Carne Asada – A Beautiful Mess

Carne asada means grilled or roasted meat, so it refers to the method of cooking the meat rather than a specific recipe. However, when I hear “carne asada,” I tend to think of a tender, juicy steak that has a slight charcoal flavor when grilled or cooked over high heat. To be honest, Chipotle’s burrito bowl also comes to mind. lol.

This carne asada recipe includes a simple marinade with citrus, soy, garlic, and cilantro. I often cook steak in the oven. cast iron grill pan Stove top is fine, but outdoor grilling is also great. This traditional carne asada can be eaten on its own with sauces like chimichurri, or served over tacos, burritos, quesadillas, nachos, rice bowls, or salads. No matter which one you choose, you’ll love this recipe.

Related: Next, you’ll learn how to cook a steak, how to grill a steak, and how to make an air fryer steak.

material

• flank steak
• orange
• lime
• coriander
• soy sauce
• garlic

How to make carne asada

Combine orange juice, lime juice, chopped cilantro, soy sauce, and minced garlic. Add this marinade to a gallon-sized Ziploc bag with the steak. Marinate in the refrigerator for 8 hours or overnight.

Remove steak from refrigerator and remove from bag. Remove large pieces of coriander and garlic. Let stand for 30 minutes at or near room temperature. Season both sides with salt and pepper.

Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Place the steak in the pan and cook for 5-6 minutes. Flip and cook the other side for 5 to 6 minutes. This will give you a medium-rare to medium steak. Check doneness using a meat thermometer.

Remove from heat and let rest for 5-6 minutes before cutting.

Tips and notes

• Flank steak is also called London broil. You can also use other cuts of beef, such as skirt steak or flap steak.
• You can also add more ingredients to this simple carne asada marinade depending on your preference. You can also try other herbs other than fresh cilantro, such as grated ginger, cumin, black pepper, chili powder, chopped jalapeno for added heat, or mint leaves or basil.
• I use a cast iron grill pan on the stove, but you can grill other methods as well. If your grill pan isn’t cast iron, you may want to lightly coat it with olive oil while cooking.
• Slicing along the meat fibers (muscle fibers) will give you a softer bite.
• Serve with Mexican rice, flour or corn tortillas, refried beans, or on a salad. You can also eat it just like a steak. 🙂
• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for at least 3 days. This makes great leftovers! You can reheat it in the microwave, stovetop, or air fryer.

Baking temperature

• rare:49～52℃
• medium rare：54～57℃
• Medium: 60～63℃
• medium well: 65～68℃
• Well done:71℃ or higher

See more Mexican and Tex-Mex recipes