Instant Pot Flank Steak Tacos

Instant Pot Flank Steak Tacos seemed like a bad idea – and boy, was I wrong about that. Now they’re a regular part of my Instant Pot Taco rotation.

(What, you don’t have an Instant Pot Taco rotation for Taco Tuesdays? You’re missing out…and keep reading.)

I think of flank steak as a tender piece of beef, something I can grill quickly to medium-rare. Those steaks are not good for pressure cooking; they don’t need time in a pressure cooker to tenderize. Also, thanks to the popularity of fajitas, flank steak is kind of expensive. That’s why I’d reach over the flank steaks for chuck roasts to pressure cook. (Especially flat iron steaks, cut from the blade steak in the shoulder.)

These are so great! They have such a beefy flavor!

But…flank steak is a tough cut. It holds up to pressure cooking just fine. And, it was on sale at the grocery store, so I bought a few flank steaks to test them out. The results were impressive…as were the reviews from my tasting panel. (My kids gobbled down the flank steak, and my wife kept commenting on the big, beefy flavor.)

Now Instant Pot Flank Steak Tacos are part of my regular rotation, a lifesaver when I need to get dinner on the table quickly. The only trick is slicing the steak into ½-inch thick strips across the grain. Cutting the long strands of meat tenderize it and shorten the cooking time to 12 minutes under pressure.

Instant Pot Flank Steak Tacos

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★★★★★

5 from 2 reviews

• Author: Mike Vrobel
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Yield: 8 servings
• Category: Weeknight Dinner
• Method: Pressure Cooker
• Cuisine: Tex-Mex

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Description

Instant Pot Flank Steak Tacos – a quick, beefy taco dinner, ready in minutes thanks to pressure cooking.

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Ingredients

INGREDIENTS

• 1½- to 2-pound flank steak, cut across the grain into ½-inch thick strips
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 teaspoon ancho chile powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 cup water
• 10- to 15-ounce can diced tomatoes & green chilies (Ro*Tel tomatoes)

ACCOMPANIMENTS

• “Fajita” size flour tortillas
• Salsa
• Shredded Mexican cheese
• Shredded lettuce
• Sour Cream
• Hot sauce
• (And any other favorite taco toppings)

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Instructions

1. Everything in the pot: Sprinkle the sliced flank steak with the salt, chili powder, and garlic powder. Put the steak into the pressure cooker pot, and stir in 1 cup of water. Spread the tomatoes with green chilies over the top of the beef. (Don’t stir the tomatoes – they may scorch if they’re at the bottom of the pot.)
2. Pressure cook for 12 minutes with a natural pressure release: Lock the lid on the pressure cooker and bring it to high pressure. Pressure cook at high pressure for 12 minutes in an electric or stovetop PC (“Manual” or “Pressure Cook” mode in an Instant Pot). Let the pressure come down naturally for at least 10 minutes before quick-releasing any remaining pressure in the pot.
3. Serve: Remove the steak and tomatoes to a platter with a slotted spoon. Add a ladle or two of the liquid from the pot, just enough to moisten the beef, and serve with the tortillas and accompaniments.

Notes

• The Accompaniments section are my favorite taco toppings – use your favorites on your tacos.
• I used to cut flank steak into 2-inch strips, thinking bigger pieces were better. I re-tested the recipe, and ½-inch thick strips result in better tacos, even if there’s a little more slicing work up front.)
• If flank steaks are expensive, look for flat iron steaks, cut from the chuck shoulder. They cook the same as flank steak, and I’ll buy whichever is cheaper for this recipe.

Tools

• 6 quart or larger pressure cooker (I love my Instant Pot electric pressure cooker)
• Slotted Spoon

What do you think?

Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below.

Related Posts

Pressure Cooker Quick Pork Tacos
Pressure Cooker Quick Chicken Tacos
Pressure Cooker Boneless Short Rib Tacos with Dried Chile Pepper Sauce
My Instant Pot and Pressure Cooker Recipes List

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