We went to a Little League baseball game last weekend, and a foul ball came in our direction. It got launched into the massive fir tree we were sitting next to. I put my arms up over my head because I figured it would Plinko down somewhere random. And indeed it did, thunking on the ground hard, literally 6 inches from my baby’s head. Followed by a massive gasp from the entire crowd. Gah! You know how they are always telling you on airplanes that if there is an emergency, you should put on your own oxygen mask before you do the kids? Well the same does not apply here. If there is a foul ball at a game, get yourself over to your baby as fast as your booty moves, because if your baby DOES get hit, then you will be labeled Worst Little League Mom. This is an even lower rank than Get-In-The-Umpire’s-Face-Mom, who normally holds the most-hated spot. (I mean, right?) Although I’m really just conjecturing here, because we are not even a real Little League family. We just come for the food. There is nothing tastier than overpriced pretzels and snow cones as a post-foul-ball-scare snack. Well it is almost summertime and that means GRILLING TIME. Who’s with me? The last thing I want on a one hundred and something something day (those something-somethings are expletives, btw) is to turn on my oven and make my entire house feel like a furnace. Grill erryday from June to August, please. We made these Carne Asada Tacos recently and I just have to share them with you. We had my parents over for dinner, and as we ate, we all just kept moaning that they were the best. tacos. we’ve. ever. had. The steak is just SO incredibly juicy and tender after a long marinade and a short hot-as-heck stint on the grill. If you have never had carne asada before, you are missing out!
What is Carne Asada?
Carne asada is literally translated as “grilled meat.” Specifically, it means grilled beef. (I don’t know, has anyone seen any meat labeled as carne asada that wasn’t beef?? Where are all my Mexican readers at? Tell us what’s up) There is no particular cut of beef that is specified, although steak of some kind is most common. Once you’ve grilled your meat, slice it against the grain (or sometimes people chop it into bite size pieces) and serve it in corn tortillas with all the fixins: Pico de gallo, cilantro, queso fresco, salsa, guacamole, thinly sliced radishes, and sour cream. My mouth is watering just thinking about it! Carne Asada is one of the most quintessential Mexican tacos for a good reason!
What cut of beef is best for carne asada meat?
In my opinion, the best cut of meat is outside skirt steak (not inside skirt steak). It is a thin ribbon-like cut of beef with a rich, buttery flavor. It is so tender it will make you cry. Almost every recipe I found in my research called for flank steak or skirt steak, but most of them did not specify which type of skirt steak to use. Well, no offense internet, but flank steak, outside skirt, and inside skirt steak are all TOTALLY different cuts of meat that need to be grilled differently. It’s true that basically everything is the same up until the grilling point, but please, if you choose flank steak or inside skirt steak (it is much easier to find than outside skirt steak), then follow the grilling instructions on my post for How to Cook Flank Steak. But first, let’s dive into the two types of skirt steak.
Ingredients for Carne Asada Meat marinade
Once you have your gorgeous cut of meat, it’s time to marinate it in a gorgeous mojo sauce. There are no spices or specific ingredients that are considered authentic for carne asada; the only rule is that it must be marinated. I’m sure there are as many unique recipes as there are adorable Mexican grandmothers, just like spaghetti sauce in Italy. I wanted my marinade to have bold, robust flavors, and I took some heavy hints from this Cuban Mojo Marinated Pork. Today’s marinade includes: Maggi seasoning is kind of like Mexican soy sauce. It has a deep umami flavor that brings incredible meaty flavor to savory dishes. You can usually find it in the Latin foods section at your grocery store. But if not, regular (not low sodium) soy sauce is a great substitute. Dried ancho chiles are dried poblano peppers. They are completely black and have the most AMAZING scent and flavor. They are not very spicy at all. Ancho chiles are one of the most common peppers in Mexican cooking. Using real dried peppers is what takes this carne asada recipe from okay to amazing in my opinion. They are pretty easy to find here in California, but I’m sure they are not readily available everywhere. You can buy them online here. But if you can’t find any, dried ancho chile powder is a good substitute.
Tips for making the Best Carne Asada Recipe
Add a good healthy sprinkle of salt to your steak before adding the marinade. Salt tenderizes the meat in addition to adding flavor. Don’t skip it! (There is no other seasoning needed because we are marinating the meat.) Pour the rest of the marinade onto your gorgeous skirt steak. You can do this in a casserole dish and cover, or you can put it in a ziplock bag. I read lots of recipes that specifically stated that you should not marinate your meat for longer than a few hours or it will get mushy from the acidity of the marinade. I call BS. This is beef, not fish. (and we all know fish is practically a vegetable.) Most restaurant carne asada is purchased pre-marinated, so you know they are marinating longer than a few hours, more like a few days.Of course it depends on the cut of beef you are using, but generally I would recommend a 12-24 hour marinade. Or 4 hours at the bare minimum. The thinness of the steak we are using (whether you use inside or outside skirt, flank, etc.) means that the marinade is going to do all the penetrating it needs to do in 24 hours, and after that, it’s true, things get weird (read: mushy). But I say the longer the marinade, the better than flavor. The steak you see in the photos was marinated for 24 hours.
It’s important to cut your meat AFTER cooking. You should be cooking the meat as a whole steak, then cut the cooked steak (after resting) into strips.You will know you are slicing it correctly if you can see little squares on the meat instead of long strands. Do you see how there are little gaps? That’s good.
