RICK BAYLESS: HI.

I'M RICK BAYLESS AND I'VE BEEN EXPLORING, COOKING, AND EATING IN MEXICO FOR OVER 40 YEARS.

NOW I'M TAKING YOU TO MEXICO CITY FOR A DEEP DIVE INTO THE CLASSIC DISHES YOU'VE ASKED TO LEARN.

IT'S TIME TO SHARE MY BEST RECIPES EVER.

ANNOUNCER: "MEXICO ONE PLATE AT A TIME" BAYLESS: I'M THINKING ABOUT THE PERFECT TACO.

MAYBE IT STARTS WITH A PIECE OF SKIRT STEAK THAT'S SEARED ON A CHARCOAL FIRE.

THEN IT'S CHOPPED UP AND PILED ONTO WARM, SUPPLE CORN TORTILLAS.

MAYBE IT GETS A LITTLE BIT OF AVOCADO TOMATILLO SALSA OVER THE TOP.

MAYBE A LITTLE BIT OF PICO DE GALLO.

THEY MAKE SOME PRETTY GOOD TACOS HERE AT LOS PARADOS IN MEXICO CITY.

ARRACHERA--SKIRT STEAK--TACOS THAT YOU CAN GET MADE FROM RIBEYE OR A PORK CHOP.

TACOS AL PASTOR.

THEY DO THIS REALLY COOL CHILE RELLENO KIND OF TACO WHERE THEY STUFF A POBLANO WITH CHEESE AND ROLL IT AROUND ON THE GRILL AND THEN CHOP IT ALL UP TOGETHER AND MAKE THAT INTO A TACO.

BUT AS GOOD AS THESE ARE, THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING OF THE TACO STORY.

ANOTHER STYLE OF TACO THAT I REALLY LOVE IS CALLED TACOS A LA PLANCHA.

NOW, PLANCHA IS THIS GREAT, BIG GRIDDLE THAT THEY'VE GOT BACK HERE, AND THE MOST POPULAR THING TO SEAR ON THAT GRIDDLE IS THOSE VERY THINLY CUT PIECES OF BEEF.

BUT THEY DO OTHER KINDS OF THINGS BACK THERE AS WELL-- CHICKEN.

THEY'LL DO SOME CHEESE MIXED INTO THINGS.

BUT MY FAVORITE IS THEY'LL-- THEY'LL TAKE SOME OF THAT COOKED LONGANIZA-- ANOTHER WORD FOR THAT WOULD BE CHORIZO-- STYLE OF SAUSAGE AND MIX IT ALL TOGETHER.

THAT'S WHAT I'VE GOT HERE ON THIS PLATE.

THEY'LL CALL THIS A TACO CAMPECHANO BECAUSE IT MIXED TOGETHER THOSE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS.

BUT WHAT EVERYBODY REALLY LOVES ABOUT COMING TO A PLACE LIKE THIS IS NOT ONLY THE FRESH-MADE, HANDMADE TORTILLA THAT THE TACO GOES ON, BUT ALL OF THESE TOPPINGS THAT YOU CAN PUT ON IT.

I MEAN, THERE'S ALL DIFFERENT KINDS OF THINGS, INCLUDING NOPAL CACTUS.

I'M GONNA PUT SOME OF THAT ON TOP OF MINE.

MAYBE YOU WANT TO MAKE A FULL MEAL OUT OF THIS AND SPOON ON SOME FRESH-COOKED BEANS.

MAYBE A LITTLE MASHED POTATOES TO GO ON YOUR TACO.

AND NOW WE GET TO THINGS THAT YOU WILL RECOGNIZE AS TYPICAL KINDS OF TOPPINGS FOR A TACO.

WE HAVE THE SALSA MEXICANA.

YOU MAY KNOW THAT AS PICO DE GALLO.

HERE ARE SOME PICKLED RED ONIONS.

A BEAUTIFUL RED CHILE SALSA HERE.

AND THIS IS WHAT I REALLY LOVE.

