Clever of whatever ad agency came up with that campaign to feature two king carnivores talking about carne asada, which translates literally as “beef grilled”.
What is Carne Asada?
Carne asada is the thinly sliced, grilled beef served so often in tacos and burritos. You can also serve it straight up, with rice and beans on the side. Although almost any cut of beef can be butterflied into thin sheets for the carne asada, typically you make it with either flank steak or skirt steak.
How to Cook Carne Asada With Flank or Skirt Steak
Flank steak is a lean cut and needs to be cooked rare, and thinly cut across the grain to make it tender. Skirt steak is well marbled with fat, and while it still needs to be cut across the grain, it’s inherently more flavorful and tender, and can be cooked more without suffering.
Carne Asada Marinade Options
You can make carne asada without a marinade, and just a bit of salt and pepper before grilling, but if you have the time, a good soak in a marinade greatly enhances the flavor. The marinade we are using here has olive oil, soy sauce, lime juice, vinegar, a little sugar for sweetness to balance the acidity of the lime and vinegar, and lots of minced garlic, jalapeño, and cilantro. Perfect for tacos! Serve it up with tortillas, avocados, and salsa.
More Topping Ideas
If you’re using the carne asada for tacos, try these additional fixings to top them with.
Guacamole Cojita cheese Queso fresco Grilled green onion Caramelized onions Sour cream Sliced jalapeño
How to Store and Reheat This Recipe
Refrigerate leftover slices of carne asada in a tightly covered container for 3 to 4 days. Reheat them on the stovetop by heating a little olive oil in a pan. Add the slices, stirring once in a while, until heated through to 140°F. Or, reheat them in the air fryer at 350°F. Check every 3 minutes or so until they’re heated through to 140°F.
More Mexican Recipes to Make
Mexican Tostadas Carnitas Spicy Grilled Chicken Tacos Chili Verde Pozole Rojo
If you want, before adding the steak to the marinade, reserve a couple of tablespoons of the marinade to drizzle over the finished carne asada to serve. Rather than using pre-ground cumin, toast and grind whole cumin seeds if you have them.
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeño chili pepper, seeded and minced
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves and stems
Steak:
1 1/2 to 2 pounds flank or skirt steak
Fixings (optional):
Chopped avocado
Lime wedges
Corn or flour tortillas
Thinly sliced radishes
Thinly sliced lettuce
Pico de gallo salsa
Place the steak in the marinade and turn over a couple of times to coat thoroughly. Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 to 4 hours or overnight (if using flank steak marinate at least 3 hours). (You can also use a cast iron grill pan on high heat if cooking on the stovetop.) Place on the hot side of the grill. Grill the steak for a few minutes only, until well seared on one side (the browning and the searing makes for great flavor), then turn the steak over and sear on the other side. Test with a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the steak, or use your fingers (see The Finger Test to Check the Doneness of Meat). Pull the meat off the grill at 115°F to 120°F for rare, 125°F medium rare, 140°F for medium. The meat will continue to cook in its residual heat. Note that lean flank steak is best cooked rare, while skirt steak can be cooked well without losing moisture or flavor because it has more fat marbling. (Optional) Serve with pico de gallo (fresh tomato salsa), chopped avocados, and other fixings.
