How to Make Spicy Steak & Jalapeño Quesadillas
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Quesadillas are a form of Mexican cheese dish that have been highly Americanised through the use of flour tortillas, western cheeses, and over-the-top fillings. Don't get me wrong, I love an over-stuffed quesadilla as much as the next Texan! If you're looking for home-and-down traditional Mexican food (What wine goes well with Mexican food?) though, look away now.
I got the inspiration for this dish early in my career when I started off working in fast food and all the same routine, greasy, dog wagon chow started to wear on me. Since then I've made probably hundreds of quesadillas with practically endless variations. Variety is the spice of life as they say!
All that being said it begs the obvious questions:
Corn or Flour Tortillas?
One of the ways quesadillas have been highly Americanised is the use of flour (how long does flour last?) tortillas, Mexican food traditionally uses corn tortillas (how long do corn tortillas last?) almost exclusively, with some exceptions.
Either works super well for quesadillas, flour ones are typically noticeably thinner and tend to be a little more malleable especially when they've been heated slightly. That being said corn tortillas give a much more unique flavor and texture and in my opinion, are far easier to make at yourself.
Make your life easier by ordering flour or corn tortillas online; it's just a few clicks away!
What Cheese Should You Use?
There's one particular thing to look out for when you're making a quesadilla or melting cheese in general: make sure it melts well. The two deciding factors that determine either or not it will melt well are fat and moisture. Cheese that is low in fat and low in moisture will have a lot of trouble melting.
Common American (by which I mean non-Mexican) cheeses that melt well are cheddar, mozzarella, and Monterey Jack. If you want to get really exotic and far out there with cheese others that melt phenomenally are Swiss Gruyere, brie cheese, gouda, Havarti, and Colby. Some genuine Mexican cheese that melts super well is Oaxaca and Chihuahua cheese.
And the Filling...?
The filling for this quesadilla is steak, onions, and jalapenos but as well all know, this dish is endlessly customizable. There are some golden rules to follow however depending on the circumstances.
If you intend to pre-make and then re-heat the quesadilla, make sure you don't add any fillings that are overly greasy or wet. An example of wet vegetables would be tomatoes and greasy food to avoid would be something like sausage.
Use produce that's in its season because ultimately they'll taste better and be better for you and everything around you.
Don't overload it because it's a recipe for a wet, greasy, floppy mess.
How to Reheat Quesadillas
Reheat a quesadilla by placing it in a cold oven on a heatproof dish, then turning the fan setting on to around 400F. Letting the oven come up to heat this way ensures the cheese melts slowly and the grease doesn't start pouring out of it. Never use a microwave to reheat it either because by design the microwave will suck a lot of the moisture out of the cheese and give it an off texture and most likely burning it.
If you’re also a fan of Beef Brisket, (What wine goes well with beef brisket?) this article is for you!
Steak & Jalapeño Quesadilla Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 Steak, I used a Sirloin
- Sea Salt & Freshly Cracked Pepper to Season
- 1 tbsp Vegetable Oil
- 3 Cloves Garlic
- 2 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
- 3 Tortillas
- 1-2 Cups Shredded Mixed Cheese
- 1/2 an Onion, Thinly Sliced
- Pickled Jalapeno Slices, to Taste
Instructions
- Remove the steak from the fridge 30 minutes prior to cooking. Once it has reached room temperature, place a skillet over high heat and let it heat up for 2-3 minutes.
- Pat the steak dry with a paper towel and season it with salt & pepper on both sides.
- Pour the oil into the skillet then lay the steak in away from you.
- Cook the steak on that side for 3-5 minutes depending on the thickness and how well done you want it, then flip it and sear the other side.
- Cut the ends off the garlic, crush it with your palm or the side of your knife, then toss them into the skillet.
- Add the butter and let it melt, then baste the steak constantly until it's cooked to your liking. Medium-rare to medium-well will range between 130 and 150 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Once the steak is finished, transfer it to a plate, cover with foil, and leave to rest. This is an ideal time to prepare all the vegetables.
- Once the steak is rested, dice it into fairly small pieces. Remember that you still want the texture of the steak to come through, so don't dice it too small.
- Place a stainless steel or non-stick frying pan over low heat and add a tortilla. On only half the tortilla, add a layer of cheese, then onions, then jalapenos, then the steak dice.
- Add another layer of cheese over that, then use a spatula or kitchen tongs to grab the empty end of the tortilla, and fold it over to the loaded end.
- Place a lid onto the frying pan, turn the heat up slightly, then toast for 2-3 minutes.
- Flip the quesadilla, close the lid, and once again toast it for a few minutes.
- Place the quesadilla in a warm oven while you make the others. Keep in mind the pan will be a lot hotter how so you may want to turn the heat how or all the way off to be on the safe side.
- Once finished, quarter the quesadillas, sprinkle with fresh, chopped cilantro, and serve with salsa and sour cream
Nutrition Facts
Calories
631.39Fat
43.97Sat. Fat
20.62Carbs
18.81Fiber
1.44Net carbs
17.37Sugar
2.54Protein
38.84Sodium
700.03Cholesterol
128.06
