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These Mojo Steak Arepas with Salsa Criolla are bursting with flavour and a must-make crowd pleaser at your next cookout. The Mojo marinade is citrusy, garlicky and a delicious way to tenderize and infuse a lot of flavour into less expensive cuts of steak, such as flap, skirt, flank and top sirloin. Paired with a delicious Salsa Criolla and stuffed inside of a hot arepa, it’s a match made in heaven!
Ingredients You Need for the Mojo Steak
- Steak: I used flap steak (AKA bavette) in this recipe. It has a delicious beefy flavour and cooks nearly identically to skirt steak. It’s also usually more affordable and thicker than skirt steak, making it more forgiving to cook to a medium-rare centre. It also soaks up the mojo marinade beautifully and when cooked medium-rare, is quite tender. Like skirt steak and flank steak, be sure to slice flap steak against the grain before serving. Otherwise you will have long strands of chewy beef in every bite.
If you can’t find flap steak, feel free to substitute skirt, flank, top sirloin, tri-tip or hanger steak. I would personally avoid using more expensive cuts, such as ribeye, NY strip or tenderloin, because these steaks are already usually tender and taste great without the need of a marinade. - Naranja Agria: Sour orange juice (naranja agria) is a key ingredient in any Cuban-style mojo marinade. It adds a uniquely citrusy, sour and bitter flavour that can’t be beat. Unfortunately, it’s not the easiest fresh ingredient to find. I would avoid the jarred naranja agria juices, which are usually made of concentrates and filled with additives, and instead use a substitution of 1 part orange juice to 2 parts lime juice. You can also add 1 part grapefruit juice to mimic the bitter flavour.
- Garlic: As always, measure this ingredient with your heart and don’t let anyone tell you there’s such a thing as too much!
- Spices: A combination of ground cumin, ground coriander and bay leaves will add flavour and body to your mojo steak arepas. And don’t forget to season with plenty of kosher salt and freshly-cracked black pepper.
- Avocado Oil: Using a neutral-flavoured oil with a high-smoke point is ideal here because the steak will be grilled or seared in a hot cast-iron pan.
Ingredients You Need for the Salsa Criolla
- Bell Peppers: A combination of finely chopped green and red bell peppers add colour, sweetness and crunch to the salsa criolla.
- Tomato: For juiciness, acidity, and texture, add in some diced tomato. Try to use a firm tomato so it holds its texture in the salsa.
- Onion: Sweet, white onion is my preferred variety for this salsa because it pairs best with all of the bitter and sour flavours in the mojo steak. You can also use red onion for more colour and a slightly sharper taste.
- Parsley: Finely chopped fresh parsley adds colour and flavour to the salsa criolla and is a breath of fresh air for all those who hate cilantro.
- Oil and Vinegar: Use a good quality extra-virgin olive oil and red wine vinegar here. The salsa has very little flavour to hide behind.
- Salt and Pepper: Season to taste with kosher salt and freshly-cracked black pepper.
What are Arepas?
Arepas are a staple item, similar to a flatbread, made from pre-cooked cornmeal. They’re most popular in countries such as Venezuela and Colombia. They can be cooked on the grill, baked in the oven, fried in a pan with oil, or even boiled. Arepas are typically split open and stuffed with a variety of fillings, such as cheese, shredded meat, chicken, beans, eggs, or avocado.
When making arepas, it’s very important to use the correct type of cornmeal. Look for one that says fine-ground and pre-cooked masarepa. Doñarepa and P. A. N. are probably the two most common brands you’ll find in North American markets. The flour is usually labeled masarepa, which is not to be confused with masa harina – used to make tortillas. Masarepa comes in both white and yellow cornflour varieties, giving the arepas a different colour and slightly different flavour profile.
What is Salsa Criolla?
Salsa Criolla is an easy, delicious and fresh condiment often served with grilled meats in Argentina. It typically consists of diced bell peppers, tomato, onion, parsley, oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Sometimes, dry oregano is added for flavour and other times lime juice is used as the acid instead of vinegar. Recipes vary from family to family. In Brazil, a virtually identical salsa is called Vinaigrette. It is not, however, to be confused with Peruvian Salsa Criolla, which primarily consists of thinly sliced onions.
How Long Should I Marinade the Steak?
You can marinade the steak for as little as 1 hour, but for best results let it sit in the mojo marinade for up to 6 hours in the fridge. This will give the marinade plenty of time to impart a lot of flavour into the meat and help tenderize it. Your patience will be rewarded with juicy, tender and delicious mojo steak arepas.
