The Best Way to Save and Repurpose Overcooked Steak (Tacos)

There are usually a couple of reasons you may have ended up with an overcooked steak -- Maybe you're new to grilling or pan-searing steaks at home and you cooked it a little too long (or way too long), or you went out for dinner and your rare to mid-rare steak showed up overcooked and more like medium to medium-well. Whatever the case, you can turn that overcooked steak into a delicious taco meal in 30 minutes or less. This is my favorite recipe to save overcooked steak whether it's a porterhouse, ribeye, T-Bone, flank, or skirt.

Why I'm Writing a Post on How to Save Overcooked Steak

We recently went to dinner with friends at a nice restaurant up the hills here in Italy and it was a great night all around -- good conversation, wine, and food. But I ended up with a steak that was grey and mostly overcooked compared to how I usually enjoy it (rare to medium-rare). At this point, I had 4 options:

• don't eat the steak (which would have been thrown away and wasted)
• eat the steak (even if it was a bit on the dry side)
• send it back and ask for a new steak to be cooked (knowing the overcooked steak would be trashed and then a whole new steak would have to be cooked)
• eat the pinkest parts of the steak, bag up the rest to take home, and turn the meat into something more edible and delicious like a steak taco lunch for two.

I opted for the latter because beef has the largest water footprint of any meat.  This is also why we eat much less beef than we used to but still enjoy cooking a steak at home every now and then and ordering it occasionally when we're out. 

I'm not suggesting that you suck it up and take your overcooked steak home when you're out on your next date night. There's zero shame in asking for, and expecting, your steak to be cooked just the way you want it.

But just in case you decide to, or the next time you or someone you love leaves the steak on the grill too long, this is a way to salvage the meat so you can actually enjoy it. This is also a great recipe for perfectly cooked leftover steak to be reheated and eaten. 

Below is How I Generally Cook Steak at Home (Click Over Here to Get The Recipe)

How Much Water Does it Take to Produce 1 Steak?

You may not be aware of how much water it takes to create one pound of beef (about 453g), but it's astonishing.

It takes between 1,850 to 2,400 gallons (6,813 to 7,574 liters) of water to produce 1 pound (453g) of beef. You can actually save more water by not eating 1 pound of meat (453g) than not showering for 6 months. This is like the equivalent of 39 American-sized bathtubs filled to the top. 

This is why sending the steak back and asking for another one to be cooked, or simply not eating it, or leaving ¾ of it uneaten, weren't options for me. Plus, I knew I could turn it into something delicious with a few spices and a quick homemade salsa.

Why We Love These Beef Tacos (Made From Overcooked Steak)

• No meat was wasted so you can feel great about that
• Repurposed beef steak tacos are delicious, easy, and quick to make
• Minimal spices and a little EVOO are all that's needed to turn dry overcooked steak into delicious steak tacos

Salvaged Overcooked Steak Beef Taco Ingredients

What do you need to turn overcooked steak into delicious beef taco meat? Just a little extra virgin olive oil, a handful of spices, an onion, garlic, a little lime or lemon (if you have it on hand), and a drizzle of soy to give it that secret steakhouse sizzle right at the end. I threw in a julienned carrot with the seasoned steak because it's delicious and adds a little extra crunch (plus, we'd just run out of lettuce the day before).

For the Beef Taco Meat

• overcooked grilled or pan-seared steak
• extra virgin olive oil
• onion
• carrot (optional)
• smoked paprika
• sweet paprika
• onion powder
• garlic powder
• soy sauce
• kosher salt and pepper
• garlic cloves

Optional Toppings

• quick caramelized onions
• homemade salsa
• homemade guacamole
• shredded lettuce
• sour cream
• salsa verde
• cilantro

  

How to Make The Best Beef Tacos Using Overcooked Steak Meat

If you happen to accidentally overcook steak, don't throw it away! Instead, make quick steak tacos by adding a little EVOO and spices.

