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Carne Asada

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main courses•mexican•contains meat, gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free
2 hours 45 minutes•6 servings•

Ingredients

  • 2 jalapeño chiles – stemmed and finely chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic – minced
  • 4 limes – juiced
  • 1 orange – juiced
  • 2 tbsp neutral oil
  • 2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper – freshly ground
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp Mexican oregano – crumbled
  • 2 lb skirt steak – trimmed of silver skin
  • corn tortillas – warmed (for serving)
  • white onion – finely chopped (for serving)
  • cilantro – chopped (for serving)
  • lime wedges – (for serving)
  • salsa – (for serving)
Carne Asada

Instructions

1. Make the marinade: In a medium bowl, combine the chopped jalapeños, minced garlic, juice of the limes and orange, neutral oil, kosher salt, black pepper, ground cumin, and Mexican oregano. Whisk to blend.

2. Marinate the meat: Place the skirt steak in a large zip-top bag or shallow dish. Pour the marinade over it, turning to coat evenly. Seal and refrigerate 1–3 hours, turning once halfway through.

3. Prep the grill: Remove the meat from the marinade, letting excess drip off; pat dry with paper towels. Discard the marinade. Preheat a charcoal or gas grill to high heat (500–550°F) and clean the grates well.

4. Grill: Cook over direct high heat until well charred at the edges and just springy in the center, 3–5 minutes per side, to an internal temperature of 130–135°F for medium. Transfer to a board and rest 5–10 minutes.

5. Warm tortillas: While the meat rests, warm the corn tortillas on the cooler side of the grill or in a dry skillet until pliable, 30–60 seconds per side.

6. Slice and serve: Slice the meat thinly against the grain on a slight bias. Fill warm tortillas with carne asada and top with white onion, cilantro, and salsa; serve with lime wedges.

Carne asada is grilled, marinated beef sliced thin and served on its own or tucked into warm tortillas. The flavor balances bright citrus, garlic, and chiles with the deep smokiness of a hot grill, giving you a tender interior and charred edges. It’s simple, bold, and built for sharing—perfect for taco nights, backyard cookouts, or piling onto nachos and fries.

Rooted in northern Mexico, carne asada is tied to carne asadas—social cookouts that center on grilled beef, tortillas, and salsas. Skirt steak (arrachera) is the traditional cut thanks to its loose grain and beefy flavor, though flank and flap are also common. Over time, regional and cross-border influences introduced additions like Worcestershire, soy sauce, or beer, but the essence remains high-heat grilling and citrus-forward seasoning.