Tender, succulent, seasoned beef blanketed in a warm heirloom corn tortilla topped with fresh diced onion, earthy cilantro, and sharp cotija…so good I promise you will think you are dreaming! This is one of the dishes we fell in love with in San Antonio and I know you will too! These gluten free tacos are super simple to make, are perfect for Taco Tuesday, Cinco de Mayo, or your next fiesta, and they are D-E-licious!

Tacos are pretty much my perfect food and are one of my absolute favorite things to eat.  I mean they are perfect for breakfast (egg and chorizo taco), lunch (veggie tacos), dinner (tacos la calle) and they are so easy to eat!  I never fully grasped how delicious they are until I had Street Tacos, or what my family calls them, Tacos la Calle in San Antonio.  The best part of living San Antonio for those short 5-years was eating at all the amazing taquerias and trying out all the tacos out there!  

Why Grass-Fed Beef is So Good for You!

Let’s first talk about why I prefer grass-fed beef over grass-finished and industrial beef.  In their natural habitat, cows eat grass and small amounts of grain when the grass is seeding [1]. This provides the cow all the nutrients it needs to healthy, and we want to eat healthy animals.  When cow are fed a lot of grain, like in industrial beef, the food source is not the natural source of food for the cows and it lacks the nutrients the cow needs to stay healthy, thus creating a less nutritious beef.

Additionally, because grass-fed cows are eating what they are supposed to be eating, the beef they produce is the most nutrient dense and has the omega-3’s that are supposed to naturally be in the beef.  Due to the lack of nutrients in industrial beef, it does not contain the omega-3’s thus creating a nutrient deficient beef.

Grass-fed beef is not necessarily the same as grass-finished beef, so make sure you ask your butcher or the farm you source your beef from to clarify.  Ideally you want beef sourced from an animal that grazed on grass its entire life, however there are farms that grain-feed most of the life and then “finish” on grass, or even grass feed most of the life and “grain-finish” to fatten the animal up in the last few months.  As mentioned before, 100% grass-fed beef is the most nutrient dense beef and is my preferred choice when eating ground beef, steak, or using bones for broth.

Grass-fed beef is loaded with nutrients such as protein, fat, vitamins and minerals. 

• Protein is an essential nutrient and beef is a complete source of all essential amino acids you need.  Amino acids are the building blocks to the proteins in your body, including collagen, and they are necessary in cellular health and repair.
• Over one third of the fat found in beef is oleic acid, the same monounsaturated fat that is also found in avocado oil and extra virgin olive oil.  Oleic acid supports brain and nervous system function and support healthy blood sugar regulation [2].
• Vitamins: B3 (niacin: support healthy blood fat levels and blood sugars ), B6 (supports a healthy immune system), B12 (essential vitamin necessary in red blood cell formation.)
• Minerals:
• Iron: Heme iron that is easily absorbed and is necessary in the formation of hemoglobin.
• Phosphorus: Supports healthy teeth and bones, muscle recovery after working out, and detoxification.
• Selenium: Supports thyroid health [3] and supports your immune system.
• Zinc: Essential in digestion, thyroid health, and a healthy immune system.

So grab some 100% grass-fed beef and let’s get cooking!

Authentic Street Tacos (Tacos la Calle) Ingredients

Makes 6-10 Tacos

1-1.5 lbs. Flank or Skirt Steak, diced into 1/2″ cubes

1/2 cup Coconut Aminos

1 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar

2 Tbsp Fresh Lime Juice

1 tsp Ground Cumin

1 tsp Onion Powder

1/2 tsp Garlic Powder

1 tsp Chili Powder

1/2 tsp Smoked Paprika

1/2 tsp Ground Chipotle Pepper or Ground Hatch Pepper

1/2 tsp Fine Sea Salt

1/2 tsp Ground Black Pepper

6-10 Heirloom Organic Corn Tortillas, warmed

1/2 cup Fresh Cilantro, chopped

1 Yellow onion, diced

1/2-3/4 cup Crumbled or Grated Cotija Cheese

1-2 Limes, cut into Wedges

How to Make Authentic Street Tacos (Tacos la Calle)

1.  In a large bowl prepare the marinade.  Add the coconut aminos, ACV, lime juice, spices, salt and pepper and stir to combine.

2.  Dice the beef into 1/2″ cubes and add to the marinade.

3.  Cover with and set to marinate at least 4-hours to overnight.

4.  Heat a cast iron skillet over high heat for about 60-90 seconds to bring the temperature up.

5.  Cooking in batches, add half of the beef and cook for 2-4 minutes until it is cooked to your preferred doneness.

6.  Remove and place into a separate dish and repeat until all the beef has been cooked.

7.  Dice the onions, chop the cilantro, crumble or grate the cotija if it is whole, and cut the limes.

8.  Warm the tortillas and add 1/3-1/2 cup of cooked beef.

9. Top with chopped cilantro, diced onions and grated cotija.

10.  Serve with fresh lime wedges!

Enjoy!

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FAQs

Q: Can I use a sirloin cut for this?

A: Yes, I recommend any cut that is tender when cooked only for a few minutes like flank, skirt, sirloins, and strips.

Q: What is a good substitute if I can’t find cotija cheese?

A: You can use a grated Parmesan.

Q: Should I add the marinade to the pan when cooking the beef?

A: I usually don’t when I want a good sear on the beef as the extra moisture will keep the beef from getting a good sear.

What to Serve with Tacos la Calle

Roasted Tomatillo Salsa:  This amazing and bright tomatillo salsa is the best salsa, ever! Bursting with tangy tomatillos, tart lime, smoky ancho chili’s, and lots of earthy cilantro for an unbeatable flavor and taste.

Authentic Mexican Rice: Zesty, buttery, fluffy Mexican rice made with whole food ingredients that is better than take out! 

Refried Bean Dip:  With just a few tweaks you can take a simple can of beans and create a “next level” side of refried beans for your tacos, fajitas, or burritos.

Roasted Mexican Cauliflower: Tender roasted cauliflower seasoned with aromatic chili and tangy lime will outshine any main course!

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