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5.0 from 24 votes

Carne Asada Tacos

This recipe is designed to get some Carne Asada Tacos in the house -- tonight!  Serve them up with some freshly chopped Pico de Gallo and you'll have some happy faces at the dinner table!

Prep Time
1 hr
Cook Time
mins
Total Time
1 hr 15 mins
Servings: 4
Calories: 616 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. skirt steak (or flank steak)
  • 12-16 corn tortillas
  • 1/4 lb. cheese (I used Jack)
  • 3-4 limes (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
  • freshly cracked black pepper
For the Pico de Gallo:
  • 4 plum tomatoes
  • 1 small onion
  • 2 jalapeños
  • 20-25 prigs cilantro
  • juice of limes
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt (plus more to taste)

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. 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.  
  2. For the marinade, add the listed ingredients to a blender and combine well.
  3. 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.)
  4. 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.
  5. 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).
  6. 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. 
  7. 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.
  8. 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. 
  9. Each cheesy tortilla gets Carne Asada, Pico de Gallo, and a final squeeze of lime.  Buen Provecho!

Notes

  • I usually pat the cuts of meat dry after marinating.  Less moisture on the surface will usually help them char up quicker.
  • Be sure to preheat the grill (or cast iron pan) before adding the meat.
  • There is some leeway on the marinade, so if you don't have all the ingredients just go for it!
  • Using two jalapenos will give the Pico some real zip -- if you want a milder version start with one jalapeno and give it a taste, adding more jalapeno to increase the heat. 
  • I recently made some Carne Asada using boneless short ribs and now consider that cut to be a worthy alternative to skirt steak.  
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Nutrition Information

Calories 616kcal (31%) Carbohydrates 43g (14%) Protein 38g (76%) Fat 33g (51%) Saturated Fat 11g (55%) Cholesterol 101mg (34%) Sodium 839mg (35%) Potassium 816mg (23%) Fiber 7g (28%) Sugar 4g (8%) Vitamin A 1670IU (33%) Vitamin C 22.8mg (25%) Calcium 339mg (34%) Iron 5mg (28%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 616

% 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.