These Hawaiian Grilled Steak Tacos are hugely flavorful and an instant hit. The marinaded steak is tender and succulent. This pineapple salsa makes you feel like you’re in Maui.

The boys have been begging for a trip to the Hawaiian Islands for years now. We haven’t made it happen yet, but it’s totally on my radar. Originally, we were waiting until the boys grew into strong swimmers and we kept telling them so. Now my 15-year-old is a swim instructor himself and his younger brother has a sailboating license. The youngest one swims laps around me and coaches me on my strokes. Can’t use that as a reason anymore.

I’m sold. Hawaii needs to happen in the near future. I haven’t been back to Maui in approximately nearly two decades, but it’s still crystal clear in my mind. Out of all the places in the world we’ve traveled, it’s hard to beat the laid back vibes of island life.

Also. Hawaiian style food is ‘ono. You know I’m serious about it when you hang around here and find Hawaiian Huli Huli Chicken and Hawaiian Salmon Poke and Hawaiian Macaroni Salad, to name a few.

Today, I’m showering some island flavors into these Hawaiian Grilled Steak Tacos, which are an instant hit every single time. The marinated steak is tender and succulent. The pineapple salsa tastes like you’re in Maui. All you may need besides a heaping plate of steak tacos is a thirst quenching batch of Hawaiian Mai Tai to go along with it…

What Are Key Ingredients for the best steak tacos?

• Flank steak is popular for steak tacos. However, I most often reach for boneless New York steaks, as it’s my favorite for tenderness and flavor. If you find boneless NY steaks on sale, definitely grab those.
• Plenty of freshly chopped onions, ginger, and garlic provide wonderful aromatics.
• Regular strength soy sauce, sugar, and vinegar work together to balance out the salty, sweet, and tangy fusion
• Pineapple juice helps tenderize and flavor the steak, and provides that Hawaiian flavor. Plus, leftover pineapple juice is aces for Mai Tai.
• Be sure to use Asian toasted sesame oil; it’s not the same as regular sesame oil. You’ll find the dark amber Asian sesame oil in the ethnic food aisles of most major grocery stores. It smells amazing.

What goes into the Hawaiian Salsa?

• We’ve got our usual key players in salsa: tomatoes, red onion, cilantro, lime, and seasonings.
• Add some pure honey for sweetness and diced pineapple to take it to an Island level. Fresh pineapple is best, but canned pineapple can be used in a pinch.
• Save some extra lime slices for garnish.

Tips for the most flavorful, tender steak tacos:

• Whisk together the marinade ingredients and allow steak to marinate at least several hours to overnight
• Boneless NY steak is my choice for fail-proof flavor and tenderness
• Pierce steaks throughout with fork prior to marinading, to allow flavors into the steaks as they sit
• Grill only until medium-rare, for best tenderness. For me, it’s usually about 3 min per side, but it really varies depending on how hot your grill is and the thickness of your steaks
• Always allow cooked steaks to rest 5 minutes before slicing into them. Slicing too early will cause steaks to lose their juices and possibly dry out
• Did I mention: make a big batch of Hawaiian Mai Tai (make-ahead!)

Print

kitchen stuff we love:

Our favorite Hawaiian Style Recipes:

Hawaiian Mai Tai (make-ahead!)

Hawaiian Huli Huli Chicken

Hawaiian Macaroni Salad (L&L BBQ Copycat)

Hawaiian Apple Bread Pudding