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4.75 from 12 votes

Authentic Carne Asada + Marinade Recipe

Carne Asada is easy to make with a super tasty marinade to give it a lot of flavor. This recipe is my go-to whenever I am craving authentic restaurant-quality Mexican for dinner, with plenty of ways to use up the leftovers!
Prep Time1 hour
Cook Time16 minutes
Total Time1 hour 16 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Hispanic
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 468kcal
Author: Eden Westbrook

Equipment

Ingredients

Marinade:

  • ½ cup grapeseed oil or oil with high smoke point
  • 2 cups orange and lime juice or mojo criollo
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 tablespoon ground chipotle powder optional
  • 1 fresh jalapeno pepper deseeded and membranes removed (optional)
  • 2 tablespoon light sodium soy sauce
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves optional
  • 5 clove garlic crushed lightly
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

Steak:

  • 2 lbs skirt steak but flap meat or flank steak work as well
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • Freshly cracked black pepper

Instructions

  • In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together all marinade ingredients. Place the steak into the bowl of marinade and make sure the marinade covers every piece of the meat. Let marinate for at least 30 minutes up to 4 hours.
  • Discard your marinade and gently pat steaks with paper towels to dry them off. Let the meat rest for at least 30 minutes, up to an hour, to come to room temperature. Cold protein seizes up in high heat.
  • Heat a grill pan or large skillet over medium-high to high heat or heat a clean grill rubbed with an onion half to high heat, about 500 degrees. Season steaks evenly on both sides with kosher salt and black pepper. Cook steak 5-7 minutes per side for medium-rare, but use a meat thermometer to ensure proper temperature.
  • Remove steak and let rest on a cutting board, covered with foil very loosely, for ten minutes. Slice thinly against the grain and serve with desired sides.
  • Keep in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.

Notes

  • The times for cooking are estimates. The cooking time will depend on how thick and what type of steak you use, so using a meat thermometer will ensure accuracy.
  • To ensure your carne asada isn't tough, marinate it for at least an hour, cook it to at most medium rare, and cut against the grain of the steak.
  • The authentic way to cook carne asada is over the grill, but using a grill pan or cast-iron skillet indoors on your stovetop will give you a great char on the steak as well.
  • The marinade is just a guideline, the ingredients give a bright flavor, full of umami and spice. Add your favorite herbs, spices, citrus, whatever you like, to your marinade to give it a personal touch.
  • This is my recipe for homemade mojo criollo, it works so well not only with care asada but any grilling or Latin dish!

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 468kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 22g | Cholesterol: 83mg | Sodium: 2074mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g