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A platter of carne asada with avocado, lime, tomatoes and a flour tortilla
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Carne Asada On The Grill

A taqueria classic, Carne Asada cooked on the grill takes the humble flank steak to a whole new level of greatness. A bold marinade flavorized, moisturizes and tenderizes the meat for a recipe that will become one of your Summertime favorites.
Cuisine Mexican
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Marinade Time 1 day
Total Time 1 day 27 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 472kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds flank or skirt steak
  • Olive oil
  • salt and fresh ground pepper
  • Marinade:
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 2 limes juiced (about 2 Tbsp)
  • 2 Tablespoons cider vinegar
  • 2 Tablespoons sugar or processed granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder or 2 cloves garlic pressed through a garlic press, or fine minced
  • 1 teaspoon New Mexico Red Chile Powder or Ancho
  • 1 teaspoon Mexican Oregano
  • Serve With
  • avocado sliced or chopped
  • Lime wedges
  • Corn or flour tortillas
  • radishes thin sliced
  • Pico de gallo salsa

Instructions

  • Place the flank steak in a gallon sized sealable plastic bag. Add all of the marinade ingredients. Seal the bag, pressing out the air and then squish and turn the bag in all directions to mix the ingredients well. Place in the refrigerator over night and all day the next day. I repeat the squish and turn step every time I open the refrigerator door.
  • Preheat your gas grill by turning the heat up to 550. Turn heat down to 400.
  • Remove steak from marinade. Pour the marinade into a small bowl and use for basting. Turn the middle burner off and add the flank steak to the hotter part of the grill.
  • Use a grill pan to grill any vegetables you'd like to serve with the steak. Jalapeno peppers are a must, knob onions are also nice here.
  • Grill the steak for 6 minutes, basting with the sauce every 2 minutes. The steak should be well seared before turning.
  • Move steak to middle and continue basting and searing. Cook for only about 3 - 4 minutes more. Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature to read 120 - 125 degrees.
  • Remove the steak from the grill, place on a cutting board and tent with foil. Let rest for 10 minutes.
  • Slice the flank steak across the grain and slice it as thin as you can.
  • Serving suggestions: grilled jalapenos, warmed tortillas, avocados, pico de gallo, chopped cilantro, grilled onions, or wedges of lime.

Notes

If you don't have a grill you can use a well-seasoned grill pan or a large cast iron pan on the stove-top. Heat on high to sear and then lower the heat to finish cooking. Make sure to use your stove vent, searing the steak this way can smoke up the kitchen!
If you want, before adding the steak to the marinade, reserve a couple tablespoons of the marinade to drizzle over the finished carne asada to serve.
Pro Tip: Always slice the grilled flank steak against the grain. Slicing the steak this way will cut through the tough fibers, shortening them, so you'll have a tender bite sized piece of meat.

Nutrition

Calories: 472kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 107mg | Sodium: 933mg | Potassium: 580mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 180IU | Vitamin C: 10.2mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 4.3mg