Jibarito Sandwich

Ingredients

For the marinade and steak

Juice of 3 medium limes (about 1/3 cup)

1/4 cup vegetable oil

4 cloves garlic, mashed to a paste

1 1/2 tablespoons adobo (homemade or store-bought)  

2 teaspoons onion powder

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2 pounds boneless, thin-cut ribeye steaks (about 4 thin-cut steaks).

Method

Prepare the steak marinade: 

In a quart mason jar, combine the lime juice, vegetable oil, garlic paste, adobo, onion powder, oregano, cumin, and black pepper. Screw the lid on tightly and shake the jar vigorously for 40 seconds to 1 minute until the ingredients are well combined.

Marinate the steaks: 

Pour the marinade into a shallow dish or sturdy zip-top food storage bag. Add the ribeye steaks to the marinade, flipping each to coat. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, and up to 12 hours.

Mix the mayo-ketchup: 

In a 1-quart mixing bowl, combine the mayonnaise, ketchup, lime juice, granulated garlic, and adobo until smooth. 

Cover the mixing bowl and refrigerate the mayo-ketchup until you’re ready to assemble the sandwiches. The mayo-ketchup can be prepared 5 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator.

Peel and cut the plantains: 

20 minutes before you plan to sear the steaks, peel the plantains by cutting 1/2 inch off each end to remove the stems. Use the tip of a paring knife to cut a slit down the backside length of the plantain. Using the meaty part of your thumb, push up the peel to remove it from the plantain. 

Once the plantain is peeled, slice it in half down its length. Repeat with the remaining plantains.