Veggies and lean protein come together with ease for a family-friendly meal that can be customized with a variety of toppings. \
I’m a big fan of recipes that incorporate a variety of vegetables with a basic protein in one, easy-to-assemble dinner. And when a meal is versatile and can be customized with a selection of toppings, chances are everyone will be happy!
The following recipe offers a unique method of preparing flank steak—in a slow cooker with not a drop of liquid. As it cooks, the steak produces and steeps in its own natural juices, resulting in incredibly tender beef.
The use of a simple Tex-Mex inspired spice rub elevates this slow-cooked combination and makes tacos or fajitas a fitting serving option. A bed of rice is an equally satisfying choice, and the flavor afforded by a few spice cabinet staples lends itself to traditional taco toppings like avocado or guacamole, salsa, and shredded lettuce.
As a flavorful extra, I occasionally mix up a spicy-sweet salsa to spoon over the savory flank steak. The optional topping began as a spin on the pineapple salsa I have long used for grilled lamb chops and fish.
I swapped the mint with cilantro and added sweet mango for a light, slightly sweet topping that complements a variety of south-of-the-border recipes. Cumin Lime Coleslaw offers another complementary side. For the best of both, the flavors can be layered and combined with rice for a most satisfying meal.
It’s worth noting that, while I call this Mexican flank steak, over the years I’ve gravitated towards hanger steak when available. Both are flat, flavorful cuts of beef that will certainly work, but the latter cut is somewhat more tender.
Note that both flank and hanger are lean cuts, so you don’t want to cook them too long. As the appliance’s name suggests, the process is slow, but even a slow cooker can overcook meat, rendering it tough. It’s always good to check on the early side.
Along those lines and also helpful to know is that large cookers, which are under-filled tend to cook more quickly than a recipe’s stated time. The recommended fill rate is between one-half and two-thirds full, so less than that will likely reduce the cooking time.
If making the salsa, any ripe mango may be used. However, Ataulfo or champagne mangos are especially sweet and creamy and are less fibrous than other common varieties. With their high flesh-to-seed ratio, Ataulfos make an ideal choice in any recipe calling for mango–or simply to eat as is.
Interestingly, though they are much smaller than the mangoes we see in stores year round, the fruit yield per Ataulfo mango (about one cup) matches other common varieties. Widely available from March through July, their skin will turn a deep golden color and small wrinkles will appear when fully ripe. Squeeze gently to judge ripeness – they should be a bit softer than a ripe pear.
Click here for easy cutting instructions or use the photo, below, as a guide.
Tip: Cutting the flank steak, crosswise, into several pieces makes shredding easier later – and no long, stringy pieces! ↓↓
Prep ahead options: For added ease, chop the vegetables in advance – even the night before – and store them in an airtight container or bag in the fridge. You can even mix the spice mixture in advance.
The tortilla pictured below is a sprouted corn variety, which has a little more chew than the typical tortilla. Feel free to use your favorite corn or flour tortilla – or as mentioned, pile the tender meat and veggies over rice or another grain of choice.
Mango Pineapple Salsa is optional…but highly recommended!
I’d love to know if you try this recipe! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo @fountainavenuekitchen on Instagram and Facebook. Your feedback is always appreciated. 💛
Slow Cooker Mexican Flank Steak
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients
- 2 – 2¼ pounds flank or hanger steak
- 2 small to medium onions, chopped or sliced (I often use 1 red, 1 yellow; 2 of the same is fine)
- 2 bell peppers, seeded and chopped or sliced (I like red and yellow; again choose what you prefer)
- 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced (leave some seeds for a little heat; I have substituted ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes)
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Optional for serving: cooked rice, corn or flour tortillas, Mango Pineapple Salsa or regular salsa, chopped avocado, guacamole, crumbled tortilla chips, cilantro, lime wedges, pickled onions
Instructions
- Layer half of the onions and peppers in the bottom of your slow cooker. Top with the flank steak. (For easier shredding later and shorter, less stringy pieces, I like to cut the flank steak into three or four pieces, crosswise, before placing it in the slow cooker.)
- In a small bowl, mix together the chili powder, cumin, oregano, and salt. Evenly sprinkle over the flank steak, flipping the meat to get some of the spice mixture on both sides.
- Top with the remaining onions, peppers, and the minced jalapeño.
- Cook on low for 7 to 8 hours (or on high for 3 to 4 hours) or until the flank steak can be easily shredded with two forks. (Tip for success: Until you know the proper time in your slow cooker, start checking two-thirds of the way into the recommended cooking time. Many models, especially large cookers that are filled less than half to two-thirds of the way, tend to cook much faster.) For ease, remove the steak to a dinner plate to shred.
- At this point, you may place the meat back in the slow cooker for up to another hour on low or warm. Or serve immediately, mixed with a little of the juice as desired.
- Heat tortillas, if using, or serve over rice. Top as desired and enjoy!
Notes
- Though no liquid is added to the slow cooker, flavorful juices will develop as the meal cooks. When using the steak mixture in tacos or fajitas, you may wish to first drain the juice to minimize messy dripping. When serving over rice, I like to return the shredded meat to the slow cooker, as the rice will act as a sponge for the savory liquid. When we have leftovers, I mix the remaining rice with the meat and juice. Not only do the flavors meld and improve with time, the rice plumps up as it absorbs the cooking liquid, seemingly stretching the leftovers and creating a mixture that is ideal for tacos or burritos – or simply as is – the next day.
- Another cut of meat that will work is chuck roast. Note that a chuck roast is a much fattier cut, so it lends well to day-before prep. When the meat mixture cools (there will be a lot of flavorful juices), the fat will rise to the surface and solidify, and you can remove it easily. Leftovers can then be gently reheated in the slow cooker, in a low oven (covered), or in a microwave.
Other recipes you might enjoy…
Slow Cooker Cilantro Lime Chicken — 5 basic ingredients with options to customize
3-Ingredient Chuck Roast in Foil — incredibly tender meat that will make your kitchen smell amazing…and so easy
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