Carne Asada
by Chungah
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Juicy, tender authentic carne asada! Made with the most flavorful easy marinade, marinating overnight. Cooks so fast on the grill or stovetop!
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Why you’ll love this carne asada recipe
- Easy, simple, flavorful marinade. A simple marinade of cilantro, olive oil, soy sauce, orange juice, lime juice, garlic, jalapeño, and cumin will tenderize the meat and lock in moisture, infusing it with so much bright citrus-y, zesty flavors to yield the juiciest, most tender flank steak.
- Make-ahead friendly. Marinate the steak ahead of time, preferably overnight, for the easiest, most effortless prep. It will come in so handy for quick weeknight meals or entertaining weekend company, ideal for all occasions.
- Quick-cooking. This recipe is perfect for a quick, fast sear on a hot grill or cast iron grill pan to get that favorited charred crust, cooking in just minutes!
- Versatile recipe. Carne asada has so many uses – as an entree with rice, salsa and guacamole or stuffing tacos, burritos, quesadillas, or even everyone’s favorite nachos.
What is carne asada?
Carne asada, translated to “grilled meat” in Spanish, is thinly sliced steak marinated in citrus juices and then grilled or seared for that smoky, charred flavor.
What cut of meat is used for carne asada?
Carne asada is typically made with flank steak, skirt steak, or flap steak, all absorbing marinades exceptionally well.
- Flap steak: a slightly thicker cut with loose, open-grained texture (less stringy), and has more marbling (fat) than skirt and flank steak
- Flank steak: wider and flatter cut of meat that is leaner than skirt steak, and much more accessible in grocery stores
- Skirt steak: has a higher fat content than flank steak, and crisps up incredibly well on a hot grill for those charred edges
key ingredients in carne asada
Carne asada gets its signature flavor from a bright acidic (citrus-heavy) marinade – this helps to tenderize the meat, gently breaking down the tough muscle fibers to yield juicy steak.
- Meat: flank, skirt or flap steak
- Citrus and acid: fresh orange and lime juice, and soy sauce (the secret ingredient for deep umami)
- Oil: olive oil (to coat the meat to prevent sticking and to encourage the perfect, smoky char)
- Aromatics: cilantro and garlic
- Spices: cumin, salt, and pepper
- Heat: jalapeño (optional)
How to make carne asada
- Prep the marinade. Combine the cilantro, olive oil, soy sauce, orange and lime juice, garlic, jalapeño, cumin, and pepper. Save 1/2 cup of the marinade in the fridge for later.
- Marinate. Marinate the steak for at least 4 hours to overnight, not exceeding 8 hours or the meat will turn mushy.
- Prep the grill. Preheat the grill to high heat (about 450°F) and scrape the grill grates clean to prevent sticking, and to guarantee those perfect sear marks on the steak.
- Prep the steak. Discard the marinade and pat the steak dry using paper towels – this is key for that crust!
- Cook the steak. Add the steak to a hot grill (or cast iron grill pan) and sear the meat quickly, reaching an internal temperature of 125-130°F for medium-rare.
- Let it rest. Let the steak rest for at least 5 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute.
- Slice. Thinly slice the steak against the grain, perpendicular to the direction of the muscle fibers to keep the meat tender.
- Serve. Serve warm with the saved marinade alongside rice, beans, corn salsa, guacamole and warmed tortillas.
MAKE-ahead, STORING AND FREEZING carne asada
Make-ahead
The marinade can be made 1 day in advance, or the steak can be marinated up to 8 hours.
Leftovers and reheating
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days, reheating in the oven at 250°F, covered in aluminum foil until warmed through.
Freeze before cooking
Transfer the marinated meat to an airtight, resealable freezer bag. Label, date, and freeze up to 3 months. To cook, thaw overnight in the fridge and cook as directed, adding a few more minutes of cook time as needed.
Freeze after cooking
Let cool completely. Transfer the meat to an airtight, resealable freezer bag. Label, date, and freeze up to 3 months. To reheat, thaw overnight in the fridge, reheating in the oven at 250°F, covered in aluminum foil until warmed through.
what to serve with carne asada
Tools For This Recipe
Cast iron grill pan or large cast iron skillet
Carne Asada: Frequently Asked Questions
Flank steak, skirt steak, or flap steak are all solid options here.
