How to make Carne Asada on the Grill
If you love tacos, nachos, fries and burritos (and who doesn’t?!) then it’s time to level-up and learn how to make carne Asada on the grill!! There’s no better filling then this tender juicy and delicious beef!
Have you ever cooked with skirt steak? If you’ve ordered fajitas at a restaurant then you’ve probably eaten it before, but it seems many people have never cooked with it at home! Skirt steak is available at most grocery stores and is a tender cut of meat! It’s used in many things, from fajitas to Chinese dishes and is also the most used cut of meat when making Carne Asada. There are many ways to cook this meat and I’m going to share my favorite tips and tricks with you for how to make Carne Asada on the grill!
I’m sharing with you my simple but highly tested and super successful recipe for Carne Asada. I’ve done it both in the slow cooker and on the grill many times, and either way, it turns out absolutely amazing.
What is Carne Asada?
Carne Asada is most typically a thin cut of meat, usually a skirt steak, that has been marinated and grilled. After cooking, it’s generally cut into thin strips and served either as a main course or as a filling in tacos, burritos and more.
As I mentioned, skirt steaks are usually very flavorful, although not always very tender. Therefore it either needs to be grilled quickly at a higher temperature, or low and slow.
How do you know when Carne Asada is done?
For best results you should always use a meat thermometer to cook foods like this to the exact right temperature. Carne Asada is best done to medium at about 130 degrees F.
How do you make skirt steak tender?
- marinate for at least 2 hours
- a citrus based marinade will help tenderize the meat even more
- grill at a high temp or cook low and slow on a smoker or in a slow cooker
- always let it rest at least 15-20 minutes before slicing
- slice against the grain (you can easily see the grain running through the meat, simply rotate and cut at an angle across the grain)
Whenever we have a crowd over for dinner, I love the option of making a taco bar, and this is always on the menu. It’s different than your average ground beef and will totally impress your guests. They don’t have to know how easy it was!!
My favorite ways to serve Carne Asada include:
- in tacos
- topped with street corn
- on top of crispy fries with guacamole
- smothered in tasty queso!
How to Make Carne Asada on the Grill
Ingredients
- 3 pound flank steak
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 1 lime
- 2 teaspoons garlic
- 1 teaspoons cilantro
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon honey
Instructions
- Place flank steak in large baggie
- Whisk together remaining ingredients
- Pour over steak and let marinate for at least 2 hours
- Preheat grill to medium high heat (around 400 degrees)
- Cook for 8-12 minutes on each side until desired doneness is reached (I suggest cooking to 130 degrees F)
- Remove and let rest for 10-15 minutes
- Slice against the grain to serve
Nutrition
How long would I cook this in a slow cooker?
Here’s my slow cooker recipe: https://slowcookergourmet.net/slow-cooker-carne-asada/ Enjoy!!
Hi there, Before I retired I worked for a major grocery chain in California. We had a spice(rub) of carne asada that we used to cook up and demo for the customer’s to try. Unfortunately I don’t live in ca. anymore and have missed this delicious recipe. Just made yours and it is the bomb! Thank you so much for bringing us this recipe. It will be served on my table on a regular basis now. For those who have never tryed, it will put tacos to shame and I promise you won’t be disappointed. Yummy! Thank you Jennifer ,for sharing and bringing back an amazing meal at my table.
Thanks so much for these kind words! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
I fill like a chef now!
You say skirt steak above and then proceed to suggest using flank steak for the recipe. They aren’t the same cut are they?
They are very similar and you could use either for this recipe.
Delicious recipe! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!
I’ve never had carne asada in Mexico or at an authentic Mexican restaurant that isn’t well done.
It’s a thin, tough, but extremely flavorful piece of meat. As such, if you cook it medium or medium rare, you’re going to have a chewy time.
Turn the grill or griddle as hot as possible and sear the daylights out of each side. If it’s cut thin the traditional way it’ll be well done in about five minutes if your cooking surface is hot enough.