1. Season and prep the overcooked steak. Slice the steak against the grain and give it a rough chop. Add the extra virgin olive oil and massage it into the meat well until it's absorbed. Add the smoked paprika, sweet paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, and salt to taste, and toss it with meat to coat well. Set the meat aside.
2. Sauté the onion and garlic (for the beef mixture). In a skillet set over medium-high heat, add a drizzle of olive oil, add the garlic and diced onions, and sauté until the onions are translucent and the garlic is blistered and fragrant (about 4 minutes). Remove them to a plate while you cook the steak and carrots.
3. Cook the caramelized onions and carrots (if using) for topping the tacos. With the heat still on medium-high, drizzle a little more olive oil and sauté the onions until tender and slightly caramelized (about 12 minutes). Add the julienned carrots, sprinkle a little smoked paprika if desired (it's tasty), and sauté just until the carrots are tender but still crisp (about 5 minutes). Remove them to a platter while you cook the beef.
4. Sear the steak. Add the seasoned steak to the hot skillet in a single layer and don't move the steak for 2 minutes. Add the diced onion to the steak mixture, add a little freshly squeezed lime (or lemon juice) over the top, toss everything to combine, and cook for about 1 ½ minutes longer. Add the soy sauce directly to the skillet so it sizzles, toss everything to combine, and sauté for 30 seconds more (everything should be sizzling at this point and smell amazing).
5. Heat the corn tortillas & assemble the tacos. In a separate skillet, heat the corn tortillas with a little bit of oil. Fill the tortillas with beef and top with the carrot and caramelized onion mixture, and your choice of toppings like salsa, hot sauce, guacamole, lettuce etc. Serve immediately, and Enjoy!

How to Make Steak Tacos Using Overcooked Leftover Steak step-by-step recipe photos

If You're Cooking Steak at Home What Temperature Should Steak Be Cooked To?

Use this helpful internal temperature guide for cooking all kinds of steak at home so you don't end up with overcooked steak and you can avoid having to make these tacos in the first place♡. All you need is a meat thermometer or enough experience cooking steak at home to avoid ever overcooking it.

• Extra Rare or Blue (bleu) [80-100°F/28-36°C] Barely warm, deep red color, soft and squishy texture
• Rare [120-125°F/49-51°C] Bright pink center and pinkish around the exterior, texture is soft 
• Medium-Rare [130-135°F/55-57°C] Very pink center with slightly brown exterior, slightly hot, texture is starting to firm up and yields just slightly when touched
• Medium [140-145°F/60-63°C] Light pink center with brown exterior and hot throughout, texture is starting to firm up and yields just slightly when touched similar to Medium-Rare
• Well [150-155°F/65-69°C] Mostly grey-brown throughout with only the slightest hint of pink in the center, firm texture
• Well done [160°F+/71°C+] Consistently grey or brown throughout and hot, firm, or hard texture

Looking for More Steak or Beef Recipes or Maybe Just a Few Tex-Mex Favorites?

Here are a few of our favorite beef recipes plus a few more of our favorite Mexican and Tex-Mex dishes you may also enjoy!

• Authentic Tacos al Pastor
• Easy Turkey Tinga Tacos
• Extra "Beefy" Above & Beyond Vegetarian Tacos
• Easy Cheeseburger Quesadillas (with Bacon. and Vegetarian Options)
• Restaurant-Style Carne Asada
• Five Minute Pan-Seared Flank Steak 
• Garlic-Ginger Shaved Beef Steak Sandwich

Saving Overcooked Steak (Tips and Techniques to Salvage Overcooked Beef)

Here are a few tips to keep in mind when you're making tacos out of overcooked beef that will help increase moisture and make them more enjoyable to eat.

• Adding the oil to the meat gives it back a little more moisture.
• A squeeze of fresh lime juice adds flavor and the acid helps to tenderize the meat.
• Adding guacamole and salsa will help add moisture to the tacos especially if your steak was really dry, to begin with.
• You may add a ¼ cup (60g) of chicken or vegetable stock to the meat mixture and cook it for a few minutes until the desired consistency if you want to make the taco meat mixture saucier. You can even throw in 1 tablespoon (14g) of tomato paste as well which is delicious.

