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Three cheese-crusted corn tortilla tri-tip tacos topped with roasted salsa on a silver plate

Tri Tip Tacos with Cheese Crusted Tortillas

A whole tri-tip cut twice, first with the grain into steaks and then against it into thin slices, threaded onto skewers and grilled hot and fast. Served on corn tortillas crusted with Oaxaca cheese in a dry pan, with a fresh roasted salsa.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 10 tacos
Course: Dinner, Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine: BBQ, Mexican, Mexican-American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Tri-Tip Skewers
  • 1 whole tri-tip Cut with the grain into 1 inch steaks, then against the grain into 1/4 inch slices.
  • Taco seasoning or carne asada seasoning Enough to season all sides generously.
  • Wooden skewers Soaked in water before cooking.
Roasted Salsa
  • 4 Roma tomatoes
  • 2 jalapeños 2 to 3.
  • 1/4 white onion
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 tbsp fresh cilantro
  • 1 lime juiced
  • Salt to taste
Cheese Crusted Tacos
  • 10 corn tortillas 8 to 12. Corn, not flour.
  • 2 cup shredded Oaxaca cheese 2 to 3 cups. Mozzarella works if you cannot find it.

Equipment

  • Grill Direct heat, hot and fast.
  • Wooden skewers Soak them in water before they go on the grill.
  • Blender For the roasted salsa.
  • Sheet pan or grill pan For roasting the salsa vegetables.
  • Nonstick pan For the cheese crusted tortillas. It goes in dry.
  • Sharp knife Both cuts depend on it.

Method
 

Prep the Skewers
  1. Cut the tri-tip into roughly 1 inch steaks going with the grain. Then turn each piece and slice against the grain into thin 1/4 inch pieces. Cutting across the fibers is what keeps the meat tender.
  2. Thread the thin pieces onto soaked wooden skewers and season generously on all sides with taco or carne asada seasoning. Let them sit while you make the salsa.
Make the Roasted Salsa
  1. Cut the tomatoes, jalapeños, onion and garlic into rough chunks and put them on a pan. Roast until they take on good color and char.
  2. Transfer everything to a blender with the cilantro, lime juice and salt. Blend to the consistency you want, then pour into a bowl and refrigerate while you cook the skewers.
Grill the Skewers
  1. Heat the grill to approximately 400°F to 450°F. Place the skewers over direct heat and cook hot and fast, about 3 minutes per side, until you have char all over.
  2. Remove the skewers and wrap them loosely in foil to keep warm while you make the tortillas.
Cheese Crust the Tortillas and Build
  1. Heat a nonstick pan over medium high. Drop about half a handful of shredded Oaxaca cheese into the dry pan, then immediately lay a corn tortilla on top of the cheese and press gently.
  2. Once the cheese crisps and browns around the edges, flip the tortilla and cook another minute. Remove it from the pan cheese side down.
  3. Add about a third of a skewer of tri-tip to the tortilla, spoon roasted salsa over it, and fold it up. Repeat for the rest.

Notes

Cut it twice: Tri-tip has grain running in two directions. The first cut goes with the grain to break it into workable chunks and line the grain up. The second goes against it, thin. Cutting both ways with the grain leaves long fibers and a chewy taco.
Cheese first, tortilla second: The cheese goes into a dry pan alone and the tortilla lands on top of it. The cheese browns into a sheet while the tortilla softens from the steam coming off it. One pass gives you a crunchy side and a soft side.
Do not flip early: The cheese has to set into one solid sheet or it tears and stays in the pan.
Soak the skewers: Wooden skewers over direct heat will burn otherwise.
Timing: Prep and cook times and the taco count are estimates. The 400°F to 450°F range and 3 minutes per side are as given.

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