Salt the steak 45 minutes ahead, or literally as it hits the pan. Pat the steak completely dry with paper towels, then season with the salt, pepper, cumin, and garlic powder. Now the part that actually matters: season it at least 45 minutes before cooking, or in the final seconds before it goes in the skillet but not in the window in between. Salt pulls moisture to the surface of the meat, and in that 5-to-30-minute stretch that liquid is just sitting there beading up. Hot pan plus wet surface equals steam, and steam means no crust. Wait the full 45 minutes and the brine gets reabsorbed, leaving the exterior dry and primed to brown. If you’re salting ahead, leave the steak uncovered on a rack in the fridge.
Blend the crema. Combine the yogurt, cilantro, jalapeño, garlic, lime juice, olive oil, and salt in a blender and run it until it’s smooth and uniformly green with flecks of herb throughout, about 30–45 seconds. Add water a tablespoon at a time until it drizzles off a spoon in a ribbon rather than plopping. Refrigerate until you’re ready to build.
Dress the rice. Fold the cilantro, lime juice, olive oil, and salt into the warm rice. Warm rice absorbs the lime and oil far better than cold rice, which just gets slicked on the outside.
Char the corn. Heat your dry skillet over medium-high until a drop of water skitters across it. Add the corn in a single layer and leave it alone for 2–3 minutes, until you see dark blistered spots and hear the kernels start to pop. Stir once, give it another 2 minutes, then transfer to a bowl and toss with the red onion, cilantro, lime juice, and salt. Pro tip: resist stirring. Every stir resets the contact time the kernels need to blacken, and you’ll end up with corn that’s merely hot instead of properly charred.
Sear the steak. Wipe out the skillet, return it to medium-high, and add the oil. When it shimmers and just barely wisps smoke, lay the steak down and don’t move it for 3–4 minutes. Flip once and cook another 3–4 minutes, until the crust is deep brown and an instant-read thermometer reads 125–130°F at the thickest part for medium-rare.
Rest, then slice against the grain. Move the steak to a cutting board and let it sit for 8–10 minutes it’ll coast up to about 135°F while it rests. Find the direction the muscle fibers run and cut across them at a slight angle, in 1/2-inch slices.
Build the bowls. Divide the cilantro rice between four bowls, then arrange the sliced steak, charred corn, and avocado chunks in sections rather than mixing everything together. Drizzle the crema over the top, scatter on extra cilantro, and serve with lime wedges.
