Carne Asada translates as grilled beef, and beyond that the interpretations will vary wildly depending on the region you’re in. For most of us though, a sharp, well-seasoned, slightly charred piece of steak will tick all the boxes, but please keep in mind that there is some leeway on the marinade that we’re using to achieve that. If you’re missing an ingredient or two just go for it anyways, most likely you’ll still get a good result. First up though let’s talk carne. You’ll typically see flank and skirt steak associated with Carne Asada as these thin cuts cook quickly and will give you loads of flavor, but there is leeway on the cut of beef as well.
Ingredients
500g. skirt steak (or flank steak or other)
12-16 MASAMOR corn tortillas
125g white cheese (Mozzarella, White Cheddar, etc.)
3-4 limes (for serving)
Salt
For the marinade:
Juice of 1 lime
Juice of 1 orange
4 peeled garlic cloves
8-10 sprigs cilantro (optional)
2 de-stemmed jalapenos
2 tablespoons Mexican oregano
1 teaspoon cumin
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 cup olive oil
Freshly cracked black pepper
For the Pico de Gallo:
4 plum tomatoes
1 small onion
2 jalapenos
20-25 sprigs cilantro
juice of 2 limes
1/2 teaspoon salt (plus more to taste)
Instructions
Give the skirt steak a sprinkling of salt on both sides. Cut it into smaller, more manageable pieces.
For the marinade, add the listed ingredients to a blender and combine well. Create a single layer of steak in a casserole dish. Cover with the marinade. Cover with plastic and marinate in the fridge for an hour or so. For the Pico de Gallo, start by giving the tomatoes, jalapeno, and cilantro a good rinse. Peel the onion and de-stem the tomatoes and jalapenos. Finely chop the tomatoes, onion, and jalapeno into 1/4" sized chunks. Finely dice the cilantro. For a milder version you can start by using only 1 of the jalapenos and adding more incrementally if you want more heat. Combine everything in a mixing bowl along with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and the juice of two limes. Mix together well and taste for seasoning. Add additional salt and lime if necessary. Preheat the grill so it's piping hot before you add the steak. Cook each piece of meat for 2-3 minutes per side or until medium-rare. For serving, heat up the tortillas in a dry skillet over medium-high heat. Add cheese to each tortilla and cook until they are crisping up. Each cheesy tortilla gets Carne Asada, Pico de Gallo, and a final squeeze of lime. Buen Provecho!