Carne asada means literally "grilled meat" in Spanish. The dish traditionally consists of marinated flank or skirt steak. You might find premarinated carne asada in some stores, but the marinade is simple to prepare at home. The meat is ideally grilled outdoors. Carne asada can be served in dishes like tacos or burritos, or inside of enchiladas, tamales or tortas (Mexican sandwiches). Carne asada is easy to prepare and a delicious way to introduce Mexican foods to your palate.
Step 1
Mash together the garlic, jalapeno, cilantro, cumin, sugar, salt and pepper with a mortar and pestle until a paste forms. Scrape the paste into a bowl and whisk in the lime juice, orange juice, vinegar and olive oil.
Step 2
Rinse the flank or skirt steak under cold water to clean the meat. Pat the steak dry with paper towels. Add the steak into a large freezer bag and pour in the prepared marinade. Turn the bag a few times to coat the meat thoroughly with marinade. Allow the meat to marinate in the refrigerator for one to eight hours.
Step 3
Preheat an outdoor grill to medium-high heat. Brush the grill grates with olive oil to prevent the meat from sticking. Remove the carne asada from marinade and season it with a bit of salt and pepper, to taste. Place the meat on the hot grill and cook for five to 10 minutes, depending on your desired wellness of the meat and the meat's thickness.
Step 4
Remove meat from grill and let it rest for five minutes. Slice the carne asada in thin pieces against the grain. Serve on tacos with salsa, onions and cilantro or in burritos with cheese, guacamole, salsa and sour cream.
Things You'll Need
- Mortar and pestle
- 4 finely chopped garlic cloves
- 1 jalapeno pepper, seeds removed and finely chopped
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves and stems, finely chopped
- Juice of 2 limes
- Juice of 1 orange
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 2 tbsp. white vinegar
- 1 tsp. ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp. granulated white sugar
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- Paper towels
- Freezer bag
- 2 lbs. flank or skirt steak
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