Carne Asada Tacos
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
1 hr
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Cook Time
15 mins
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Total Time
1 hr 15 mins
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Servings
4
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Calories
616 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Mexican
Carne Asada Tacos
Description
This recipe starts by seasoning skirt or flank steak with salt and optionally pounding it for even thickness. A marinade made of lime and orange juices, garlic, cilantro, jalapeños, Mexican oregano, cumin, soy sauce, olive oil, and freshly cracked black pepper is blended and used to coat the steak evenly. The meat is refrigerated for about an hour to absorb the aromatic and tangy flavors.
While the steak marinates, fresh Pico de Gallo is prepared by finely chopping tomatoes, onions, jalapeños, and cilantro, seasoned with lime juice and salt. After marinating, the steak is grilled on a hot surface until charred and cooked through, then rested and sliced for serving. The tacos are assembled by placing the steak slices on warmed corn tortillas topped with Pico de Gallo and shredded cheese.
These tacos balance smoky grilled meat with fresh, zesty accompaniments. The recipe allows some flexibility in marinade ingredients and spice levels. Serving with lime wedges enhances brightness on the plate. Carne Asada Tacos are a flavorful centerpiece for a simple Mexican-inspired meal.
After marinating, patting the steak dry helps achieve a good char. Preheat the grill or pan thoroughly before cooking for best results. Jalapeño amounts in the Pico de Gallo can be adjusted to preference for spiciness. Alternative beef cuts like boneless short ribs can also work well in place of skirt steak.
Ingredients
- 1 lb. skirt steak or flank steak
- 12-16 corn tortillas
- 1/4 lb. cheese Jack used
- 3-4 lime for serving
- salt
For the marinade:
- juice of lime
- juice of orange
- 4 peeled garlic cloves
- 8-10 prigs cilantro optional
- 2 de-stemmed jalapeños
- 2 tablespoons Mexican oregano
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- black pepper freshly cracked
For the Pico de Gallo:
- 4 plum tomatoes
- 1 onion small
- 2 jalapeños
- 20-25 prigs cilantro
- juice of lime
- 1/2 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
Instructions
- Give the skirt steak a sprinkling of salt on both sides. If it arrived in one long strip I will usually cut it into smaller, more manageable pieces. You can optionally pound the steak thinner if you want a more even cut. If you don't have a meat pounder you can easily do this with a skillet. I usually put plastic on either side of the meat before pounding.
- For the marinade, add the listed ingredients to a blender and combine well.
- Create a single layer of steak in a casserole dish. Cover with the marinade and be sure to get some underneath as well. Cover with plastic and marinate in the fridge for an hour or so. (You could alternatively use a Ziploc bag.)
- For the Pico de Gallo, start by giving the tomatoes, jalapeno, and cilantro a good rinse. Peel the onion and de-stem the tomatoes and jalapenos. I usually twist off and discard the bottom, thicker portions of the cilantro stems, but keep the upper portion of the stems that hold the leaves together.
- Finely chop the tomatoes, onion, and jalapeno into 1/4" sized chunks. Finely dice the cilantro. For a milder version you can start by using only 1 of the jalapenos and adding more incrementally if you want more heat. Combine everything in a mixing bowl along with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and the juice of two limes. Mix together well and taste for seasoning. Add additional salt and lime if necessary (I added more salt to this batch).
- Preheat the grill so it's piping hot before you add the steak. I usually pat the meat dry before adding to the grill. Cook each piece of meat for 2-3 minutes per side or until the internal temp is 130-135F (medium-rare). You can always cook them longer if that's your preference, but skirt steak will toughen up a bit at higher temps.
- Let the cooked meat rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing. Cut against the grain into thin strips. For tacos I will usually cut the strips into bite-sized pieces.
- For serving, heat up the tortillas in a dry skillet over medium-high heat. Add cheese to each tortilla and cook until they are crisping up and light brown spots are forming on the underside.
- Each cheesy tortilla gets Carne Asada, Pico de Gallo, and a final squeeze of lime. Buen Provecho!
Notes
- Pat the steak dry after marinating to promote better browning and charring during cooking.
- Preheat the grill or pan fully before cooking the steak for optimal searing.
- The marinade recipe is flexible; omit or adjust ingredients as needed based on availability.
- Adjust jalapeño quantity in Pico de Gallo to manage heat level, starting with fewer for mild and increasing for more spice.
- Boneless short ribs can be used as a flavorful alternative to skirt steak.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 616 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 616kcal | 31% |
| Carbohydrates | 43g | 14% |
| Protein | 38g | 76% |
| Fat | 33g | 51% |
| Saturated Fat | 11g | 55% |
| Cholesterol | 101mg | 34% |
| Sodium | 839mg | 35% |
| Potassium | 816mg | 17% |
| Fiber | 7g | 28% |
| Sugar | 4g | 8% |
| Vitamin A | 1670IU | 33% |
| Vitamin C | 22.8mg | 25% |
| Calcium | 339mg | 34% |
| Iron | 5mg | 28% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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