How to cut skirt steak against the grain
Here is a visual: Make sure that you put all your marinade ingredients in a food processor to take a pretty picture, splatter your entire kitchen, and then transfer to a blender with a higher liquid capacity. This is definitely the way you should do it. Blend until mostly smooth, it’s okay if it’s a little chunky. The tough bits of ancho pepper will soften as the marinade sits. Reserve a half cup of the marinade to serve with the tacos. Give it a taste to see if you want to adjust the seasonings. I could eat this stuff with a spoon. (When the meat is done marinating, I actually like to scrape the used marinade into a pot and boil for a few minutes to serve with the tacos. I don’t want to waste a tiny bit of this stuff!) Because skirt steak is so long and thin (like 2 feet!), I found it useful to chop it into smaller 6-inch long steaks (cut WITH the grain) before marinating. That way you are not trying to fit a 2-foot-long strip of meat on your grill. (Then, after grilling, cut against the grain into short strips. More on that below.) Once your steak has been marinating for a good long while, remove the steaks from the marinade (save it!) and let them sit out at room temperature for about a half hour. It’s best to grill room temperature meat for even cooking. Turn on your grill to high heat and let it preheat for at least 15-20 minutes. Use paper towels to wipe the remaining marinade off the meat. You want your steak to hit the grill as dry as possible to get the best sear. If they are covered in a watery drippy marinade, the Maillard reaction (browning) won’t be able to occur as effectively. Brush each steak with a neutral oil just before grilling, to prevent sticking. Outside skirt steak has a VERY fast cook time because it is so thin. As a general rule, once you see a deep browning on each side of the steak, you can assume that the center is about medium rare. This means you only need about 1-2 minutes of grilling per side. Use a meat thermometer to know for sure! I’m showing you this picture of raw steak NOT because you should cut it before it is cooked. It’s just really easy to see the grain of the meat before it hits the grill. How you slice the meat makes a huge difference in texture. If you slice it the wrong way and serve guests long pieces of one layer of the grain, it will be tough and chewy, no matter how well cooked it is. And that would be a tragedy!
Carne Asada Recipe stovetop instructions
If you don’t have a grill, never fear. You can still get amazing tacos. Follow all the marinading steps, up to wiping excess marinade off the meat. Slice the long strip of meat into several 6-8 inch pieces (Or whatever fits in your pan). You will be slicing the meat raw, WITH the grain.
What to serve with Carne Asada Meat
After all this, it’s that glorious moment where it’s time to EAT your tacos. Layer 2 toasted corn tortillas on a plate, top with a few strips of juicy tender steak, and complete with all the fixins: Pico de gallo, diced onions, guacamole, cilantro, salsa, radishes, lime wedges, cotija or queso fresco, and extra mojo sauce from the marinade.
inside skirt steak flap meat (sometimes called sirloin bavette or sirloin tip) flat iron steak flank steak, but you must only cook to medium rare. For all the cuts of meat on this list (besides outside skirt!), follow the grilling instructions on my post for How to Cook Flank Steak.
Serve these tacos with Virgin Pina Coladas if you know what’s good for you! Or maybe this Vanilla Bean Horchata, yum. I can’t think of a tastier summer dinner!
How to store Carne Asada Steak
How to reheat Carne Asada
Microwave: The microwave is definitely the easiest and fastest way to reheat. Cover the meat with a damp paper towel and microwave 30 seconds for an individual portion. Make sure you don’t overdo it or your meat will turn tough (this can happen pretty fast!) Stovetop: This is a more involved heating method but there is less chance of overcooking. Heat a skillet to medium-high and spray with nonstick spray. Add the meat and cook, stirring frequently if they are in strips. If heating a whole steak, heat about 2 minutes per side, or until warm throughout.
What to do with leftover Carne Asada Steak
Make a burrito bowl with rice, beans, guac, sour cream, and salsa. Replace the chicken in these Easy Rotisserie Chicken Nachos. Best nachos of your life! Replace the sweet pork in these Cafe Rio Burritos. Carne Asada Quesadillas: Fry up some buttered tortillas with cheese and carne asada inside. The ultimate easy dinner! Replace the chicken in this Chicken Enchiladas Recipe. Cheesesteak Sandwiches from Dish Ditty Loaded Carne Asada Fries from M.A. Kitchen
More summer grilling recipes you will love!
How to Cook Flank Steak « This lean cut of beef is so tender when done right. How to Cook Tri Tip « Hands down my favorite for special occasions! We make it every Christmas! How to Cook Ribeye Steak with Garlic Butter « A cast iron pan makes all the difference. Simply Amazing Grilled Chicken « Pantry ingredients for the win. Grilled Chili Lime Pork Tenderloin from A Farmgirl’s Dabbles
More Mexican recipes!
Seriously The Best Taco Salad Recipe « I love this recipe with taco meat, but it would also be killer with leftover carne asada! Traditional Tejano Pinto Beans « Make a pot of these beans with today’s carne asada!! Pozole Rojo like Abuela’s « authentic pork & hominy soup that brings ALL the flavor Mexican Street Corn Dip « Could there be a better appetizer? I think not. Chicken Flautas (Taquitos) « These are so worth the effort. Beer Battered Fish Tacos « I LOVE THESE. Chicken Enchiladas with White Sauce from Simply Home Cooked Taco Pasta from Julie’s Eats and Treats
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