Flank steak (or skirt steak) is marinated in an easy citrus garlic marinade and grilled to juicy perfection! Slice into strips and enjoy! Serve with tortillas and your favorite toppings for a meal everyone will love!
What is Carne Asada?
Mexican food is one of my all time favorite cuisines, from tacos to burritos and fresh pico de gallo! Carne asada translates to “grilled meat,” and in this recipe, it is marinated in a flavorful citrus mixture.
Carne Asada Marinade
The key to a tender carne asada is the marinade (and slicing the beef properly, more on that below). The acidity in the marinade tenderizes the meat and gives the most delicious flavor! Allow at least a few of hours marinating time but overnight if you can!
Citrus Juice: Both lime juice and orange juice provide acidity for tenderizing the meat and infusing it with a zesty flavor. Soy Sauce: Adds both saltiness and umami, adding to the overall flavor of the marinade. Garlic: Garlic adds great flavor. I recommend using three cloves but feel free to add more according to your preference. Other additions include vegetable oil (or olive oil), jalapeno, salt & pepper. Optional additions include chili powder, finely diced chipotle, and/or apple cider vinegar.
Beef for Carne Asada
One of the reasons Carne Asada Tacos are so great is that they use a less expensive cut of meat, usually a skirt steak or a flank steak. Of course, you can always use your favorite cuts, like rib steak. If using a tender cut of beef like ribeye, reduce the marinating time. Marinating both tenderizes the meat and brings a savory flavor during the grilling process.
How To Make Carne Asada
IF you do not have a grill you can cook carne asada in a grill pan or cast iron skillet on the stove top. Ensure you remove all excess marinade and discard. Allow enough time for the marinade to tenderize the beef. Most importantly, be sure to slice your beef against the grain. You will see long fibers in the meat, cut across the fibers for tender beef. If you cut with the fibers, you will get tough, chewy meat. Serve as steak tacos, burritos, fajitas, or just serve over my favorite version of cilantro tomato rice.
To Serve Carne Asada
This is the fun part! Set out toppings so everyone can build their own carne asada tacos! Serve with warmed corn or flour tortillas and this delicious Mexican Corn salad. Topping Ideas
Sauces: Salsa, Guacamole, Sour Cream, or Pico de Gallo. Crunchy Veggies: Sliced or diced Onions, cooked and diced potatoes, shredded cabbage, or shredded lettuce. Other Veggies: Sliced avocados, sliced black olives, diced tomatoes, and sliced jalapenos!
Leftovers
We always hope for leftovers so we can make either nachos (with cheese and beans) or Carne Asada Fries! Top homemade oven fries (or air fryer fries) with cheese and broil to melt. Top with chopped carne asada, sour cream, salsa or pico de gallo, and cheese.
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