IT'S THE STYLE OF GUACAMOLE YOU FIND IN PLACES LIKE THIS.

IT'S A REALLY SOUPY GUACAMOLE THAT'S MADE WITH TOMATILLOS AND I THINK IT'S JUST ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS ON THE TACOS MADE WITH THE BEEF AND THE CHORIZO, AND I DON'T THINK IT WOULD BE A FINISHED TACO IF I DIDN'T SQUEEZE SOME LIME OVER THE TOP OF IT.

THIS IS A TACO AND A HALF HERE.

BUT BOY, THESE ARE REALLY DELICIOUS.

WHEN I WAS A STUDENT IN MEXICO CITY, THIS IS REALLY THE STYLE OF TACOS THAT I SURVIVED ON.

IT'S A STYLE THAT'S CALLED TACOS DE GUISADOS, OR SOMETIMES CALLED TACOS DE CAZUELA, BECAUSE THESE LONG-SIMMERED TACO FILLINGS ARE OFTEN STEWED IN THE TRADITIONAL EARTHENWARE CAZUELAS HERE.

NOW, WHEN WE WOULD HAVE OUR BREAK MID-MORNING AT SCHOOL FOR ALMUERZO, THAT KIND OF CROSS BETWEEN BREAKFAST AND LUNCH IN OUR CULTURE, MY WIFE AND I WOULD GO TO THIS WOMAN'S PLACE.

WELL, REALLY, IT WAS JUST THE CONVERTED FRONT ROOM OF HER APARTMENT WHERE SHE WOULD LINE UP ALL THESE BEAUTIFUL EARTHENWARE CAZUELAS WITH DIFFERENT KINDS OF TRADITIONAL PREPARATIONS.

AND IT SORT OF REMINDED ME OF GOING TO A SPANISH TAPAS BAR WHERE YOU COULD ORDER A LITTLE BIT OF THIS AND A LITTLE BIT OF THAT, BUT FOR THESE, THAT LITTLE BIT COMES IN A CORN TORTILLA THAT YOU PICK UP AND FOLD AND TAKE A BITE OUT OF.

TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH, TACOS DE GUISADOS CAN BE SOME OF THE MOST TRADITIONAL AND SATISFYING FLAVORS IN MEXICO.

GRACIAS.

NOW, TYPICALLY, IN A PLACE LIKE THIS, I'LL GO FOR THE SCRAMBLED EGGS A LA MEXICANA OR MAYBE THE STEWED MUSHROOMS, ESPECIALLY IF THEY'RE USING SOME OF THE WILD MUSHROOMS THAT ARE COOKED WITH EPAZOTE AND GREEN CHILE, BUT BOY, I LANDED ON THIS TODAY.

THIS IS CALLED ENCACAHUATADO HERE.

SO, THIS IS THE CHICKEN THAT'S COOKED IN A SAUCE OF PEANUTS AND ARBOL CHILE, ONIONS, GARLIC, TOMATO, THAT SORT OF THING, AND I CAN NEVER PASS UP RAJAS, THE POBLANO CHILE STRIPS THAT ARE COOKED WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS, CREAM, AND A LITTLE, IN THIS CASE, A LITTLE BIT OF FRESH CORN.

THESE ARE THE KIND OF TACOS THAT TASTE LIKE THEY WERE MADE BY YOUR MEXICAN GRANDMOTHER IF SHE WAS A REALLY GOOD COOK.

PEOPLE COME TO MEXICO AND THEY FALL IN LOVE WITH THIS INEXPENSIVE MARKET EARTHENWARE.

THEY BUY THESE CAZUELAS AND THEY TAKE THEM HOME, AND THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH THEM MOST OF THE TIME.

I THINK THEY END UP BEING A FRUIT BOWL.

BUT IF YOU'RE ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE THAT'S BOUGHT A CAZUELA IN MEXICO AND WANTS TO COOK IN IT, LET ME STEP YOU THROUGH THAT PROCESS.