Unless you’re using a very thick cut of steak, such as a whole picanha roast (a top sirloin with the fat cap on), I do not recommend letting it marinate for more than 6 hours. The acid will start to break down the muscle fibres and give it a spongy texture.
What is Naranja Agria?
Naranja agria, also known as sour orange or bitter orange, is a citrus fruit that is widely used in Latin American and Caribbean cuisines. Narnaja agria looks like a small orange with rough, bumpy skin. It can vary in colour between green and orange.
Unlike sweet oranges, naranja agria has a tart, tangy, slightly bitter flavour with a lot of acid, making it great for marinades. The juice not only imparts an incredible citrus flavour, but also helps tenderize tougher cuts of meat.
Naranja agria is a key ingredient in Cuban-style Mojo marinades as well as Mexican Cochinita Pibil.
Naranja Agria Substitute
If naranja agria is unavailable near you, you can use a combination of 1 part orange juice and 2 parts lime juice to mimic the balance of sweetness and acidity. You can also mix in 1 part grapefruit juice to add that characteristic bitter flavour.
Mojo Steak Arepas with Salsa Criolla
Ingredients
For the Mojo Steak:
- 1 pounds flap steak, substitute skirt steak, flank steak or hanger steak
- 3 tablespoons naranja agria juice, substitute 2 tablespoons lime juice + 1 tablespoon orange juice
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 4 cloves garlic, finely grated
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly-cracked black pepper
- 1 avocado, thinly sliced, for serving
For the Salsa Criolla:
- ½ red bell pepper, finely chopped
- ½ green bell pepper, finely chopped
- ½ sweet yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 vine-ripened tomato, finely chopped, substitute Roma tomato
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly-cracked black pepper
For the Arepas:
- 2 cups yellow or white masarepa, fine-ground, pre-cooked cornmeal
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cups warm water, plus more as needed
- ¼ cup avocado oil, plus extra as needed, for frying
Instructions
For the Mojo Steak:
- In a bowl, combine the steak, naranja agria juice, avocado oil, garlic, bay leaves, cumin, coriander, salt and pepper. Toss well to coat, cover and refrigerate 1 to 6 hours.
- Preheat a grill or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. If using a grill (475F for Traeger), cook the steak over direct heat until grill marks form on both sides and the thickest part of the meat registers 125F. If using a skillet, add 2 tablespoons avocado oil to the pan and heat until shimmering. Carefully add the steak to the pan and cook until lightly charred, around 4 minutes. Flip and cook the other side until charred and the thickest part of the steak registers 125F, around 4 more minutes (cooking times will vary depending on the thickness of the steak and strength of your cooktop).
- Transfer the steak to a carving board and let rest at least 5 minutes before thinly slicing against the grain. Serve with the salsa criolla, avocado and arepas.
For the Salsa Criolla:
- In a bowl, combine the red pepper, green pepper, onion, tomato, parsley, olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Mix until well combined, taste for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper as desired. Cover and set aside at room temperature until ready to serve. If preparing more than 1 hour in advance, cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Remove from the fridge 15 minutes before serving.
For the Arepas:
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the water and salt and stir until dissolved. Slowly add the masarepa while stirring with a spoon. Continue stirring until no longer clumpy and a dough forms. The dough should be dry enough that it doesn’t stick to your hands, yet tacky and wet enough that the edges don’t crack when you flatten it. Adjust with more masarepa or water as needed.
- Shape the dough into a large ball, place it back in the bowl, cover with a damp towel, and let the dough rest for 10 minutes to allow the dough to hydrate.
- Separate the dough into 4 equal-sized portions for large arepas and form them into balls. Using the palms of your hands, gently flatten the balls into discs approximately ¾-inches thick.
- Line a plate with a kitchen towel and set aside. Add half of the avocado oil to a large cast-iron or non-stick skillet and heat over medium heat until shimmering. Working in batches, carefully add the arepas to the hot oil and fry until golden brown, around 4 minutes. Flip and cook the second side until golden brown for an additional 4 minutes. Add more oil if needed. Transfer the arepas to the prepared towel-lined plate and set it aside as you fry the remaining arepas. If making the arepas ahead of time, they can be reheated in a 350F oven until warmed through, around 10 minutes.
- To assemble the arepas, use a sharp paring knife and make a horizontal incision along half of the arepa to create a pocket. Stuff the pocket with the sliced mojo steak, avocado and salsa criolla and serve.
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Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
About the Author
Hi, i’m Ronny! In 2013, after a lifetime of struggling with my weight and body issues, I rehabilitated my relationship with food, lost over 40 pounds and completely changed my life.
These were amazing everyone loved them! Thanks so much!