Traeger Flat Top Carne Asada Fries

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. frozen fast-food style French fries

Marinade Ingredients

• 2 oranges
• 1 lime
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp honey
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 clove minced garlic
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 chopped jalapeno
• 1.5 lbs. skirt, flap or flank steak

Lime Crema Ingredients

• 2.5 cups sour cream
• 1/4 tsp Traeger Rub
• 1 tsp lime juice

Cheese Sauce Ingredients

• 1.5 cup queso blanco cheese sauce
• Traeger Rub as needed
• 2 cups shredded Mexican-style cheese blend

Extras

• 1 cup pico de gallo or salsa
• 1/5 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• Guacamole or chopped avocado
• Traeger Jalapeno Lime Hot Sauce

Instructions

1. Marinate the steak: Finely grate the zest from 1 of the oranges and the lime into a bowl large enough to hold the steak or into a large zip top bag. Squeeze the juice from the zested orange into a small liquid measuring cup. If necessary, add more juice from the second orange to reach ½ cup, then pour the juice into the bowl with the zest. Squeeze the lime juice into the bowl. Add the soy sauce, olive oil, honey, cumin, garlic, pepper, and jalapeño, and stir to combine. Add the steak, turn to coat, and marinate it for 30 minutes at room temperature, or better, for 8 hours (and up to 24 hours) covered and refrigerated.
2. Make the lime crema: In a small bowl, mix the sour cream with the lime juice and Traeger Rub until combined. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
3. When ready to cook, preheat 2 adjacent zones on the flat top to medium heat and the third zone to medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Have handy a grill press and a large rimmed baking sheet and, for easy cleanup, a piece of parchment for the baking sheet.
4. Meanwhile, remove the steak from the marinade and pat it dry with a paper towel. (Discard the marinade.) Lightly-season both sides with Traeger Rub. Place the queso in a small saucepan to heat.
5. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons oil to the hot cooktop and use the spatula to spread it evenly. In the medium-high heat zone, add the steak and top with a grill press, if available (if not, press on the steak with a spatula). Cook, moving the press around as needed to help each piece get a good sear on it, until nicely browned on one side, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook to desired doneness, another 3 to 4 minutes for medium, depending on the thickness of your steak.
6. While the steak is cooking, make the fries: Add the fries to the 2 medium heat zones and spread them in a single layer. Cook undisturbed until starting to color on one side, about 4 minutes. Flip and cook on the other sides, tossing occasionally, until the fries are golden brown and cooked through, about another 4 minutes.
7. Transfer the steak to a cutting board to rest for 5 minutes or so. Scrape the zone where the steak cooked to remove any excess oil or seasoning, then place the sauce pot with the queso in that zone to heat through.
8. When the fries are golden brown and cooked through, reduce the heat to medium-low, gather the fries into a rectangle about 13 by 18 inches and top with the shredded cheese. Invert the sheet pan and use it to cover the fries, resting one side on the edge of the cooktop to create an opening to allow steam to escape from the sides. Cook until the cheese has melted, about 1 minute. Using caution as the baking sheet may be hot, remove it from the cooktop (you will be transferring the fries to it). If desired, line it with a sheet of parchment paper for serving and easy cleanup. Transfer the cheesy fries to the baking sheet trying to keep as much as the cheese on top as possible.
9. Top the cheesy fries with the sliced steak and drizzle with the warm queso. Top with a drizzle of the reserved lime crema, some pico de gallo, fresh cilantro, and, if using, guacamole and Traeger Jalapeño Lime Hot Sauce. Enjoy!