FIRST OF ALL, THIS IS A LOW-FIRED EARTHENWARE, MEANING THAT IT'S PRETTY FRAGILE STUFF, BUT IT'S GLAZED ON THE INSIDE, NOT GLAZED ON THE OUTSIDE, WHICH MEANS THAT IT CAN GO DIRECTLY OVER THE HEAT.

SO, THE FIRST TIME I USE A CAZUELA, THE THING THAT I DO IS TO SOAK THE WHOLE THING IN WATER FOR ABOUT 15 OR 20 MINUTES.

THEN I TAKE IT OUT OF THE WATER, I FILL IT FULL OF WATER, AND I SET IT OVER MEDIUM HEAT.

YOU'LL NOTICE THAT IT WILL TAKE A LONG TIME FOR THAT WATER TO COME TO A SIMMER, AND WHEN IT DOES COME TO A SIMMER, IT'LL BE A VERY GENTLE SIMMER, BECAUSE EARTHENWARE DOES NOT CONDUCT HEAT VERY WELL.

BUT ONCE IT GETS HOT, IT WILL HOLD THE HEAT, BUT IT'LL HOLD IT IN A VERY GENTLE WAY.

NOW WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT THE GLAZE.

A LOT OF MEXICO'S MARKET POTTERY IS LEAD GLAZED.

YOU'RE SEEING MORE AND MORE SIGNS THAT SAY, "SIN PLOMO," WITHOUT ANY LEAD IN THE GLAZE, SO, CERTAINLY, ASK THE VENDOR, AND BUY THE STUFF THAT DOESN'T HAVE ANY LEAD IN THE GLAZE.

BUT IF LEAD CONCERNS YOU, I SUGGEST THAT YOU DON'T COOK IN IT AND DON'T STORE IN IT.

JUST USE IT AS A BEAUTIFUL SERVING PIECE.

I'VE GOT MY CAZUELA HEATING HERE TO TURN OUT A DELICIOUS FILLING FOR A TACO DE CAZUELA, AND I'VE GOT A BASKET OF VEGETABLES.

PRETTY MUCH ANY MEXICAN COOK WOULD LOOK AT THAT BASKET OF VEGETABLES AND KNOW RIGHT AWAY WHAT I'M MAKING.

IT'S CALABACITAS A LA MEXICANA, OR WHAT YOU COULD MORE OR LESS TRANSLATE AS ZUCCHINI WITH MEXICAN FLAVORS, BUT IT'S REALLY FUN TO MAKE THAT HERE IN MEXICO, BECAUSE, WELL, THE ZUCCHINI LOOKS VERY DIFFERENT, OR THAT SUMMER SQUASH LOOKS VERY DIFFERENT.

THE TOMATOES ARE A LITTLE DIFFERENT.

THE CORN IS REALLY DIFFERENT.

SO, THE FIRST STEP IN MAKING THIS FILLING IS TO CUT UP AN ONION AND FINELY CHOP SOME GARLIC.

NOW, THE POT IS REALLY HOT.

I'VE HAD IT ON THE HEAT FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES HERE BECAUSE THIS IS EARTHENWARE AND IT TAKES A LONG TIME TO HEAT UP.

STARTED IT OFF ON A LOW FIRE AND NOW IT'S GOTTEN PRETTY HOT.

I'M GONNA GIVE A NICE FILM OF OIL OVER THE BOTTOM OF THE CAZUELA AND THEN PUT THE ONIONS IN THERE, AND IF THE PAN IS HOT ENOUGH, WE SHOULD HEAR A NICE SIZZLE LIKE THAT.

WHEN I'M WORKING WITH CAZUELAS, I ALWAYS LIKE TO WORK WITH WOODEN UTENSILS, BECAUSE THESE ARE FAIRLY FRAGILE, THESE CAZUELAS.

I'M GONNA LET THESE COOK UNTIL THEY'RE SOFT ON THE INSIDE AND BEGINNING TO BROWN ON THE OUTSIDE, AND THEN I'M GONNA SLIDE THE GARLIC INTO IT.