Because this is a citrus-heavy marinade, marinate 4 to 8 hours, preferably 8 hours. Marinating longer than 8 hours will lead to mushy steak.
Patting the steak dry will allow for a better sear and crust. If there is too much moisture (marinade) left on the steak, the meat will steam instead.
Carne asada can be grilled over high heat or on the stovetop in a cast iron grill pan or a large cast iron skillet (especially during those winter months when it’s too cold to grill out).
The meat may not have been marinated long enough, it could have been overcooked (going past medium – an internal temperature over 140°F) or it was sliced incorrectly with the grain. Let the meat rest for at least 5 minutes, and always slice against the grain, perpendicular to the fibers.
Carne asada can be served as a platter with tortillas, rice, beans, and various toppings, or diced into bite-sized pieces for tacos, burritos, burrito bowls, salads, quesadillas, or nachos.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Carne Asada
Video
Ingredients
- ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup reduced sodium soy sauce
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 ½ pounds flank steak
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine cilantro, olive oil, soy sauce, orange juice, lime juice, garlic, jalapeno, cumin and 1 teaspoon pepper; set aside 1/2 cup of the mixture in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
- In a gallon size Ziploc bag or large bowl, combine steak and remaining cilantro mixture; marinate for at least 4 hours to overnight, turning the bag occasionally. Drain the steak from the marinade.
- Preheat grill to high heat. Using paper towels, pat both sides of the steak dry; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Add steak to grill, and cook, flipping once, until desired doneness, about 3-6 minutes per side, reaching an internal temperature of 125-130°F for medium-rare. Let rest 5 minutes.
- Thinly slice steak against the grain and serve with reserved 1/2 cup cilantro mixture.
Notes
- Use a hot cast iron grill pan. When opting to cook indoors, a heavy bottom pan, such as a cast iron grill pan or large cast iron skillet, retains heat much better than a nonstick skillet, allowing for even cooking, a better sear and smoky, caramelized flavors.
- Use reduced sodium soy sauce. Reduced sodium has less sodium and less salt without compromising flavor. The soy sauce will also add flavor, saltiness and umami to the marinade.
- Freshly squeezed orange and lime juice is best. While bottled orange and lime juice can work in a pinch, freshly squeezed is ideal here for its vibrant, stronger flavors.
- Avoid marinating for too long. The high acid content from the orange and lime juices can break down the muscle fibers if marinated for too long, making the meat mushy. Marinate the steak 4 hours to overnight, ideally overnight (about 8 hours).
- Scorching hot and fast is the way to go. Carne asada should cook hot and fast. Preheat the grill to high heat, about 450°F, searing 3-5 minutes until charred and crusted, reaching an internal temperature of 125-130°F for medium-rare. Anything past medium (140°F) will be dry.
- Let your meat rest. Let your meat rest for at least 5 minutes prior to serving, allowing the juices to redistribute – this will allow for maximum flavor and juiciness.
- Slice against the grain. Always slice perpendicular to the direction of the muscle fibers – this will shorten muscle fibers, leaving you with more tender (less chewy) pieces of meat.
- Dice for tacos. Once sliced against the grain, cut the steak crosswise into smaller cubes for tacos (or burritos!).
- Double the sauce. Need extra sauce for tacos or burrito bowls? The sauce portion can easily be doubled or tripled for those saucy folks!
Did you make this recipe?
Tag @damn_delicious on Instagram and hashtag it #damndelicious!
I will be making this really soon. I do however want to know where did you get the pan in the photo? It looks like one my grandmother had and I am search for one just like it!
I have one of those, myself. It came from my grandmother and I remember her cooking many a meal in it, especially Sunday dinners. I’m sure it’s no longer available in store, just in our memories. Hope you find what you’re looking for.
If you look on Ebay, vintage aluminum roasting pan, you will find many choices with some looking just like this one. I believe it is a Wearever brand.
amazing recipe.. just hsd some reposdao tequila as a preamble and we desfrutallo..mucha gracias por todos
I put in marinade on lunch hour and grilled for dinner about 6 hours later. Definitely will make again, perfect Thank you for sharing
Made it. Ate it. Loved it.
I had to omit the jalapeños for the sake of pleasing all my family members (*ahem* looking at you, 5-years-olds), but overall this recipe was spiced just right. Just the right saltiness, brightness and earthiness. Also, it was super easy and came together quickly. Will make again and again.
