Carne Asada
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
10 mins
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Cook Time
8 mins
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Total Time
18 mins
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Servings
6
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Course
Dinner
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Cuisine
South American
Carne Asada
Description
This recipe begins by mixing a marinade of minced garlic, orange and lime juices, chopped cilantro, salt, black pepper, olive oil, finely minced jalapeño, and white vinegar. The skirt or flank steak is coated thoroughly and allowed to marinate in a sealed bag for 1 to 8 hours, though not more than 12 hours to avoid an overly soft texture. Before grilling, the meat is brought to room temperature. The steak is cooked over a smoking hot grill or skillet for 3-4 minutes per side depending on thickness and desired doneness, aiming not to go beyond medium to prevent toughness. After cooking, the steak is loosely covered and rested for 5 minutes to reabsorb juices. It is then sliced thinly against the grain to maximize tenderness.
Carne Asada is commonly served in tacos but also works well in burritos or over rice. Traditional toppings enhance the citrus and peppery notes from the marinade. The recipe notes the marinade’s versatility and suitability for other proteins like chicken, pork, and fish, with adjusted marinating times. A graphical guide for slicing against the grain improves final texture.
Ingredients
Marinade:
- 4 cloves garlic , minced
- 1/2 cup / 125 ml orange juice
- 1/4 cup / 65 ml lime juice (about 2 limes)
- 1 cup Coriander finely chopped, or cilantro
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup / 65 ml olive oil
- 1 jalapeño (fresh), finely minced
- 2 tbsp white vinegar any clear or clear-ish vinegar, e.g. white wine vinegar, cider vinegar
Cooking:
- neutral cooking oil generic cooking oil
- 750 g - 1.2kg / 1.5 - 2.5lb skirt steak of flank, 900g/1.8lb skirt
To Serve as Carne Asada Tacos:
- tortillas
- avocado slices
- Pico de Gallo
- tomato
- Coriander leaves aka cilantro leaves
- lime wedges
Instructions
- Place the Marinade ingredients in a large ziplock bag and mix. Add beef and massage through the bag to coat evenly. Seal then marinate for 1- 8 hours (12 hours max, otherwise meat gets over marinated and can be mushy).
- Take the skirt steak out of the fridge 20 - 30 minutes before cooking to bring to room temperature.
- Brush BBQ with oil and heat on high until smoking (or use a large skillet over high heat and turn the fan on!).
- Cook skirt steak for 3 minutes each side for rare, 4 minutes for medium rare. For flank, cook for 4 minutes each side for rare and 5 minutes for medium rare. Don't cook beyond medium - chewy beef!
- Remove onto a plate and cover loosely with foil. Rest for 5 minutes then slice thinly against the grain (Note 2).
- Serve with tacos, in burritos or on rice!
Notes
- Skirt and flank steak cuts provide strong flavor and work best; ask your butcher if unsure.
- The marinade is versatile and also suitable for chicken, pork, and fish with adjusted marinate times.
- Bring the meat to room temperature before grilling to promote even cooking.
- Slice the cooked steak thinly against the grain to ensure tenderness.
- Avoid marinating longer than 12 hours to prevent overly soft meat texture.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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