Southwest Skillet Steak
Seared steak and charred vegetables in one skillet, finished with lime. A day-one car camping dinner.
- calories
- 520
- weight
- 12 oz
- cal / oz
- 43
- protein
- 42 g
- serves
- 2, scales
- prep
- 10 min
- cook
- 20 min
- total time
- 30 min
- water
- none
- cost
- $$
Calorie and protein figures are my own estimates, good enough for planning a food bag and not meant as precise nutrition data.
- Dinner
- Campfire coals
- Grill grate
- Car camping
- Basecamp
- Gluten free
- Dairy free
- Nut free
- One pot
- Pre-mix at home
- Needs a cooler
- Basic
Ingredients
| Flank steak | 1 lb | trimmed and portioned at home |
|---|---|---|
| Olive oil | 2 tbsp | split between the steak and the vegetables |
| Ground cumin | 1 1/2 tsp | |
| Chili powder | 1 1/2 tsp | |
| Salt and pepper | to taste | |
| Bell pepper | 1 large | diced |
| Zucchini | 1 medium | sliced into half moons |
| Red onion | 1 small | diced |
| Garlic | 2 cloves | minced, or 1 tsp jarred |
| Lime juice | 2 tbsp | one lime, or a squeeze bottle |
| Cilantro | a small handful | optional |
Method
- Build the fire down to steady coals and set a cast iron skillet on the grate. Give it five minutes to come up to heat.
- Pat the steak dry with a paper towel. Wet meat steams instead of searing. Rub it with half the cumin and chili powder, then salt and pepper.
- Add 1 tsp of oil to the skillet. When it shimmers, lay the steak in and leave it alone for about 3 minutes.
- Flip and cook another 5 minutes for medium rare, longer if the coals are cool or the cut is thick. Move it to a plate and tent it with foil.
- Add the rest of the oil, then the pepper, zucchini, onion, and garlic. Stir now and then until the edges char, about 8 minutes.
- Season the vegetables with the remaining cumin and chili powder. Slice the steak against the grain and return it to the skillet with any juices.
- Pull the skillet off the heat, pour the lime juice over everything, and toss. Scatter cilantro if you brought it.
This is a fire-cooked steak dinner that survives contact with a campsite because the hard parts happen at home. Trimming, portioning, and dicing in your kitchen means the skillet work is two moves: sear the meat, char the vegetables. Everything lands in one pan and the pan gets wiped, not washed.
The order matters more than the seasoning. The steak goes in first so it sears in a clean, dry, very hot pan, and it rests while the vegetables cook in the fond it left behind. Lime goes on last and off the heat, because acid on a hot pan cooks off in seconds. Cast iron over coals runs hotter and less evenly than a range, so judge doneness by feel rather than clock.
Packing
Mix cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper into one small jar at home so there is one thing to shake over the pan. Trim and portion the steak before you leave and freeze it flat in a zip bag; it thaws in the cooler over a day and doubles as an ice block. Dice the onion and pepper at home too, in a separate bag, so the only knife work in camp is the zucchini.
Variations
- No cooler? Swap the steak for a pouch of shelf-stable seasoned chicken and add it at the end, just to warm through.
- Dehydrated pepper and onion rehydrated in a splash of hot water work if you want to leave produce at home.
- Fold the whole skillet into corn tortillas and it feeds three instead of two.
https://campfirefoodie.com/southwest-skillet-steak-recipe