Aguja norteña — the blade from the northern Mexican frontier — is the classic parrilla cut of the north, where cattle ranching defines the cuisine. Simply seasoned and grilled over mesquite.
Serves 4 peoplePrep 10 minCook 30 min
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Ingredients
- 1 kg aguja norteña (chuck blade steak), cut into 2 cm steaks
- Coarse salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Lime wedges, guacamole, flour tortillas, and salsa to serve
Method
- 1Light a mesquite charcoal fire and let it burn down to glowing embers with no flames.
- 2Season the aguja steaks generously with salt and pepper.
- 3Grill over medium-high heat, about 5–7 minutes per side — aguja has connective tissue that benefits from slightly longer cooking than a premium steak.
- 4Test for doneness at the thickest part. Aguja norteña is best at medium, around 60–63 °C internal.
- 5Rest 5 minutes and serve with flour tortillas, guacamole, and lime. The border way is to eat straight from the grill with no ceremony.
Chef's tip
Aguja norteña is a working cut with some connective tissue — do not cook it to rare as the tissue will not have softened. Medium is the sweet spot.