Carne Asada is a juicy and tender beef that was marinated, then, grilled. It is a Mexican dish that is easy to make, versatile, and a crowd favorite! Watch the short video tutorial below and see how easy and delicious this dish is!
To prepare a balanced meal with it, serve with Mexican Black Bean Salad and Cilantro Lime Rice. Enjoy it with the refreshing Horchata!
Authentic Carne Asada Recipe
Carne Asada is made by grilling beef that has been marinated for optimal tenderness and flavor. It is smoky and charred on the outside, but tender on the inside!
Both flank and skirt steaks are lean and tough. But since this recipe calls for marinating the meat, then, it should not be a problem.
This dinner is highly versatile. You can make this into fajitas, tacos, and more! Another reason why my family and friends adore it and go for seconds whenever I serve this.
Did I say that it is easy to make? You do not need to go to restaurants to enjoy such a delectable dinner – make it within the confines of your home with this easy recipe!
What is carne asada?
It means “roasted,” this dish is made by grilling a piece of beef that has been marinated. Then, it is sliced very thinly against the grain in order to make it easier and more tender to eat.
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Is carne asada healthy?
Yes! If you are looking for a low carb dish, then, this dish is perfect! This 198-calories-per-serving dish has only 7% carbohydrates along with 45% fat and 48% protein. Hence, this dish is keto-friendly, too.
Since this is grilled, then, it is paleo-friendly, too.
The thing is, if you serve it in tacos or quesadillas, or eat with rice, then, the carbohydrate level goes up. Hence, be picky with what you eat it with to maintain its carbohydrate level. You can pair it with a salad with a light dressing for a healthy meal. Our Chimichurri Sauce goes perfectly with it.
What kind of meat to use for carne asada?
These are the suggested kinds of meat for this dish:
- Flank
- Skirt Steak
- Flap Meat
- Sirloin
- Short Ribs
The first two are your best bets when it comes to this dish. They marinate well and have a relatively flat shape that makes grilling easy.
How to make carne asada?
There are only three main steps in preparing this dish: marinate, grill, then, serve!
How to marinate:
Marinating incorporates more flavors that enhance the natural beef flavor, tenderizes the meat, and improves texture as it aids in charring the surface when grilling.
- Prepare the marinade: Simply combine the marinade ingredients in a resealable bag that is big enough to put the meat in.
- Soak the meat: Put the uncut beef inside the bag. Make sure that all parts are covered with the marinade.
- Marinate: Refrigerate for at least two hours or overnight.
How to grill:
- Discard the marinade: Remove the meat from the marinade.
- Prepare the grill: Oil the grates well and make sure to heat it up to the highest temperature that it can go. You can do this over charcoal or stovetop on a grill pan.
- Grill: Put the entire meat on the grill and cook for about 7 to 8 minutes per side.
How to serve:
- Rest: Let the flavors integrate and the juices redistribute by letting the cooked meat rest for ten minutes.
- Slice: After a few minutes, cut it perpendicular to the direction in which the muscle fibers go. This is extremely important. Cutting the meat this way will make it easy-to-chew as the fibers are shorter, making this dish even more tender.
- Serve: Garnish with lemon wedges, jalapeno slices, and finely chopped parsley in olive oil. Then, serve and enjoy!
More beef recipes:
Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage
Pressure Cooker Red Wine Beef Roast
Recipe Tips:
- Serve this in tacos or nachos by layering it with Pico de Gallo and guacamole.
- You can cook this in the oven by turning on the broiler on HIGH and cook for about 4 to 6 minutes per side.
- Prepare this in advance by putting the marinade and meat inside the freezer bag, then, freeze. This can keep for two months and thaw and cook as needed.
Best Carne Asada
Ingredients
- 2 pounds flank or skirt steak
Marinade:
- Zest of 2 limes
- Juice of 2 limes
- Juice from one large orange
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 jalapeno seeds and veins removed and finely minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Garnish:
- Parsley finely chopped
- Jalapeno slices
- Lemon wedges
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FollowInstructions
- Combine all the marinade ingredients in a large bowl that would fit the beef or in a large ziplock bag. Squeeze it around to mix it up.
- Add the entire flank steak into the bag or bowl. Seal it up tight or cover with plastic wrap. Make sure all the meat is exposed to the marinade. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
- Heat an outdoor grill or cast iron grill pan to high heat and grease it with oil lightly.
- Remove the flank steak from the marinade, and discard excess marinade.
- Cook on the grill for 7 to 10 minutes per side.
- Remove from heat and let rest for 10 minutes.
- Slice against the grain, and serve.
Nutrition Facts
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