Woodfired Garlic Flank Steak Skillet Nachos with Queso
Woodfired Garlic Flank Steak Skillet Nachos with Queso
Nachos don’t have to be sad bar food. Start with a 1.5-pound flank steak coated generously in Kinder’s Woodfired Garlic Rub, coat both sides, wrap it tight in plastic, and let it sit in the fridge for at least an hour. Overnight is better; the rub has time to move past the surface and into the meat. When it hits a 450°F grill, that seasoning turns into a proper crust. Pull at 130°F, rest for a full 15 minutes, then slice against the grain into clean, bite-sized pieces.
Building nachos in a skillet gets the bottom layer as much heat as the top, which fixes the usual complaint. More in the steak and beef collection.
The queso is simple and worth making from scratch. Melt butter, build a roux, add milk, and fold in shredded Monterey Jack one handful at a time. Keep the heat at medium and add the cheese in stages. Do it right and you get a smooth, glossy pour. Rush it and the sauce breaks.
Assembly is fast: chips in a cast iron, steak over the top, another layer of Monterey Jack, three to five minutes in a 350°F oven until it all goes molten. Then the queso, then the cold toppings, fresh pico, guacamole, sliced jalapeño, cilantro, a hard squeeze of lime. The contrast between a hot cast iron and cold toppings is deliberate. Don’t skip it.
Serve the skillet straight to the table while it’s still hissing. The cast iron holds heat through the whole meal, which is exactly what nachos need, something that stays warm long enough for everyone to get a proper plate and go back for more.
Flavor First.
Woodfired Garlic Flank Steak Skillet Nachos with Queso
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Generously coat both sides of the 1.5 pound flank steak with Kinder’s Woodfired Garlic Rub, ensuring full coverage for maximum flavor.
- Wrap the seasoned steak tightly in plastic wrap or place it in a resealable bag.
- Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to overnight, to allow the rub to penetrate the meat.
- Preheat the grill to medium-high heat, aiming for 450°F.
- Once the grill is hot, place the marinated flank steak directly on the grates.
- Grill the steak for 4-5 minutes on the first side without moving it, allowing a flavorful crust to form.
- Flip the steak and cook for an additional 4-5 minutes on the second side until the internal temperature reaches 130°F for medium-rare.
- Remove the grilled steak from the heat and allow it to rest on a cutting board for at least 15 minutes before slicing—this keeps it tender and juicy.
- While the steak rests, prepare the queso sauce: heat 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.
- Once the butter is melted and foamy, add 1 tablespoon of flour and stir constantly to create a smooth roux.
- Cook the roux for 1-2 minutes until it turns golden, stirring frequently to prevent burning.
- Slowly add 1/2 cup of whole milk to the roux while stirring continuously until the sauce begins to thicken slightly.
- Add the shredded Monterey Jack cheese one handful at a time, stirring after each addition until completely melted and smooth.
- Once the cheese is fully melted and the sauce is smooth, remove from heat and set aside, keeping it warm.
- Slice the rested steak against the grain into bite-sized strips for optimal tenderness.
- Chop up the sliced steak into smaller pieces suitable for nachos.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Using a cast iron skillet as your serving vessel, layer tortilla chips on the bottom in an even layer.
- Top the chips with the chopped flank steak and distribute shredded Monterey Jack cheese evenly over the steak.
- Place the skillet in the preheated 350°F oven for 3-5 minutes until the cheese is completely melted.
- Remove the skillet from the oven using an oven mitt or potholder—the handle will be very hot.
- Top the hot nachos with generous amounts of queso sauce, fresh pico de gallo, guacamole, sliced jalapeño, and optional red chili pepper slices.
- Garnish with fresh cilantro and arrange lime wedges around the skillet.
- Serve immediately while warm and enjoy!
Nutrition
Notes
- Marinate overnight if the schedule allows — one hour is the floor, but overnight is where the rub stops being a coating and becomes part of the steak.
- Read the grain before the steak hits the grill — flank has long, obvious muscle fibers. Note the direction before cooking so there’s no guessing at slicing time. Cut perpendicular to those lines, not parallel.
- The 15-minute rest is part of the cook — pull early and the juices run onto the cutting board instead of staying in the meat. A full rest makes the difference between tender and chewy.
- Add cheese to the queso in stages — one handful at a time, fully melted before the next goes in. Dumping it all at once risks breaking the sauce.
- Warm the cast iron before you build — two minutes over medium heat before layering keeps the bottom chips from going soft. A cold skillet traps steam; a warm one crisps.
- Keep toppings cold until the skillet comes out of the oven — hot nachos need the contrast of cold pico and guacamole. Pull everything from the fridge right before assembly.
- Serve the cast iron skillet directly on the table. It holds heat through the meal and gives people a reason to lean in.
- Cold drinks are the right call — a cold beer or a tart margarita cuts through the richness of the queso and the char on the steak. Something carbonated and cold is the contrast the dish is asking for.
- For a larger group, set up a toppings station alongside the skillet. Extra pico, sliced jalapeños, hot sauce, sour cream, and lime wedges let people build to their heat preference without the host managing every plate.
- Assemble to order whenever possible. Once toppings go on, chips absorb moisture and soften fast — there’s no recovering that texture after an hour.
- For prep-ahead builds, keep each component separate. The grilled, sliced steak holds in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat it in a dry skillet over medium heat just until warm before building. The queso reheats gently on the stove over low heat with a splash of whole milk to loosen it. Keep chips, pico, and guac separate and cold until right before serving.
- Don’t freeze assembled nachos.
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!Frequently Asked Questions
What internal temperature should flank steak reach for nachos?
Pull it at 130°F for medium-rare, it carries a few degrees during the 15-minute rest. At that temp the meat stays tender and juicy after slicing. Push past 145°F and flank steak tightens up and gets chewy.
Can I use a different cut of beef?
Skirt steak is the closest substitute, similar thickness, similar grain, grills fast. Flat iron works well too. Avoid thick cuts like ribeye or strip; they don’t slice and chop cleanly for nachos.
How do I keep the queso from breaking?
Keep the heat at medium, not high. Add cheese in stages, one handful at a time, and let each addition fully melt before the next goes in. If the sauce splits anyway, pull it off the heat and whisk in a tablespoon of warm milk.
Can I prep components ahead of time?
Yes. Grill and slice the steak up to a day ahead, refrigerate, and bring to room temp before building. The queso holds for up to two hours over low heat, stir occasionally and add a splash of milk if it tightens. Don’t assemble the nachos until you’re ready to serve.
What chips hold up best under steak and queso?
Thick, sturdy restaurant-style chips. Thin chips crack under the weight before you get a fork in, and oven time softens them further. You want something with enough structure to hold toppings without folding.
Can I make this without a grill?
A cast iron grill pan over high heat works. Get it screaming hot before the steak goes in, you need a hard sear, not a steam. The woodfired char from an outdoor grill is tough to fully replicate indoors, but a ripping-hot pan in a well-ventilated kitchen gets close.
More like this: Grilling Recipes · Summer Grilling Recipes · Kinder’s Recipes
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