With this rockin' carne asada recipe, you flavor flank or skirt steak with a zingy homemade marinade, then grill it, slice it and serve it. It's hard to beat! A Mexican classic!
You've probably enjoyed carne asada at your local Mexican restaurant, and if you're like me, you love it deeply. It's a hugely flavorful Mexican dish, mostly served in taco form, but sometimes served sliced as the main dish.
Carne Asada translates to "Grilled Meat", but that doesn't say much about what it really is. What defines it is that amazing flavor of beef straight off the grill. Let's discuss what it is and how to make it at home.
What is Carne Asada?
Carne asada is a Mexican recipe of beef that is marinated, grilled, then sliced and served. The words, "Carne Asada" translate to "Grilled Meat" from Spanish, but the dish has certainly evolved over the ages. What once was likely a simple recipe of lightly seasoned meat tossed onto a grill is now a hugely popular and flavorful favorite.
When making carne asada, you have three major considerations:
- The Cut of Beef
- The Marinade
- The Grilling
Best Steak for Carne Asada
Skirt steak or flank steak are the most popular choices for making carne asada, but did you know you can make it with other cuts of beef? Flank or skirt steak are not required. You can make carne asada with ribeye, tenderloin, sirloin and other cuts of beef. The choice is yours.
I prefer flank steak because it is a slightly tougher cut of meat that benefits hugely from the marinade. Also, it grills up quickly, and once it is grilled, when you slice it against the grain, the meat falls right apart for the perfect combination of texture and flavor.
The Carne Asada Marinade - Your Secret Ingredient
You need a good marinade to make carne asada. There is no single traditional marinade, and marinade recipes vary from cook to cook and region to region. Some simply use a dry rub of salt and pepper with other seasonings, but my recipe incorporates a number of different ingredients. I've been tweaking it for a while now, using it on different cuts of meat. For me, it's the best carne asada marinade I've ever had.
The marinade helps to not only flavor the meat, but also tenderize it. Once you've marinaded your steak, you'll notice how tender and juicy it becomes after you've grilled it. Each bite will melt in your mouth.
I can't get enough of this marinade!
Check out my Zesty Carne Asada Marinade here, but I've also included it in the recipe below.
Should I Cut the Steak Before or After Marinating for Carne Asada?
If your plan is to make carne asada tacos, you can slice the meat before you marinade it. This will cut down on your marinating time and will also help the marinade more deeply penetrate the meat. Otherwise, I like to marinate the steak whole to cook it through more uniformly. I've never had an issue this way.
Let's talk about how we make it, shall we?
Fire up the grill, my friends.
Carne Asada Recipe
First, whisk together the following ingredients in a medium-sized bowl to make your marinade:
- 1-2 serrano peppers, minced (or use jalapeno peppers for a milder version)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ - ½ cup chopped cilantro
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons chili oil
- Juice from 2 large oranges (about a ¾ cup orange juice)
- Juice from 2 limes (lime juice)
- 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar (apple cider vinegar is good, too)
- 1 tablespoon ancho powder (optional, but I LOVE it)
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Alternatively, you can process the ingredients in a food processor or blender until smooth.
To use the marinade, add it to a large sealable bag with the steak and rub it thoroughly into the meat. Seal and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight for more flavor penetration.
You can also set the submerge the steak in the marinade in a large baking dish.
When you're ready to grill, heat your grill to medium-high heat. Remove the steak, discard the marinade, then sear the marinated steak on the grill for 8-10 minutes per side, or until cooked to your liking. 135 degrees F is medium-rare.
I like to use my ThermoPop meat thermometer from ThermoWorks (I'm an affiliate). Works great! Almost there!
Let the steak rest for 5 minutes (or up to 10 minutes), then thinly slice it against the grain on a cutting board and serve it up.
That's it, my friends! This is the best carne asada I've ever had. Super tender, super flavorful. Seriously hard to beat.
Recipe Notes
If grilling is an issue, you can also sear up the steak in a hot cast iron pan or a grill pan. I've done this and it works great.
For serving, you can serve it as the main course with a side of refried beans or arroz con pollo, topped with a fresh pico de gallo, or slice it further and serve it up as Carne Asada Tacos, burritos, tortas and more.
That's it, my friends! Let me know how you like the steak. I love it! Have a good one.
Try Some of My Other Popular Recipes
- Tacos al Pastor
- Beef Barbacoa
- Grilled Tri Tip Steak Fajitas
- Mexican Picadillo
- Grilled London Broil
- Ropa Vieja (Cuban Shredded Beef)
- Chili Rubbed Prime Rib Roast
- Marinated Tri Tip in the Oven
- Carne Asada Fries
- Stuffed Flank Steak
- Pepper Steak
- Tacos al Carbon
- Flank Steak Marinade
Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.
