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Cuban-style Steaks in Garlic-Lime Marinade Recipe

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5 votes | 58860 views

These steaks are a treat and a great way to make an inexpensive cut of meat memorable. You can use bottom round (best), top round, or a thin cut sirloin for this dish. The steaks should be cut about a 1/2 thick. Mine were a little thicker, so I pounded them with a mallet to thin them. In Cuban restaurants, this recipe is called palomilla. Steven Raichlen adapted this from a restaurant in Miami called Victor's Cafe, and put the recipe in his excellent BBQ Bible. I adapted this from that recipe. You won't be disappointed!

Prep time:
Cook time:
Servings: 4
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Ingredients

Cost per serving $0.48 view details

Directions

  1. Preheat grill to high
  2. Prepare the adobo (marinade) by combining the garlic, salt, cumin, and pepper in a mortar and grind slowly with a pestle gradually working in the lime juice and olive oil until you have a smooth paste. Or, to save time, put all these ingredients in a blender and process to a smooth paste. Brush some of the adobo on the steaks 10 minutes in advance of placing on the grill. This is not necessary, but will impart additional flavor to the steaks.
  3. When grill is ready, oil grill grate. Brush onions with oil and place on the hot grate. Grill for 4 minutes on each side, seasoning with salt and pepper.
  4. Once the onions are on the grill, brush the steaks with the adobo and place on the grill alongside the onions. Grill for 3 minutes per side for medium rare, basting with the adobo.
  5. Transfer the steaks to a platter or individual plates and brush one final time with the remaining adobo using all of it. Let stand for 3 minutes, then serve with the grilled onions.
  6. This dish goes well with rice, rice and black beans, tortillas, or garlic bread.
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Nutrition Facts

Amount Per Serving %DV
Serving Size 317g
Recipe makes 4 servings
Calories 782  
Calories from Fat 604 77%
Total Fat 67.33g 84%
Saturated Fat 24.81g 99%
Trans Fat 0.0g  
Cholesterol 141mg 47%
Sodium 866mg 36%
Potassium 651mg 19%
Total Carbs 11.25g 3%
Dietary Fiber 1.4g 5%
Sugars 5.52g 4%
Protein 34.07g 55%

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Reviews

  • Nancy Miyasaki
    October 22, 2012
    Our kids and I really enjoyed these steaks. The flavor was pungent but mild and really accentuated the meat. It reminded me of steak John and I used to get at a cuban place near Weehawken, NJ. Tasty!
    I've cooked/tasted this recipe!
    • Stacey Maupin Torres
      October 23, 2012
      This is a beautiful marinade! I will be trying this recipe this weekend. Coming from a West Indian famil, we just can't eat ANYTHING without a unique flavor - this is a beautiful memory maker! ;) Thank you for sharing this.
      1 reply
      • John Spottiswood
        October 23, 2012
        Thanks for the nice comment, Stacey. Hope you enjoy it!
      • Greg Moses
        October 30, 2012
        Wow ! Best tasting steak I have had in years. The lime garlic marinade was great.
        I've cooked/tasted this recipe!
        • Smokinhotchef
          September 28, 2015
          Hey John, love this recipe,excellent flavor profile! I think it would also be fabulous atop a bread salad! Thanks for sharing!!!
          I've cooked/tasted this recipe!
          This is a variation

          Comments

          • ShaleeDP
            January 11, 2013
            I have not done something Cuban... i would definitely try to make this one. Interesting.
            • Greg Moses
              October 26, 2012
              Great recipe. The whole family loved the garlic - lime marinade on the steaks. Will use this again.
              1 reply
              • John Spottiswood
                October 30, 2012
                Glad you enjoyed them, Greg! If you get a chance, please come back and add a rating. Lot's of people won't try a recipe if it doesn't have at least 4-5 ratings, so your rating will really help!
              • Lana Mountford
                October 23, 2012
                This looks really good, but I'm a bit confused. It appears to be a recipe for garlic lime marinade, but lime isn't mentioned in the ingredients. How much lime juice do you use in step 2 (where it says "working in the lime juice and olive oil until you have a smooth paste")? And when do you use the sour orange juice? Or do you use the sour orange in step 2? See -- I'm confused! :-) Thanks!!! (Either way, think the recipe will be a good one, and I'm anxious to try it as I have everything on hand except the lime juice.)
                1 reply
                • John Spottiswood
                  October 23, 2012
                  Hi Lana - great catch! I've updated. Lime juice is the alternative to sour orange juice, and in fact I used a mix of lime juice and orange juice (not lemon juice and orange juice) to make it. I've updated the recipe.
                • Malissa
                  October 23, 2012
                  Can't wait to try this!
                  1 reply

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