WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS: Alambre Mexicano, a dish of skewered meat, chiles, and vegetables grilled over an open flame, is popular in northern Mexico. The word alambre literally means “wire” or “cable,” referring to the metal skewers that hold the ingredients together on the grill. For the meat, we chose richly marbled steak tips for their beefy flavor and tender texture, as well as chorizo for its spice and assertive flavor profile. We tossed the beef in a
mixture of olive oil and spices; we chose oregano for a peppery bite, garlic powder to add savoriness, and cumin for depth. We rounded out our kebabs with spicy jalapeños and sweet red onion. We briefly parcooked the vegetables in the microwave to ensure they would finish cooking at the same time as the meat. Stemming and seeding the jalapeños allowed us to enjoy their flavor without making the dish overly spicy. If you can’t find steak tips, sometimes labeled flap meat, substitute 1¼ pounds blade steaks (if using, cut the steak in half and remove the gristle that runs through it). If you have long, thin pieces of meat, roll or fold them into approximate 2-inch cubes. You will need four 12-inch metal skewers for this recipe. We prefer these steak kebabs cooked to medium, but if you prefer them more or less done. Serve with warm tortillas or rice.

Serves 4 to 6

INGREDIENTS

• 1 large red onion, cut into 1-inch pieces, 3 layers thick
• 4 jalapeño chiles, stemmed, halved, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• Salt and pepper
• ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 pound sirloin steak tips, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 pound Mexican-style chorizo sausage, cut into 2-inch lengths
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• Lime wedges

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Gently toss onion and jalapeños with 1 tablespoon oil in bowl. Cover vegetables and microwave until just tender, 3 to 5 minutes. In large bowl, combine oregano, garlic powder, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, cumin, and remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Add steak and toss to coat. Thread steak, chorizo, onion, and jalapeños tightly onto four 12-inch metal skewers in alternating pattern.
2. FOR A CHARCOAL GRILL: Open bottom vent completely. Light large chimney starter filled with charcoal briquettes (6 quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour evenly over grill. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent completely. Heat grill until hot, about 5 minutes.
3. FOR A GAS GRILL: Turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until hot, about 15 minutes. Leave all burners on high.
4. Clean and oil cooking grate. Place kebabs on grill and cook (covered if using gas), turning as needed, until well browned and meat registers 130 to 135 (for medium), 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer kebabs to serving platter, tent loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve with lime wedges.