Steak Ranchero

Bowl of beef stew with rice, beans, lime; pot in background.

4.72 from 21 votes

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.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: ranchero steak recipe, steak ranchero

Servings: servings

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 dried 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 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (not the whole can)
1 tablespoon adobo sauce from canned chipotle
1 cup 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 20 to 30 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.

Notes

Flank steak, skirt steak, hanger steak, or flat iron steak all work well for this recipe. These lean, economical cuts benefit from a long, slow simmer, which helps break down the muscle fibers to get tender. Just don’t forget to slice against the grain.
To slice the steak across the grain, look for the lines in the muscle fiber and cut perpendicular to them.
Control the spice level: 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 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 swap in canned tomatoes if fresh ones aren’t in season. If you're using whole canned tomatoes, just chop them into bite-sized pieces. One 15-ounce can is technically enough, but I usually go with two for extra sauciness. Fire-roasted tomatoes work especially well for added depth and a hint of smokiness.

Nutrition