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A large skillet with steak ranchero topped with cilantro.

Steak Ranchero

Steak ranchero is perfect for a quick and easy weeknight meal. You can make this dish with fresh or canned tomatoes, so it’s versatile and convenient. You can also adjust the spices to make it as hot as you like. Serve this delicious Mexican-inspired dish over rice or tortillas for a hearty and satisfying meal.
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Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 587kcal
Author: Dahn Boquist

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds flank steak
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons ancho chili powder
  • 1-½ teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground oregano
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 2 large onions roughly chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves chopped
  • 2 jalapeno peppers seeds removed and diced
  • 1 to 2 diced canned chipotle peppers (not the whole can)
  • 1 tablespoon Adobo sauce from the canned chipotle
  • 1 cup white wine or chicken broth
  • 4 to 5 large tomatoes cut into large chunks (about 1 pound) or sub with canned tomatoes

Instructions

  • Slice the flank steak into thin strips across the grain.
  • Combine the cumin, sugar, salt, oregano, chili powder, and pepper in a small bowl. 
  • Toss the steak strips with the spices until they get completely coated. Let the steak sit for at least 20 minutes or place in the fridge overnight. 
  • Heat some oil in a large skillet over medium high heat until it gets smoking hot. When the oil is hot, work in batches to cook the steak strips. Add the steak strips in a single layer and let them sear for 1 to 2 minutes without moving them. When they get a caramelized brown color, give them a stir then transfer to a plate. Repeat with the rest of the steak strips then transfer them to a plate. You don’t need to cook the steak all the way, just get it browned. The steak strips will cook more later in the recipe. 
  • Don’t clean the skillet out. The pieces left behind from cooking the steak will loosen up when you cook the vegetables.
  • Add the onions to the hot skillet and cook, stirring frequently until softened. Add garlic, jalapeño peppers, chipotle, and adobo sauce. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes stirring, until the peppers and garlic are fragrant. 
  • Pour in the wine or broth to deglaze the pan. Scrape up any cooked-on bits from the bottom of the skillet.
  • Return the steak strips to the skillet and add the tomatoes. Give everything a stir and reduce the heat to medium. Cover with a lid and simmer for 15 to 25 minutes until the steak gets tender and the tomatoes break down into a juicy sauce. 
  • Remove the lid and simmer for 5 minutes to reduce the sauce. 
  • Serve with rice or roasted potatoes. 

Notes

  • We recommend using an economical cut like flank steak that benefits from a long slow simmer. Flank steak is a lean steak that can be a little tough if not sliced and cooked properly. This recipe allows the steak plenty of time to break down the muscle fibers and get tender. Other cuts that work well for this recipe are: skirt steak, hanger steak, flat iron steak. 
  • To slice the steak across the grain, look for the lines in the muscle fiber and cut perpendicular to them. This will shorten the fibers in each slice and make the steak more tender and easier to chew. 
  • Most of the heat from the jalapeño peppers comes from the seeds and the white pith. Remove the seeds and scrape out the white pith to make the dish less spicy. 
  • Chipotle peppers are ripe, red jalapeño peppers that have been dried and smoked. When you find them in adobo sauce, they have been rehydrated and canned in a sweet, smoky tomato sauce.
  • Chipotle peppers in Adobo sauce come in a small can with several peppers in the can. Do not use the whole can in this recipe. You only need 1 chipotle pepper. You can use more or less depending on how spicy you like your food. Freeze the remaining peppers for another use. 
  • You can substitute fresh tomatoes with canned tomatoes. If purchase whole canned tomatoes, slice them up into bite-sized chunks. You only need one 15-ounce can but I generally use two when I make this with canned tomatoes. Try using fire-roasted canned tomatoes for extra spices and flavorings.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 587kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 67g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 180mg | Sodium: 1492mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 13g