze
Step 4
Combine the ketchup, honey, chipotles, adobo sauce, and 1 teaspoon salt in a blender and puree. Set aside.
Season, Grill, and Glaze the Meat
Step 5
Preheat a grill to medium-high for 10 minutes or preheat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Brush the grill grates or grill pan with the remaining tablespoon of oil.
Step 6
Season the beef on both sides with salt and pepper. Grill the meat for 4 minutes, turn over, and brush the glaze over the steak. Grill for another 4 minutes, turn over, and glaze the other side. Allow the meat to cook for another 2 minutes on each side to caramelize the glaze.
Step 7
Remove from heat and allow the meat to rest for 5 minutes before slicing into 1/2-inch-wide strips. (This is for medium-rare beef. If you want your meat cooked longer, increase the time you grill the beef before adding the glaze.)
Assemble the Salad and Serve
Step 8
Pour the dressing over the lettuce mixture and toss well. Place the sliced beef over the salad and top with cheese crumbles, marinated red onions, and roasted pumpkin seeds. Serve.
Cooking Notes
Step 9
INGREDIENTS
Step 10
Skirt Steak versus Flank Steak
Step 11
Because they are so flavorful, these cuts are both great choices for the salad. Both are long flat pieces of meat, but the flank steak is much leaner and can dry out easily, so keep your eye on it when grilling.
Step 12
Because skirt steak is a bit fatty, it may need to be trimmed a bit before cooking.
Step 13
TECHNIQUES
Step 14
Glazing Meat
Step 15
Glazes provide flavor and texture to grilled meat. In order to do so, they must contain sugar so that it caramelizes in the heat and creates a crisp exterior with a depth of flavor. The sugar in this glaze is found in the ketchup and in the honey. And, in the same way that sugars caramelize, they can also burn. Brush glazes (and barbecue sauces) on meat toward the end of the grilling to avoid a burnt, bitter taste.
