Palomilla Skirt Steak with Sour Orange, Charred Tomatoes, and Crispy Capers
This is the Cuban steakhouse dinner Southwest Florida was born to cook. Skirt steak soaks in a bright sour orange and garlic marinade, hits a screaming-hot cast iron, and lands on a plate piled with blistered summer tomatoes and crispy fried capers that pop with salt and acid. It is bold, fast, and exactly the kind of weeknight meal that makes you feel like you live somewhere worth living.
Palomilla done right: sour orange, charred tomatoes, and capers that shatter when you bite them.
Palomilla is one of those Cuban classics that never really left the table in Southwest Florida. It is simple on paper: a thin steak, a garlicky citrus marinade, high heat. But when you use real sour orange juice and let that cast iron get properly ripping hot, something happens that is genuinely hard to improve on.
We pushed the traditional preparation a little here, adding charred Florida tomatoes and crispy fried capers to the plate. The capers are the move. They fry up in about two minutes and turn into little salty, crunchy bursts that make the whole dish feel finished in a way that fresh herbs alone just do not. It is a technique worth keeping in your back pocket for a lot of things. You can read how we raise them here.
Ingredients
Method
- 1
Combine the sour orange juice, minced garlic, red pepper flakes, 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and a generous amount of black pepper in a shallow dish or zip-top bag. Add the skirt steak portions and turn to coat well. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours and up to 8 hours.
- 2
Pull the steak out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking so it comes closer to room temperature. Pat the pieces dry with paper towels. Dry meat browns; wet meat steams.
- 3
Set a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. When the oil just begins to smoke, add the capers in a single layer. Fry them, stirring occasionally, for 2 to 3 minutes until they bloom open and turn golden and crispy. Scoop them out onto a paper towel and set aside.
- 4
Raise the heat to high and add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Lay the tomatoes cut-side down in the hot pan and press them gently. Cook without moving for 3 to 4 minutes until deeply charred on the cut side and starting to collapse. Season with salt, then transfer to a serving plate and keep warm.
- 5
Return the pan to high heat. It should be smoking. Add the steak portions without crowding the pan and sear for 2 to 3 minutes per side for medium-rare, adjusting by a minute in either direction for your preference. Skirt steak is thin and cooks fast, so watch it closely.
- 6
Transfer the steak to a cutting board and let it rest 5 minutes. Slice against the grain into strips. Lay the slices over the charred tomatoes, scatter the crispy capers over the top, and finish with a squeeze of fresh lime if you have one handy.
- 7
Serve immediately with white rice, black beans, or toasted Cuban bread to soak up the juices on the plate.
Notes from our kitchen
- Sour orange trees grow all over Southwest Florida and often go unpicked. Ask your neighbors before you buy a substitute. The real thing has a floral, slightly bitter edge that store-bought substitutes cannot fully match.
- The single most important move with skirt steak is slicing against the grain. The muscle fibers run visibly along the length of the steak. Cut across them, not with them, or the meat will be chewy no matter how well you cooked it.
- Capers must be bone dry before they hit the oil or they will spatter dangerously. Drain them, then press between paper towels for a full minute before frying.
Common questions
Can I use flank steak instead of skirt steak?
Yes, flank steak works well here. It is a little thicker, so add a minute per side and use a meat thermometer to hit 130 to 135 degrees Fahrenheit for medium-rare. The sour orange marinade is equally good on flank.
I cannot find sour oranges. What is the best substitute?
Mix three parts fresh-squeezed navel orange juice with one part fresh lime juice. Add a small splash of grapefruit juice if you have it. It gets close to the bittersweet punch of the real thing.
Can I grill this instead of using cast iron?
Absolutely. Get your grill as hot as it will go, oil the grates well, and cook skirt steak 2 to 3 minutes per side over direct heat. The char from a wood or charcoal fire adds another layer that works beautifully with the sour orange marinade.