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Mojo Steak Arepas with Salsa Criolla
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5 from 1 vote

Mojo Steak Arepas with Salsa Criolla

These Mojo Steak Arepas with Salsa Criolla are bursting with flavour and a must-make crowd pleaser at your next cookout.
Prep Time35 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Marinating Time1 hour
Total Time2 hours 5 minutes
Course: Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine: Argentinian, Colombian, Cuban, Latin American
Keyword: Arepas, mojo grilled steak, salsa criolla, steak arepas
Servings: 4 servings

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.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 894kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 45g | Fat: 57g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 36g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 107mg | Sodium: 1442mg | Potassium: 1133mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1053IU | Vitamin C: 49mg | Calcium: 134mg | Iron: 5mg