BUT WHILE WE'RE WAITING FOR THOSE TO COOK, I'M GOING TO CHOP UP, ROUGHLY CHOP UP SOME TOMATOES, BECAUSE I'M GONNA BLEND THESE IN THE BLENDER UNTIL I GET A NICE, SMOOTH SAUCE OUT OF THEM, FRESH TOMATO SAUCE.

THESE ARE MEDIUM JUICY TOMATOES, SO, IT MAY TAKE A SECOND FOR THEM TO CATCH WITH THE BLADES, BUT IT'LL BE PRETTY EASY TO MAKE THIS FRESH TOMATO SAUCE OUT OF THEM.

TOP GOES ON.

[WHIRRING] ONCE THE ONIONS ARE TRANSLUCENT AND HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF COLOR, ADD THE CHOPPED GARLIC.

MIX ALL THAT TOGETHER, THEN ADD THE BLENDED TOMATO MIXTURE.

WHILE THAT COOKS DOWN, ROAST A COUPLE OF POBLANO CHILIES OVER A HIGH FLAME UNTIL THEY'RE BLACKENED AND BLISTERED ON ALL SIDES.

PUT THEM INTO A BOWL AND COVER THEM WITH A KITCHEN TOWEL, AND THEN WHEN THEY'RE COOLED OFF A LITTLE BIT, PULL OFF THE BLACKENED SKIN, OPEN THEM UP, TEAR OUT THE SEED POD, AND THEN QUICKLY RINSE THEM UNDER RUNNING WATER TO REMOVE ANY STRAY SEEDS OR BITS OF BLACKENED SKIN.

FINELY CHOP THE ROASTED POBLANOS INTO SMALL PIECES AND PUT THEM INTO A BOWL.

THEN IT'S TIME TO PREP THE CORN.

NOW, FIRST OF ALL, YOU HAVE TO SEE THAT THIS IS NOT SWEET CORN.

THIS IS FIELD CORN THAT'S PICKED AT AN IMMATURE STAGE, AND WHAT I USUALLY DO IS TO CUT IT LYING DOWN LIKE THIS AND JUST CUT DOWN THE SIDE AND THEN YOU'LL NOTICE THAT I CAN FLIP IT OVER AND THEN IT WILL BE VERY STABLE FOR THE NEXT CUTS HERE.

AND THEN I'M READY TO SCOOP THESE GUYS INTO THE BOWL.

SO, A SUMMER SQUASH LIKE THIS ONE HERE IS OFTENTIMES FOUND IN THE UNITED STATES THESE DAYS IN MEXICAN GROCERY STORES AND IN FARMERS MARKETS.

WHEN WE BUY IT IN CHICAGO, IT'S TYPICALLY CALLED TATUME SQUASH.

THERE'S A ROUND VARIETY OF IT THAT IS OFTEN CALLED RONDE DE NICE BY ITS FRENCH SEED NAME.

SO, YOU COULD LOOK FOR THOSE IN YOUR MARKETS AND SEE IF THAT'S WHAT IT IS, BUT YOU CAN ACTUALLY MAKE THIS WITH ANY KIND OF SUMMER SQUASH.

WHY DO I LIKE THESE?

BECAUSE THEY HAVE A VERY COMPACT TEXTURE AND THEY DON'T HAVE THE BITTERNESS THAT YOU TYPICALLY WILL FIND IN OUR RUN-OF-THE-MILL ZUCCHINI.

NOW ALL I HAVE TO DO IS TO CHOP THIS UP INTO PIECES THAT ARE A LITTLE LESS THAN A HALF AN INCH.

NOW ALL OF THESE VEGETABLES ARE GONNA GO IN WITH OUR REDUCED TOMATO MIXTURE HERE.

GET ALL THAT MIXED UP NICELY.

AND THEN WE HAVE MEXICAN CREMA.

SO, THE CREMA THAT'S GONNA GO IN HERE IS REALLY LIKE CREME FRAICHE.

