Carne Asada Tacos

Name: Carne Asada Tacos
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 165 min
Ingredients: 8 cloves garlic, (whole, cloves crushed ); 1 jalapeño, (seeds and stem removed, diced ); ½ white onion, (diced ); 2 limes, (juiced); 1 orange, (juiced); ¼ cup olive oil; 2 tablespoon dark soy sauce; 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar; 2 teaspoons kosher salt; 1 teaspoon black pepper, (coarse ground ); 2 pounds flap steak or ranchero de res; 1 white onion, (finely diced); 1 bunch cilantro, (finely diced); corn tortillas, (warmed ); 4 Roma tomatoes; ½ red onion; 2 serrano chilies; salt, (to taste); 2 cloves garlic

Tender and juicy carne asada steak is marinated and then grilled to perfection to make carne asada taco. Fill a warm corn tortilla with steak and garnish with cilantro and onion to make street tacos you’ll crave.

This carne asada taco recipe comes together in a warm corn tortilla to make tacos you won’t want to resist.

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Top your carne asada tacos with cilantro and onion.

WHAT IS CARNE ASADA?

Carne asada means grilled meat in English, and that’s exactly what we set out to do in this recipe. The steak is marinated, grilled, and thinly sliced to serve.

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE THIS RECIPE

For the Marinade:

Garlic: I suggest using eight cloves, but don’t let my recipe tell you how much garlic to use – go for it.
Jalapeño: If you love jalapeños but crave more spice, leave the seeds and membrane intact when chopping them.
Onion: Slice white onion, then add it to the marinade for carne asada.
Lime: Use the juice from two whole limes.
Orange: I flavor our marinade with juice from one orange. You can use half a cup of orange juice instead, but fresh juice is best in my opinion.
Olive Oil: Olive oil works alongside the other ingredients to break down and flavor the steak.
Dark Soy Sauce: This is different from light or all-purpose soy sauce. Dark soy sauce has a more intense flavor, and the saltiness is perfect for marinating.
Apple Cider Vinegar: Use apple cider vinegar to

marinade for carne asada — Ingredients for the carne asada marinade.

For the Carne Asada Tacos:

Flap Steak: Flap steak, also called ranchero de res, is the meat of choice. You can also use skirt steak or flank steak.
Corn Tortillas: You cannot have authentic street tacos without warmed corn tortillas; they are a must!
Onion + Cilantro: Finely chopped onion and cilantro are quite the duo, and they are a perfect topping for tacos, in my opinion.

HOW TO MAKE CARNE ASADA TACOS

COMBINE – Add crushed garlic, jalapeño, onion, lime juice, orange juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, and vinegar to a resealable bag. Seal the bag and combine the ingredients.

MARINATE – Open the bag and add flap steak. Seal it, and be sure to cover the steak with the marinade. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

cook one side of the carne asada on the grill

PREPARE THE GRILL – Preheat the grill by setting all burners on high for about 10 minutes.

GRILL – Remove the flank steak and discard the excess marinade. Cook the steak on the grill for 7 to 10 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of the steak.

Wait until the steak is perfectly seared.

REST AND SERVE -Remove from heat and let it rest for 10 minutes. Slice against the grain, and serve inside warmed corn tortillas with onion, cilantro, and homemade salsa.

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Wait until the carne asada steak is perfectly seared.

CAN I MAKE THIS RECIPE ON THE STOVE TOP?

If you don’t have access to an outdoor grill, you can make carne asada on the stovetop; warm oil in a cast-iron skillet over high heat. Sear the meat and cook the meat for about 5 to 7 minutes per side

WHAT CAN SERVE WITH CARNE ASADA?

Mexican Rice
Seasoned Black Beans
Mango Salsa
Cilantro Lime Rice
Simple Guacamole
Grilled Zucchini
Corn Salsa
Pico De Gallo or Chunky Salsa with Cilantro and Avocado

WHAT TO DO WITH LEFTOVERS

REPURPOSE – Left to my own devices, chances are I’m making tacos with my leftovers, but here are some other suggestions for how you can use leftover meat: Build a quesadilla with leftover steak and cheese, make a burrito bowl, sheet pan nachos, or top french fries with the carne asada and add melted cheese.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What meat is used for carne asada?

For carne asada, you will need thinly sliced beef. Out of convenience, most people use flank steak or skirt steak to make carne asada here in the U.S. Out of the two- I recommend using skirt steak. For best results, I suggest heading to a local carniceria to purchase something called flap steak or ranchera de res. Apart from a carniceria, I have only been able to find non-marinated flap steak at Whole Foods, but it’s usually quite expensive.

How do I cut the carne asada for tacos?

First, allow the meat to rest. I leave ours wrapped in aluminum foil during this process to retain the moisture and keep it warm. When cutting the steak, be sure to cut against the grain; this means cutting against the natural lines of the meat instead of parallel with them; doing so will produce tender, juicy bites of carne asada.