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Carne asada is a simple, classic Mexican preparation for skirt or flank steak. The meat is marinated for at least 4 hours, then grilled over medium-high heat to get a charred, flavor-packed crust. The result is delicious all on its own, but in a taco? Life-changing. If you’ve never tried your hand at making it before, then I’ve got good news—your hunt for the perfect carne asada taco is over. This flavorful handheld food has it all—tender marinated skirt steak, an aromatic corn tortilla, and all of the classic street taco toppings. If you’re ready to upgrade your Taco Tuesday or any weeknight, keep reading on for all of my top tips on how to ace these tacos:
First, we’ll create our marinade. The secret to great carne asada is all in creating a killer marinade, so we aren’t cutting corners here. Add cilantro, chipotle chile, adobo sauce, scallions, garlic, lime zest, orange zest, orange juice, canola oil, Worcestershire sauce, cumin, salt, and pepper to a food processor or blender, then blend until smooth.
Place your steak in a large resealable bag, or in a container you can cover well. Pour in the marinade, making sure it covers as much of the steak as possible. Press the air out of the bag, then massage it into the steak so that every inch is covered—this is the way to ensure a juicy, flavorful result. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, but you can go up to 4.
When you’re ready to start cooking, heat your grill for 5 minutes over medium-high heat. Alternatively, you can use a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Pour a small amount of neutral oil onto a wad of paper towels, then rub them over the grates until they are coated in a thin layer of oil. Make sure the grates are well coated, repeat the process if necessary.
Then, using paper towels, pat off the excess marinade from the steak, and season both sides with salt and pepper. Add the steak to the grill, and grill until it is just browned on one side. Flip, then continue to grill until the second side is browned. The best way to check is with an instant-read thermometer interested into the thickest part of the steak—you’re looking for 125°. Once done to your liking, transfer the steak to a cutting board and tent with foil to let it rest for 5 minutes.
While it’s resting, reduce the grill heat to medium, and grill tortillas until toasted. This may seem like an extra step, but it takes hardly any time at all, and makes a world of difference in the finished product.
After it has rested, slice the steak against the grain into bite-sized pieces—you don’t want to overwhelm your taco. Then, top each tortilla with your steak, then your desired toppings. My perfect carne asada taco isn’t complete without cilantro, onion, radishes, cotija, and salsa verde, but you do you!
The full list of ingredients and instructions can be found in the recipe below.
Any of your favorite taco sides will work great here. Mexican rice, refried pinto beans, elote, and corn salsa are all great options. Of course, if you’re feeling thirsty, a pitcher of margaritas is never a bad idea either.
Leftovers can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 5 days in an airtight container.
coarsely chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for serving
chipotle chile in adobo, plus 1 Tbsp. adobo sauce
scallions, coarsely chopped
garlic cloves, minced
Zest and juice of 2 limes
Zest and juice of 1 navel orange
canola oil, plus more for grill
Worcestershire sauce
ground cumin
kosher salt, plus more
freshly ground black pepper, plus more
skirt or flank steak, trimmed, cut into 6" pieces
small corn tortillas
finely chopped white onion
finely chopped fresh cilantro
Sliced red radishes, cotija, and salsa verde, for serving
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