IT'S NOT AT ALL LIKE OUR SOUR CREAM.

IN FACT, IF YOU TRIED TO USE SOUR CREAM IN THIS, IT WOULD JUST CURDLE.

SO, IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE MEXICAN CREMA OR THE CREME FRAICHE, MY RECOMMENDATION IS THAT YOU JUST SIMPLY USE HEAVY CREAM FOR THIS AND LET ALL OF THESE VEGETABLES SIMMER WITH THE CREAM, AND THEN THEY WILL HAVE THIS BEAUTIFUL COATING OF TOMATO SAUCE AND CREAM, AND THAT POBLANO CHILE WILL START TO RELEASE ALL OF ITS FLAVOR.

THIS WILL TAKE ABOUT 20 MINUTES OR SO FOR THAT ZUCCHINI TO GET TENDER AND ALL THOSE FLAVORS TO COME TOGETHER.

A FINAL CLASSIC FLAVORING FOR CALABACITAS IS EPAZOTE.

PULL THE LEAVES OFF OF ONE OF THE BRANCHES AND CUT THEM INTO HALF-INCH PIECES AND ADD THAT INTO YOUR VEGETABLE MIXTURE ALONG WITH A LITTLE BIT OF SALT.

AND THE CLASSIC GARNISH ON THIS WOULD BE QUESO FRESCO-- FRESH CHEESE-- SO, I BROUGHT A CHUNK OF IT.

THIS IS MILKY AND SALTY AND LIGHT-FLAVORED, AND YOU JUST SIMPLY CRUMBLE IT BETWEEN YOUR HANDS.

THIS ISN'T A MELTING CHEESE AT ALL.

SO, NOW I'VE GOT A BUNCH OF IT CRUMBLED.

I'VE GOT SOME LOVELY TORTILLAS HERE THAT ARE MADE WITH HEIRLOOM CORN, SO, I'LL PUT THOSE OUT THERE.

A SPOONFUL OF OUR CALABACITAS A LA MEXICANA.

AND THEN SOME OF OUR BEAUTIFULLY CRUMBLED QUESO FRESCO OVER THAT.

I LOVE THE IDEA OF EPAZOTE, SO, I'LL PICK OFF A COUPLE OF LEAVES HERE AND JUST--IT'S NOT TYPICALLY USED AS A FRESH GARNISH BECAUSE IT'S A STRONG FLAVOR, BUT I LIKE IT SO MUCH THAT I EVEN PUT IT AS A LITTLE BIT OF A FRESH GARNISH ON SOME OF THE DISHES LIKE THIS ONE.

AND THERE YOU'VE GOT IT.

MY BEST-EVER TACO DE CAZUELA.

OK, LET'S TALK STEAK TACOS.

YOU FIRST HAVE TO CHOOSE THE MEAT, AND I WILL TELL YOU WITHOUT DOUBT, MY VERY FAVORITE MEAT FOR MAKING STEAK TACOS IS SKIRT STEAK.

I LOVE ITS BEEFY FLAVOR.

BUT THERE'S TWO DIFFERENT KINDS OF SKIRT STEAK.

THERE IS THE OUTSIDE SKIRT STEAK, AND YOU CAN SEE THAT IT'S A THIN PIECE OF MEAT, AND RIGHT NEXT TO IT IS THE INSIDE SKIRT STEAK.

MUCH THICKER.

NOW, BOTH OF THEM WILL BE BEEFY, BUT THE INSIDE SKIRT STEAK WILL NOT BE NEARLY AS TENDER, BUT IT'S WAY MORE AFFORDABLE.

SO, IN A LOT OF THE MEXICAN MARKETS, WHAT YOU WILL FIND IS THIS INSIDE SKIRT STEAK THAT HAS BEEN BUTTERFLIED AND THEN RUN THROUGH A TENDERIZING MACHINE, MAKING IT BOTH AFFORDABLE AND REALLY DELICIOUS IN THAT BEEFY FLAVOR.

