Grilled Carne Asada Recipe for the Best Tacos You Ever Had

Tender flank steak marinated in citrus juices and grilled to perfection makes for a memorable taco filling. You can also use this delicious grilled carne asada steak to fill burritos, enchiladas, or a taco salad. Heck, it’s so good, you can serve it by itself with a side of chips and guacamole.

Learn how to make it, and why you’d want to, below.

©Blog Chef.

Recipe overview: Grilled carne asada

In short form, here’s what you should know about this recipe.

• Why make it: You’re craving a grilled steak taco from Chipotle. You need an excuse to make a pitcher of margaritas. Friends are coming over to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. Or, you have a new grill that you’re itching to try out.
• What it tastes like: Anytime you put flank steak on a charcoal grill, you’ll get a rich, smokey flavor with a tender mouth feel, punctuated by those crispier, slightly charred grill marks. Pro tip: After grilling the steak, slice it thinly across the grain for the best texture.
• Risk of recipe failure: We’ve all bombed a recipe now and then. It’s not likely to happen with this one unless you annihilate the steak on the grill. Use a meat thermometer and keep a close watch so that doesn’t happen.
• How long does it take: Plan to marinate the steak for at least six hours or overnight. From there, the working part of the recipe takes about 20 minutes. That does not include the time it takes to heat up your grill.

Carne asada ingredients and how to use them

The ingredient list for carne asada may look a tiny bit intimidating. Don’t worry. Most of these items are pantry staples. I’m hoping you already have red wine vinegar and vegetable oil on hand, for example.

I have two versions of the ingredient list below for you. The first explains how the ingredient is used and whether there are acceptable substitutions. The second is pure text including measurements — use this one to copy and paste the ingredients into your grocery list app.

• Flank steak: The recipe calls for 2 ½ pounds, which serves 6 people. You can alternatively use skirt steak or flap meat.
• Red wine vinegar: You will use ¼ cup of red wine vinegar as the liquid base for the marinade. In a pinch, you could swap in any mild-flavored vinegar. The flavor of the finished dish will be slightly different, however.
• Vegetable oil: A couple tablespoons of oil go into the marinade. You can use any mild oil as a substitute. A light olive oil would be fine, but coconut oil would not.
• Citrus juices: Two tablespoons of each lime juice and orange juice impact the signature tang of carne asada. Fresh juices will deliver the best flavor, but you could use bottled if that’s all you have.
• Cilantro: Cilantro is also a key ingredient in a carne asada marinade. For this one, you’ll need 2 tablespoons.
• Garlic: Peel and mince fresh garlic for the best flavor. You’ll use 1 tablespoon, which is probably two to three cloves.
• Garlic salt: Hopefully you like garlic. The marinade also uses ¾ tablespoon of garlic salt alongside the fresh garlic.
• White pepper, cumin, chili powder, Mexican oregano, and cloves. The recipe calls for ½ teaspoon ground cloves plus ½ tablespoon each of the remaining spices.
• Orange: You also need one fresh orange, sliced.

You can copy and paste this ingredient list in your grocery list:

2 1/2 lbs. flank steak or flap meat ¼ cup red wine vinegar ¼ cup water 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 2 tablespoons lime juice 2 tablespoons orange juice 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro 1 tablespoon minced garlic ¾ tablespoon garlic salt ½ tablespoon white pepper ½ tablespoon cumin ½ tablespoon chili powder ½ tablespoon Mexican oregano ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves 1 orange (sliced) 

Ways to serve carne asada

Carne asada can be a main course on its own, but it’s often used a filling for tacos or burritos. Try it served in a soft corn tortilla with grilled onions and red bell peppers. Or go big and stuff a giant flour tortilla with carne asada, rice, beans, and guacamole.

You might also try carne asada totchos, carne asada quesadilla, or carne asada fries.

Equipment needed for grilled carne asada

You will use a sealable bag, a sharp knife, measuring spoons, and a grill to make this recipe. If you don’t have a grill, you can also cook the steak in a heavy pan on the stovetop.

Yield: 6 servings Grilled Carne Asada

 

Tender flank steak marinated in citrus juices and grilled to perfection makes for a memorable taco filling. You can also use this delicious grilled carne asada steak to fill burritos, enchiladas, or a taco salad. Heck, it’s so good, you can serve it by itself with a side of chips and guacamole.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 8 minutes

Additional Time 6 hours

Total Time 6 hours 18 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 lbs. flank steak or flap meat
• ¼ cup red wine vinegar
• ¼ cup water
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 2 tablespoons orange juice
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• ¾ tablespoons garlic salt
• ½ tablespoon white pepper
• ½ tablespoon cumin
• ½ tablespoon chili powder
• ½ tablespoon Mexican oregano
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 orange (slices)

Instructions

1. Add all of the ingredients except for the steak and orange slices to a medium sized bowl and mix well. Pour the mixture into a resealable bag.
2. Add the steak and shake to coat with the marinade. Add the orange slices, placing half on the top and half on the bottom of the meat. Seal the bag and refrigerate 6 hours or overnight.
3. Before grilling remove from the refrigerator up to an hour in advance.
4. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Place the steak directly on to a greased grill grate for 8 minutes. Flip and grill another 5 minutes. Check the temperature with a meal thermometer. For medium-rare doneness, target 135°F or 57°C.
5. Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Notes

To cook the carne asada on the stovetop, follow steps 1 through 3. Then heat canola oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the meat and cook, undisturbed for 4 minutes. Then flip and cook another 4 minutes for a medium level of doneness.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6

Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 468Total Fat: 23gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 159mgSodium: 733mgCarbohydrates: 6gFiber: 1gSugar: 3gProtein: 57g

Nutrition information isn’t always accurate.

© Blog Chef

Cuisine: Mexican / Category: Beef recipes

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