Carne asada or grilled thin steaks
User Reviews
4.7
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Prep Time
5 mins
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Cook Time
10 mins
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Servings
4 people
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
South American, Ecuadorian
Carne asada or grilled thin steaks
Description
This Carne asada recipe starts by blending crushed garlic with cumin, black pepper, and salt to create a savory marinade paste. The thin beef steaks are coated with olive oil and then the garlic-spice paste and allowed to rest for at least 30 minutes or overnight for deeper flavor. When grilling, garlic bits are removed from the surface to avoid charring, and the thin cuts cook rapidly over high heat resulting in a well-seasoned, tender steak with a slightly charred exterior.
The dish is complemented by traditional Ecuadorian side dishes such as white rice prepared Ecuadorian style, lentils stewed into menestra, and both green and ripe fried plantains (patacones and maduros). This combination offers a hearty meal with a balance of savory meat, starch, and sweet elements.
For a variation, the steak can be pan-fried instead of grilled by heating oil or butter in a pan and cooking the meat over medium-high heat until done, known as 'carne frita.'
Ingredients
- 2 lbs beef steak thin
- 6 garlic crushed, cloves
- 2 tsp cumin
- 2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tsp salt
Side dishes:
- white rice Ecuadorian style
- lentil in stew menestra
- green plantain fried (patacones
- plantains fried, ripe
Instructions
- Mix the garlic, salt, cumin and pepper to make a marinade paste.
- Season the steaks with the garlic paste and let rest for at least 30 minutes, overnight is ideal.
- Heat the grill and cook the meat, make sure the garlic bits are removed from the meat before grilling to avoid burning. The steaks are so thin that they cook very quickly.
- Serve with rice and menestra, or your choice of side dishes.
Notes
- For a pan-fried variation called carne frita, cook the marinated thin steaks in a few tablespoons of oil or butter over medium-high heat until done on each side.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.7
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