I'M GONNA USE THE OUTSIDE SKIRT STEAK TODAY, SO, I'M GONNA PUT IT INTO A GLASS BAKING DISH SO THAT I CAN MARINATE IT.

THIS IS GONNA BE A TOPICAL MARINADE THAT I'M GONNA MAKE, SO, IT WON'T NEED TO SPEND A WHOLE LOT OF TIME WITH IT.

IN A BLENDER JAR, I'M GOING TO COMBINE JUST A SLICE OF ONION.

I'M GONNA GIVE THAT A ROUGH CHOP JUST TO GET IT STARTED IN THE BLENDER JAR.

AND THEN I'VE GOT SOME CLOVES OF GARLIC.

THESE ARE ALREADY PEELED, BUT AGAIN, I WANT TO CUT THEM INTO SMALLER PIECES TO HELP WITH THE BLENDING OF IT.

THEN SCOOP ALL OF THAT IN THERE.

AND NOW I'M GOING TO ADD SOME LIME JUICE TO THAT.

AND NOW ONTO THE SPICES.

I'M GONNA COMBINE SOME WHOLE CUMIN SEEDS WITH SOME BLACK PEPPERCORNS AND THEN GRIND ALL OF THAT TOGETHER IN THIS LITTLE MORTAR, THIS LITTLE MOLCAJETE.

NOW WITH A LITTLE BRUSH THAT I ALWAYS KEEP IN A SMALL MOLCAJETE, I'M GONNA BRUSH OUT ALL OF THAT BEAUTIFUL SMELL AND STUFF.

AND THEN THE LAST THING THAT WE HAVE TO ADD TO THIS BLENDER JAR IS SALT.

REMEMBER THAT YOU'RE MAKING A MARINADE HERE, SO, IT SHOULD TASTE SLIGHTLY SALTY.

THEN PUT THE BLENDER ON THE BASE AND WE'RE GOING TO MAKE NOW A SMOOTH PUREE.

[WHIRRING] ONCE THE MARINADE IS FINISHED BLENDING, USE IT TO COVER BOTH SIDES OF THE MEAT.

THEN PLACE THE MEAT INTO THE REFRIGERATOR.

NOW IT'S TIME TO GRILL VEGETABLES FOR A MOLCAJETE SALSA.

AND THEN THE 3 INGREDIENTS THAT I AM GOING TO GRILL ROAST FOR THIS SALSA ARE TOMATOES-- I'M USING A PLUM TOMATO HERE.

IT'S GONNA GIVE US A WONDERFULLY THICK CONSISTENCY SALSA.

SO, I'LL LAY THESE GUYS ON AND THEN I HAVE SERRANO CHILIES.

YOU COULD USE JALAPENOS FOR THIS IF YOU WANTED TO.

AND THEN I HAVE SOME CLOVES OF GARLIC.

SO, THE GARLIC WILL GO ON WITH ITS PAPERY SKIN STILL INTACT.

I'M GONNA CLOSE THE GRILL, BUT CHECK IT REALLY REGULARLY SO THAT I CAN TURN EVERYTHING UNTIL THEY ARE SORT OF BLACKENED AND BLISTERED AND SOFT ON THE INSIDE.

SO, THIS IS THE MOLCAJETE THAT'S GOING TO MAKE THE MAGIC OF THE PERFECT SALSA.

SO, WE'VE GOT ALL OF THESE INGREDIENTS THAT ARE NOW READY.

I WANT TO POINT OUT ONE THING, THAT THE TOMATOES WERE COOKED UNTIL THEY ARE COMPLETELY SOFT ALL THE WAY TO THE CORE HERE.

THE GARLIC CAN BE EASILY PEELED NOW.

THAT SORT OF PAPERY SKIN IS ACTUALLY KIND OF BURNT OFF A LITTLE BIT THERE.

AND THEN I'M GONNA CRUSH THOSE WITH THE CHILIES, AND YOU CAN SEE THAT THESE CHILIES ALSO ARE SOFT.

