You Don't Need Prime Cuts For Steak Nachos

One of the sillier things we've seen on restaurant menus in recent years is places trumpeting the fact that they (allegedly) use wagyu beef in their burgers, and it would be equally silly to see such a thing used in tacos, nachos, fajitas, or any other dish where the pricy beef isn't allowed to shine on its own. This goes not only for wagyu but also for prime cuts like filet mignon or New York strip. If you're lucky enough to score a deal on such a steak, by all means, keep the preparation simple!

If you're cooking these steak nachos, however, you can (and should) use a cheaper cut of steak. Developer Michelle Morey opts to use flank steak in her easy steak nacho recipe, coating it with homemade taco seasoning and cooking it in a grill pan. Acceptable flank steak substitutes include the very similar hanger or skirt steaks as well as the easy-to-find and fairly affordable (as steaks go) top sirloin, while a plain old frying pan makes a great stand-in for a grill pan. As you'll be cutting the steak up and burying it under a mountain of toppings, grill marks (or lack thereof) are a non-issue.

Steak nachos can actually be a great way to repurpose leftover steak, and Morey allows that it's perfectly acceptable to use it in this recipe (as if you needed permission). Shredded beef, she says, will also work. She adds that "pulled pork or taco chicken are great on these nachos," as well. You could also use portobello mushrooms as a vegetarian steak substitute.

Whichever kind of protein you pick, it'll have plenty of competition from all of the other ingredients in these loaded nachos. Morey's recipe calls for refried beans, jalapeños, bell peppers, and onions, while she also suggests, "You can add sliced black olives, roasted corn, or even Mexican-style corn" as well as salsa, guacamole, sour cream, and other typical nacho toppers. Needless to say, with all of these contrasting flavors going on, filet mignon would be wasted on these nachos, but that bargain-priced London broil you failed to finish yesterday will fit right in.