Tip: save the rind of your lime before juicing it! It’s great for adding to your accompanying drink or dessert.
Can this be made on the stove top or in oven?
so yummy 😀
Family favourite…melt in your mouth deliciousness!
I’ve never written a review on a recipe but DAYYYUUUMMMMMM, the most delicious and authentic tasting recipe ever. Wow wow wow yummy!!!!
This recipe is incredible! For the first time, I made flank steak that wasn’t tough and chewy!! I subbed the soy sauce for coconut aminos and let the meat marinate for 48 hours. Put in sous vide at 130 for 1.5 hours then seared on cast iron. Incredible flavor and the whole family enjoyed it! 🙂
I want to note… you probably should not marinade for over 8 hours… the acid from the citris will start cooking the meat (think ceviche). Other professional chefs elsewhere have noted that.
But glad everyone is enjoying, awesome recipe!
This marinade was fire!!! Made recipe exactly as written and used like fajitas with oven roasted fresh bell peppers and all the fixings! Will definitely make again!
I have been making this recipe for so long…it’s always well received by my family and friends! They all love it! Thank you for sharing it!
This was amazingly yummy!! I rather clean than cook so I got lucky finding this recipe. I was craving some marinated meat and on limited time I only let it sit for approx. 2 hours so I can imagine if I fully followed the directions. I made tortas for me and my kids with some home made bean & salsa and the meat marinade was purrrfect. Thank you much for sharing!
I made this tonight for dinner. OH MY. Just so “dam delicious “!! This is going to be on regular rotation for sure. I marinated overnight. Too cold to grill, so I used my Cast Iron Skillet and broiled. Put the Cast Iron skillet in the oven while the broiler was preheating. Once preheated I put the Flank Steak in the skillet. 6 minutes, then turned for 5 more. Came out medium. I also made two pans of roasted red, yellow, orange peppers, onions and garlic. So so good.
Yumm!! thx for the oven instructions – Im terrible with the grill
OMG!!! This was BY FAR the best carne asada recipe I’ve ever tried!! The meat was better than almost every taco I’ve ever had in California in my life! Thank you so much to whoever came up with this because it is 100% perfect!!!
This was amazing. I used skirt steak and let it marinate for about 8 hours and grilled it at around 450 for 6 min per side like the recipe says… and WOW. One of the best things I’ve ever eaten. I’ve tried making carne asada at home before and nothing has compared to this. I served it at a party and it was gone so fast, people couldn’t stop raving.
Made this at the firehouse for holiday dinner, compliments came from all quarters. But, when the chief steward called me this morning to ask, “can you send me the recipe?” It confirmed what I already knew; this is a keeper!
I didn’t have cilantro. Can I use parsley as a substitute?
You shouldn’t. Cilantro has a ‘bite’ to it that no amount of parsley will ever match.
You can use coriander as a substitute but dear god no parsley.
Coriander is just another name for cilantro 🙂
Coriander is the seed of the cilantro plant. Cilantro refers to the plant/leaves/stems.
Cilantro is the leaves and the stems of the plant, coriander is the seeds. Both have the somewhat citrusy flavor, but are not interchangeable.
Coriander like someone else said is just another name for cilantro. People mistake for the seed because in the US we label the seeds and ground seeds coriander but they are called “coriander seeds”. The flavor of the seeds is not the same as cilantro.
Incredibly tender and flavourful, next time I will add more jalapeños as we like it spicy. Recipe was easy to follow. New addition to our favourite list,
I have not made this yet but plan to. I have a quick question, i do not have a grill to make this on so what would i do to get this to turn out great using the oven. I do have a cast iron skillet i can use, will that work just fine as well?
Absolutely! Bring your meat close to room temperature. Preheat cast iron skillet under the broiler for about 5 minutes. Add meat and broil until done. Probably 6-9 minutes. Love broiling these in the oven!
I’m looking to try this but wondering it if would be good in a stir fry?
I love to make recipes by order to try to start with and then after that I like to tweak them how I like them and that’s with any good chef
you can make things a certain way as they’re expected to be made or you can put your own twist
Absolutely delicious! Our new go-to steak recipe! We simply served it on warm corn tortillas with sliced avocado and used the reserve marinade as “taco sauce”, drizzling a little on each one. Yum!