Carne Asada Quesadillas
Cook Notes
BBQ Used: Kamado Joe Classic II
Cooking Method: Direct (using the KJ Cast Iron Griddle)
Fuel used: Kamado Joe Big Block Charcoal
Cooking Temperature: High heat
Ingredients
750g Flat iron steak
For the marinade
60 ml Soy sauce
3 tbsp Lemon juice
3 tbsp Oil
1 tbsp Sugar
1 tsp Cumin
1 tsp Ancho chilli flakes
2 Cloves of garlic, minced
1 Red pepper, sliced
1 Yellow pepper, sliced
1 Red onion, sliced
50/50 mix of cheddar and emmental cheese
Tortillas
Method
The first step is to get the steak into the marinade to start taking on flavour. Mix the ingredients for the marinade in a bowl until the sugar is dissolved. Pour a small amount of the marinade into another bowl and keep it to the side to brush on while cooking. Add your flat iron steak to a ziplock bag and pour in the remaining marinade. Seal the bag and place it in the fridge for at least 2 hours but ideally 6 hours. This makes it perfect for preparing in the morning and cooking in the evening.
Setup your BBQ with a hot zone on one side and a slightly cooler zone on the other. I did this on my Kamado Joe Classic by banking most of the coals to one side, leaving some on the opposite side. Place your grill grates over the hot zone for searing the steak and your griddle over the cooler side. We will use this to cook the veg and toast the quesadillas at the end.
Remove your steak from the marinade and place it onto the cooking grate directly over the coals. Flip the steak a few times to build up that crust on the outside. I cooked the flat iron steaks to an internal temperature of 60c but a few minutes before they hit that temperature, I started brushing on the marinade we held back at the beginning of the cook to intensify the flavour on that crust. When your steaks are ready, loosely wrap them in foil to rest while you cook the vegetables.
Toss your sliced vegetables in a little oil and season with salt. Add the veggies to the griddle. If you do not have a griddle, this will work just as well in a cast iron skillet. Keep moving the veggies around until they take on some colour and become soft. Once ready, it's time to make up the Quesadillas.
Start by slicing your flat iron steaks against the grain into thin strips. Lay down your tortilla and cover half with your cheese mixture. Lay on your sliced steak and top it off with some of your grilled peppers and onions. Add a sprinkling of cheese then fold the other half of the tortilla on top and gently press it down.
Place the quesadilla onto the griddle or skillet to toast on one side. when golden brown, flip it over and toast the other side. Cut the quesadilla into 3 and tuck in!