Carne Asada Recipe
Ingredients
FOR THE MARINADE
- 1-2 serrano peppers minced (or use jalapeno peppers for a milder version)
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ - ½ cup chopped cilantro
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons chili oil
- Juice from 2 large oranges about a ¾ cup
- Juice from 2 limes
- 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar apple cider vinegar is good, too
- 1 tablespoon ancho powder optional, but I LOVE it
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
FOR THE CARNE ASADA
- 3 pound skirt or flank steak for marinating
Instructions
- Whisk all of the marinade ingredients in a medium sized bowl until well combined.
- Alternatively, you can process the ingredients in a food processor or blender until smooth.
- To use the marinade, add it to a large sealable bag with the steak and rub it thoroughly into the meat. Seal and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight for more flavor penetration.
- Discard the marinade, then grill the marinated steak on the grill for 8-10 minutes per side, or until cooked to your liking. 135 degrees F is medium-rare. Let the steak rest for 10 minutes, then slice it against the grain and serve it up.
Nutrition Information
Dan says
Another great marinade. My favorite Carne Asada as well!
Thanks!!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Nice! Thanks, Dan!!
Kt says
This carne was so tender and good. I used flank steak and subbed in a jalapeño for the serranos. I thought I had chili oil but didn’t so I added in a pinch of red pepper flakes. I did use the ancho powder and glad I did. Served it with pico de gallo and flour tortillas. Thanks for the recipe!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Nice! I agree, SO TENDER. I LOVE this recipe. Thanks, KT!
Kt says
Hi, I’m going to make this next week and wanted to know how spicy it is with the ancho powder? I do have some and want to use it I just want to be careful with others who don’t like spicy.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Kt, ancho powder isn't very HOT spicy compared to others, maybe close to your typical paprika, depending on the brands. It is made from ancho peppers, which aren't very hot. I'm not sure what you personally consider "spicy" though. The steak itself doesn't take on much heat, but I would skip any fresh peppers if you have any concern. You can also use only half the ancho powder and adjust the recipe to taste the next time you make it. Let me know how it turns out for you.
Richard says
I have tried Carne Asada before and was a little disappointed with the flavour i got, so i thought i would give this a go. When making it, i thought about using Skirt instead of flank but decided to stick with the recipe. I made it and put it in the fridge. I left it in there for 3-4 days due to other things that i had on at the time and then cooked as per the instruction. It was fantastic! Admittedly, it was not a strong flavour but it was perfect. But the most amazing thing was the texture of the meat. It literally melted in the mouth.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
That's great, Richard. I appreciate the comments. I've tweaked this recipe so much and finally got it just how I like it. Glad you enjoyed it!
Kathy says
Thank you all for the cooking ideas. Can’t wait to try.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thank YOU, Kathy! I appreciate it. Enjoy.
Garry Phillips says
Hi Mike,
Thanks for another good round of recipes
I have a Waygu Brisket , plan on using the skirt it is a 6 on the marble score, I will marinate it over night. Cook on a BBQ
I have no Ancho powder, bit hard to get in Australia, so as a substitute I used was a mixed smoked paprika (50%) and Jalepeno chilli powder (50%), would that be a suitable substitute?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Drool, Garry! Super jealous! I wish I was there! Yes, the smoked paprika and jalapeno powder will be great for flavoring. Let me know how it turns out! Drool!
Dwight O Lindley says
In the printed recipe, the description at the top says to use a 2 lb steak. But near the bottom is says to use a 3 pound steak. Which is best? I really look forward to trying this recipe. Thanks!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Dwight, thanks for pointing that out. Glitch in my recipe card software. The recipe calls for a 3 pound steak. However, it WILL work with a smaller cut. I hope you enjoy it.
col says
i usually cook with pork or chicken and have been a bit wary of beef for some reason. this'll be getting made though and has also inspired me to get a food thermometer.
keep up the great, and creative, work.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Col. I hope you like it. I've been really LOVING flank steak lately. This particular recipe is very satisfying.
col says
wow! added some wholegrain mustard to the marinade (hardly traditional i'm sure) and this recipe rocks.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Perfect! Mustard isn't traditional, but it certainly is welcomed as a flavor builder. Nicely done!
RIA Dobek says
I made this tonight and it was delicious! I did an experiment using petite sirloin steak I had in the freezer. It is normally a tough cut so I marinated it for about 28 hrs. I got the grill really hot & cooked them for about 6 minutes per side till they were medium rare . They ended up tender and juicy and delicious! Thanks so much for sharing your recipe!
...
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Awesome, Ria! Sounds great with the sirloin!