This one came straight from memory. Back in our Florida days there was a spot we loved — these quesadillas with sweet plantains and refried beans that we never forgot. When we couldn't find the place anymore, we decided to rebuild it in the backyard.
The sweet plantains are the move here — don't skip them. They balance the savory steak and queso fresco in a way that's genuinely surprising. And the best part? It's a perfect quick lunch when you've got leftover flank steak from last night's cook and the ribs still have a few hours left on the smoker. Don't let good meat go to waste.
Chop the sweet plantains into small bite-sized pieces. Slice the leftover flank steak into thin, manageable strips. Get everything ready before the griddle heats up.
Fire up your Weber Griddle and set it to low heat. You want gentle, even heat here — you're warming everything through and crisping the tortilla, not blasting it.
Once the griddle is warm, add the chopped plantains and sliced steak. Let them heat through, stirring occasionally for even warming. Your backyard is going to smell incredible right now.
Spread a generous layer of refried beans on half of each flour tortilla. Place the tortillas directly on the griddle, bean-side up. Work in batches if needed.
As the tortillas warm up, pile on the steak and sweet plantain pieces on top of the beans. Generously crumble queso fresco over everything. Don't be shy with the cheese.
Once the tortilla is warm and pliable and the cheese starts to melt, carefully fold the empty half over the filled half into a half-moon. Let one side go golden and slightly crispy — about 2–3 minutes.
Flip each quesadilla and cook another 2 minutes until golden brown and the cheese is fully melted and gooey on the inside.
Pull them off the griddle, slice into triangles, and serve immediately. These are best fresh off the heat — don't let them sit.
Leftover steak is ideal: Flank steak that's already been cooked and rested overnight has even more flavor. This is the perfect use for yesterday's grill session.
Ripe plantains only: You want plantains that are mostly black on the outside — that's when they're at peak sweetness. Yellow ones aren't sweet enough yet.
Perfect timing: These are the ultimate "ribs on the smoker" lunch. Pop these on the griddle about 25 minutes before you'd normally just stand there waiting.