What does carne asada mean?

Carne asada literally translates to "grilled meat" in Spanish. Carne means meat or beef, asada means grilled or roasted. The dish originated in northern Mexico, especially the states of Sonora and Chihuahua, where ranching culture shaped the tradition of grilling thin cuts of beef over open fire. You will sometimes see it called "beef asada" in English, which is the same recipe described in plainer terms.

How long should I marinate carne asada?

Marinate for 2 to 4 hours minimum, up to 8 hours maximum. Less than 2 hours and the marinade has not had time to penetrate the meat. More than 8 hours and the citrus starts breaking down the proteins, turning the surface mushy. Overnight marinating is a common mistake with citrus-based marinades.

What temperature should carne asada be cooked to?

Pull skirt and flap steak at 145°F. Pull flank at 140°F, since it has less fat and will carry over to 145°F during the rest. This is medium to medium-plus, not medium rare. The thin cuts used for carne asada need more heat than a thick steak to render fat and produce the right texture for chopping into tacos.

Can I make carne asada without a grill?

Yes. A cast iron skillet on the stove over high heat produces a solid carne asada. Get the pan ripping hot before the steak goes in, and turn on your exhaust fan because there will be smoke. Cast iron cooks faster than a grill, so use a probe thermometer and pull at the same target temperatures. You will not get the same char or smoke flavor as live fire, but the texture and core flavor translate well.

Carne Asada Tacos (The Best Recipe)

Ingredients

Scale

For the marinade:

1 orange, juiced (about 1/2 cup)
2 limes, juiced (about 1/4 cup)
1/4 cup Mexican lager
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp avocado or vegetable oil
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper

For the tacos:

2 lbs skirt steak, flank steak, or flap steak
1 tsp kosher salt
8 to 12 small Sonoran-style flour tortillas
1/2 cup white onion, finely diced
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
2 limes, cut into wedges
1/2 cup cotija cheese, crumbled (optional)
6 radishes, thinly sliced (optional)
Salsa of choice (see options in post)

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Instructions

Whisk together orange juice, lime juice, lager, soy sauce, fish sauce, oil, and black pepper in a bowl. Pour into a zip-top bag with the steak. Refrigerate 2 to 4 hours, up to 8 hours.
Preheat the grill to maximum heat. Charcoal should be fully ashed over. Gas burners on high for 15 minutes.
Pat the steak completely dry with paper towels. Season with kosher salt.
Grill over direct high heat: skirt 3 to 4 minutes per side, flank 4 to 5 minutes per side, flap 3 to 4 minutes per side. Pull skirt and flap at 145°F, flank at 140°F.
Rest the steak for 5 minutes. Slice thin against the grain, then chop into half-inch pieces.
Warm tortillas over a gas flame or in a dry cast iron, 10 to 15 seconds per side.
Build each taco with a warm tortilla (one flour or two corn), a generous spoonful of carne asada, diced onion, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime. Add cotija, radishes, and salsa to taste.

Notes

Fish sauce is the umami secret. One tablespoon adds beefiness without any fish flavor.
Pat the steak dry before grilling. A dry surface is the difference between char and steam.
Slice against the grain every time. With flank especially, this is what separates tender from chewy.
Leftovers keep 3 days in the fridge. Reheat in a screaming-hot cast iron to bring the char back.

Author: Brad Prose
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Marinate Time: 2 to 4 hours
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Category: Beef & Lamb
Method: Grilling
Cuisine: Mexican, Sonoran

Nutrition

Serving Size:
Calories: 442
Sugar: 5.5 g
Sodium: 1129.2 mg
Fat: 15.3 g
Carbohydrates: 38.7 g
Protein: 38.2 g
Cholesterol: 90.7 mg