Authentic Carne Asada ( Easy & Delicious)

This Authentic Carne Asada is packed with flavor. Marinated and grilled to tender perfection you will have everyone coming back for seconds!

Being able to travel to Mexico many times, I have had my share of some pretty amazing carne asada. Honestly, there is no ‘true’ Authentic Carne Asada recipe, in fact, I have had so many variations even in Mexico! This recipe I created is tried and true, it is a FAMILY FAVORITE and will keep everyone coming back for seconds!

Growing up in southern California we are pretty accustomed to some of the very best Mexican food on the planet! Great Mexican food contains many fresh ingredients, herbs, and flavorful spices.

Since being put on a ‘stay at home’ order I feel like I’ve been cooking meals non-stop. Three meals a day means way too many dishes, I’m starting to cringe at the thought of more dishes. So this week I am trying to simplify things around here, I am making enough Authentic Carne Asada for 3 meals. No, not the same meal we will use for tacos, quesadillas, and nachos!

What cut of steak to use

I prefer flank steak however, skirt steak works great. You do not want your flank steak to be thick; I always cut mine down the middle for a thinner slice of meat. Don’t worry about finding a more expensive cut of meat, you will thinly slice and dice this up for your tacos, nachos, and burritos. 

Authentic Carne Asada Marinade 

Simple ingredients

• lime juice
• orange juice
• lemon juice
• garlic
• cilantro
• jalepeño, seeded
• spices (chili powder, cumin, oregano)
• avocado oil
• apple cider vinegar 
• salt and pepper  

How to make an authentic marinade for carne asada 

Start by placing all your marinade ingredients into your food processor. Process till cilantro, jalepeño, and garlic is broken down for about 1 minute. I find processing them gives the steak so much more flavor than just whisking ingredients together. Marinate for 1-4 hours in the refrigerator.

Once your steak has marinated, heat your grill or cast-iron skillet to medium-high heat. Grill each side for 6-8 minutes. You’ll want that nice char on the outside that offers Carne Asada so much flavor. Let the meat REST for at least five minutes before slicing. If you like rare meat, adjust the time to your personal preference. 

Thinly slice your meat against the grain, and from there, you can cube it up into the perfect bite-size pieces.

Making tacos, do not forget to serve it up with some delicious Pico de Gallo and Chipotle Cashew Cream!

Love easy and delicious recipes like Authentic Carne Asada. Also try:

• Chipotle Chicken (copycat recipe)
• Mexican Orange Chipotle Chicken
• Easy Grilled Chicken Street Tacos
• Carne Asada Nachos
• Shredded Chicken Tacos
• Carne Asada Street Tacos

Yield: 8

Authentic Carne Asada

Print

Prep Time 3 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 18 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 lbs flank steak
• 1/4 cup avocado oil
• 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 5 garlic cloves
• 1 lemon, juice of (3 tbsps)
• 1 orange, juice of (1/4 cup)
• 3 limes, juice of (4 tbsp)
• 1/2 cup cilantro leaves, packed 
• 1 jalapeño, seeded
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp chili powder 
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Place all your ingredients into a food processor. Process till cilantro, jalepeño, and garlic are broked down for about 1 minute.
2. Add steak to a glass baking tray and pour marinade on top. Make sure both sides are well coated. Cover in plastic wrap and place in the fridge to marinate for 1-4 hours.
3. Heat your grill or cast-iron skillet to medium-high heat. Grill each side fo steak for 6-8 minutes, creating a nice char on the outside. If you prefer a more rare steak adjust the time as need be.
4. Let meat rest a minimum of 5 minutes before slicing against the grain. Enjoy!