YOU WANT TO LET THESE COOL OFF TO ABOUT ROOM TEMPERATURE BEFORE YOU START THIS.

I'M GOING TO ADD SOME SALT TO THE MORTAR.

THAT WILL ACT AS A BIT MORE ABRASIVE, BUT OF COURSE, WE HAVE THE LAVA ROCK OR THE BASALT HERE THAT'S ALSO THE ABRASIVE, AND WE'RE GONNA MASH THIS ROASTED GARLIC AND ROASTED GREEN CHILE INTO AN ABSOLUTELY SMOOTH PASTE.

I AM LITERALLY DOING ROCK AGAINST ROCK AND SORT OF PRESSING OUT THAT GARLIC AND GREEN CHILE INTO IT, AND THAT AROMA IS ONE OF THE MOST GLORIOUS AROMAS IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD.

NOW, I'M PEELING OFF THE KIND OF BURNT EXTERIOR, BURNT SKIN OF THE TOMATO, AND THEN CRUSHING IT IN HERE.

WHEN ALL YOUR TOMATOES HAVE GONE INTO THE MOLCAJETE, FINELY CHOP A SLICE OF WHITE ONION, THEN RINSE IT UNDER COLD WATER TO REMOVE SOME OF ITS BITE.

ADD THAT TO THE MOLCAJETE ALONG WITH SOME CHOPPED CILANTRO AND JUST A HINT OF FRESH-SQUEEZED LIME JUICE.

YOU'VE GOT THE BEAUTIFUL ROASTINESS OF THE TOMATOES, GREEN CHILE, AND GARLIC; THE FRESH CRUNCH OF THE ONION; AND THE HERBINESS OF THAT CILANTRO MAKING, TO ME, THE PERFECT MOLCAJETE SALSA.

NOW IT'S TIME TO GRILL THAT SKIRT STEAK.

[SIZZLING] NOW, THERE'S ONE THING THAT IS IMPORTANT TO KEEP IN MIND WHEN YOU'RE WORKING WITH SKIRT STEAK, AND THAT IS THAT THE GRAIN IS VERY OBVIOUS AND YOU HAVE TO CUT IT AGAINST THAT GRAIN.

SO, I'M GONNA CUT THIS SKIRT STEAK INTO 3 PIECES HERE SO THAT I CAN THEN CUT THEM AGAINST THE GRAIN.

I LIKE TO CUT THEM ABOUT BETWEEN A QUARTER AND A HALF INCH ACROSS.

THIS IS BEAUTIFUL MEAT, I HAVE TO SAY.

NOW, I COOKED THIS MEAT TO ABOUT MEDIUM RARE BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I LIKE IT TO BE, BUT IF YOU'RE A WELL-DONE-MEAT LOVER, THEN JUST REST ASSURED THAT SKIRT STEAK IS ACTUALLY REALLY DELICIOUS WELL DONE.

I'M GONNA SPRINKLE JUST A LITTLE BIT OF SALT OVER THE CUT SIDES OF THAT.

NOW IT'S TIME TO MAKE MY PERFECT SKIRT STEAK TACO.

I'M GONNA GRAB A COUPLE OF WARM CORN TORTILLAS HERE AND LAY THEM OUT ONTO A PLATE, TRADITIONAL MEXICAN STYLE, FOR SERVING THE TACOS.

PUT SOME OF THIS BEAUTIFUL SKIRT STEAK-- OH, MAN, DOES THAT LOOK GOOD-- ONTO EACH ONE OF THEM.

NOW A SPOONFUL OF THE MOLCAJETE SALSA OVER THAT.

AND JUST A NICE, FRESH SPRIG OF CILANTRO TO GO ONTO EACH ONE OF THEM.

I LIKE TO SERVE THEM WITH LIMES TO JUST SQUEEZE ON THE TOP OF IT.

AND THERE YOU HAVE IT-- MY PERFECT GRILLED SKIRT STEAK TACO WITH SALSA DE MOLCAJETE.

OK, SO,