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Garlic Butter Honey BBQ Beef Tacos

Garlic butter honey BBQ beef tacos with caramelized, glossy flank steak and a quick honey-lime BBQ glaze. Quick skillet browning plus garlic sauté gives bold flavor, topped with fresh cilantro and crispy onions.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main
Cuisine: Mexican-Fusion
Calories: 720
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Flank steak
  • 2 lb flank steak sliced thin against the grain
Butter
  • 6 tbsp butter
Garlic
  • 8 garlic cloves minced
BBQ glaze
  • 0.5 cup BBQ sauce
  • 3 tbsp honey
  • 2 tbsp lime juice
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
Taco assembly
  • 1 salt and pepper to taste
  • 8 flour tortillas
  • 1 fresh cilantro diced
  • 1 diced onion for serving (crispy if desired)
  • 1 lime wedges for serving

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Caramelize the beef
  1. Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over high heat. Season the flank steak slices with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika.
  2. Cook the beef in batches for 3-4 minutes until browned, then transfer to a plate. Keep batches from overcrowding so the meat browns instead of steams.
  3. Add the remaining butter and minced garlic to the skillet, then sauté for 1 minute until fragrant. Scrape up any browned bits as the garlic toasts.
  4. Return the beef to the skillet and add BBQ sauce, honey, and lime juice. Toss to coat and cook for 3-4 minutes until caramelized and glossy.
Warm and assemble tacos
  1. Warm the flour tortillas in a dry skillet. Heat until pliable with light toasted spots, about 20-30 seconds per side.
  2. Fill each tortilla with the garlic butter honey BBQ beef and spoon over any glossy glaze. Top with fresh cilantro, diced onion, and a squeeze of lime juice, then serve with lime wedges.

Notes

For best caramelization, slice the flank steak thin against the grain and cook in batches so the pan stays hot; that’s what helps the sauce turn glossy. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days; rewarm in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of water. Freezing is not recommended for the best tortilla texture, but the beef filling freezes up to 2 months. Dietary swap: use turkey or chicken flank-style cut and keep the same glaze for a lighter option.