Carne Asada

Carne asada is an undisputedly delicious, classic Mexican preparation for steak that looks just as beautiful as it tastes. Translating to "grilled meat," carne asada marinates flank or skirt steak in a flavorful, citrus-spiked mixture for several hours—or up to overnight—before grilling. The result is a juicy, beef-forward piece of meat with plenty of the smoky, signature char. Whether you’re incorporating it into your favorite tacos or serving it as your main dish, here’s how to perfect it:

What’s the best cut of meat for carne asada?
The most common cuts used for carne asada are skirt steak or flank steak, which both have intense beefy flavor. If you can’t find skirt or flank steak, you can also make a delicious carne asada with hanger or flat iron steak. This recipe calls for skirt steak, which is a particularly forgiving cut of meat that will stay tender even when cooked past medium-rare.

The marinade.
For this preparation, the marinade is as important as the meat. There are as many marinades for carne asada as there are taquerias that specialize in this dish. This recipe employs the must-haves of garlic, cilantro, citrus, and chipotle chiles in adobo. Seville oranges (or sour oranges) are the traditional choice for citrus, but they can be tough to find, especially out of season. We used a combo of lime and navel orange as an approximation, but by all means, swap them out.

How to make it.
If it’s in the name, it’s a must—a grill is essential to achieving the desired results for carne asada. You can go for those beautiful diamond-patterned grill marks, but you don't need to get that fussy with it to get a delicious result. As you're grilling, don't be afraid to rotate the steak on the grill so that the char is distributed evenly on the surface of the meat, instead of concentrating it all in one place. That means more surface area is kissed by the grill, adding a bit of complexity to each and every bite.

Storage.
Leftovers can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 5 days in an airtight container. 

Serving ideas.
While we love enjoying carne asada all on its own with pico de gallo or salsa verde, there are plenty of other ways to enjoy this dish. Pile it into tortillas with your favorite salsa, serve plated with black beans and rice, or layer into a carne asada torta.

Made this? Let us know how it went in the comments below.