Let's get started!

📖 Recipe

How to Make Beef Steak Tacos Out of Overcooked Steak

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• Author: Kelly
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 6 to 8 Tacos 1x
• Diet: Kosher

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Description

There are usually a couple of reasons you may have ended up with an overcooked steak -- Maybe you're new to grilling or pan-searing steaks at home and you cooked it a little too long (or way too long), or you went out for dinner and your rare or mid-rare steak showed up overcooked and more like medium to medium-well. Whatever the case, you can turn that overcooked steak into a delicious taco meal in 30 minutes or less. This is my favorite recipe to save overcooked steak whether it's a porterhouse, ribeye, T-Bone, flank, or skirt. 

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

For the Beef Taco Meat

• 1 overcooked grilled or pan-seared steak (10 to 11 ounces) (300g-350g)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil for the beef, plus more for sautéeing the onions (30g)
• 2 small onions (1 finely diced & 1 roughly sliced)
• 3 whole garlic cloves, smashed
• 1 carrot, julienned (optional)
• 1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
• freshly squeezed lime or lemon juice (optional but recommended)
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce (9g)
• kosher salt and pepper to taste

For Serving 

• 6 corn or flour tortillas
• homemade salsa
• pico de gallo
• homemade guacamole
• shredded lettuce
• sour cream
• salsa verde
• your favorite hot sauce
• cilantro

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Instructions

1. Season and prep the overcooked steak. Slice the steak against the grain and give it a rough chop. Add the extra virgin olive oil and massage it into the meat well until it's absorbed. Add the smoked paprika, sweet paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, and salt to taste, and toss it with meat to coat well. Set the meat aside.
2. Sauté the onion and garlic (for the beef mixture). In a skillet set over medium-high heat, add a drizzle of olive oil, add the garlic and diced onions, and sauté until the onions are translucent and the garlic is blistered and fragrant (about 4 minutes). Remove them to a plate while you cook the steak and carrots.
3. Cook the caramelized onions and carrots (if using) for topping the tacos. With the heat still on medium-high, drizzle a little more olive oil and sauté the onions until tender and slightly caramelized (about 12 minutes). Add the julienned carrots, sprinkle a little smoked paprika if desired (it's tasty), and sauté just until the carrots are tender but still crisp (about 5 minutes). Remove them to a platter while you cook the beef.  
4. Sear the steak. Add the seasoned steak to the hot skillet in a single layer and don't move the steak for 2 minutes. Add the diced onion to the steak mixture, add a little freshly squeezed lime (or lemon juice) over the top, toss everything to combine, and cook for about 1 ½ minutes longer. Add the soy sauce directly to the skillet so it sizzles, toss everything to combine, and sauté for 30 seconds more (everything should be sizzling at this point and smell amazing). 
5. Heat the corn tortillas & assemble the tacos. In a separate skillet, heat the corn tortillas with a little bit of oil. Fill the tortillas with beef and top with the carrot and caramelized onion mixture, and your choice of toppings like salsa, hot sauce, guacamole, lettuce etc. Serve immediately, and Enjoy!

Notes

• Adding the oil to the meat gives it back a little more moisture.
• A squeeze of fresh lime juice adds flavor and the acid helps to tenderize the meat.
• Adding guacamole and salsa will help add moisture to the tacos especially if your steak was really dry, to begin with. 
• You may add a ¼ cup (60g) of chicken or vegetable stock to the meat mixture and cook it for a few minutes until the desired consistency if you want to make the taco meat mixture saucier. You can even throw in 1 tablespoon (14g) of tomato paste as well which is delicious. 

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Category: Tacos
• Method: Sautéed
• Cuisine: Tex-Mex

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 2 Tacos

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