Steak Tacos with Jamaica and Jalapeño Syrup
Tacos de Carne con Jarabe de Jamaica y Jalapeño
Recipe Yield
8 generous servings
Cooking time
1 hour 45 minutes
Rate this recipe
Ingredients
For the Jamaica Concentrate (makes about 5 cups):
- 8 cups water
- 6 oz, about 2 cups, dried hibiscus flowers
- 1 1/2 cups sugar or to taste
- 2 tbsp fresh lime juice or to taste
For the tacos:
- 1 lb flank steak
- 2 cups jamaica/hibiscus flower concentrate
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 whole cloves
- A pinch black pepper freshly ground
- 3/4 tsp kosher salt or to taste
- safflower or corn oil
- Salt to taste
- 1 serrano or jalapeño chile halved and seeded
- 1 ripe Mexican avocado halved, pitted and sliced
- 1/2 cup queso fresco crumbled
- 16 corn tortillas
To Prepare
To make the concentrate:
- In a saucepan, pour 8 cups of water and place over high heat. Once it comes to a boil, add the jamaica flowers, simmer at medium heat for 10 minutes and turn off the heat. Let it cool down and strain into a heat proof glass or plastic water jar. Add the sugar and lime juice, mix well, cover and refrigerate.
To make the tacos:
- Pour the jamaica concentrate, bay leaves, whole cloves, black pepper and salt into a medium saucepan set over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until it reduces to half the original amount.
- Let the marinade cool and pour over the flank steak in a baking dish or container. Cover and let it marinade anywhere from 1 to 24 hours.
- Set grill pan, grill or saute pan over medium-high heat. Brush with a light coat of oil. Sprinkle meat with a bit more salt. Grill meat anywhere from 4 to 6 minutes per side, depending on how cooked you want it.
- Meanwhile, pour the marinade into a saucepan set over medium heat and drop in the halved serrano or jalapeño chile. Let the sauce reduce for 15 minutes, or until it coats the back of a wooden spoon. The syrup will thicken considerably as it cools. Remove from heat and let cool.
- When the meat is ready, slice it thin and if you want, cut it into chunks. Heat corn tortillas over a comal or skillet over medium heat, it will take about a minute per side. For each taco, add a couple tablespoons or slices of meat in the center of each tortillas, a slice of avocado, some crumbled queso fresco and drizzle some of the jamaica and syrup on top. Enjoy your tacos!
Comments
8comments inSteak Tacos with Jamaica and Jalapeño Syrup
Tami
Apr 29
Pati, Pati, you have done it again! Last night we made this recipe for our “Pati Challenge” one Pati recipe a week.
It was amazing and different with the sweet /spicy of the syrup, Great taste profile. We had the tacos with a side of Fiesta Refried beans.
I can’t wait to get home for lunch to have the leftovers.
Thanks again!
Tami and Ron
Pati Jinich
Apr 30
I just cannot get enough of your “Pati Challenge” guys, thanks so much! SO happy you are trying and enjoying the recipes 😉 And perfect combo of these tacos and the fiesta beans, yay!
Linda
Jan 13
We made these tacos this weekend 💗❤️ I like that you make such different tacos because we love tacos. Thanks Pati because of you I make great Mexican food. Keep the recipe coming.
Pati Jinich
Jan 17
Thanks so much Linda!
Lisa
Mar 05
Jamaica concentrate comes in a can? Thx
Pati
Mar 07
I just make my own…https://patijinich.com/pati_2020/recipe/hibiscus-flower-concentrate/
Alicia
Apr 20
I can’t wait to make this!
Pati
Apr 23
Yay!! Enjoy them, Alicia.