Carne Asada (Beef Skirt Steak) Recipe
If you’ve got a hankering for beef and Mexican food, look no further! This Carne Asada (Beef Skirt Steak) recipe always hits the spot.
I love the versatility of this recipe, you can literally put it in almost anything! Throw it in a tortilla wrap with Spanish rice, refried beans, pico de gallo, sour cream and cheese, and you have the world’s best burrito!
Carne Asada tacos with freshly made guacamole and salsa is to die for! You could also sandwich this between two tortillas with your favorite type of cheese and BOOM, you have a delicious, mouthwatering quesadilla.
I’ve even enjoyed this Carne Asada (Beef Skirt Steak) recipe on a bed of brown rice with a side of veggies. This isn’t just a dish that you can enjoy on special occasions, definitely give it a try and challenge yourself to see how many different ways you can enjoy it!
Another reason I am obsessed with this dish is because of its flavor factor. It has some heat from jalapenos, tanginess from the citrus fruits, and earthiness from the garlic. It’s also bursting with freshness from the cilantro which is one of my favorite herbs!
(I still don’t get how cilantro is an acquired taste….but then again, I grew up eating it!)
A few tips:
1. When chopping the jalapenos, be sure to wear gloves! If not, your fingers may burn due to an irritant called capsaicin.
RAPIDFIRE STORYTIME: I was chopping some serrano peppers for another recipe and was so careless that I neglected to wear gloves…. My fingers started burning relentlessly a few minutes later and I tried almost every home remedy under the sun! (Even dipping my hands in maple syrup, milk and yoghurt…..) It took 4 hours for the burning to finally go away and thank goodness, I didn’t need to visit the ER! Lesson learned.
2. Freshly squeeze orange juice is essential to this dish! I recommend using a navel orange or Valencia since you can juice them with ease. Clementines or mandarins won’t be as accommodating.
Carne Asada (Beef Skirt Steak) Recipe
Ingredients
- 500 grams beef skirt steak *could be flank steak
- 2-3 large cloves of garlic
- 1 jalapeno *to control the spice, remove the seeds
- 1 lime juiced
- 1 orange juiced
- 1 tbsp white vinegar
- 1 cup fresh cilantro *chopped
- *salt to taste
- *pepper to taste
Instructions
- Finely chop the garlic cloves (or crush them with a garlic crusher) and transfer to a large bowl.
- Chop the cilantro and jalapeno finely as well and add to the bowl. (WEAR GLOVES when chopping the jalapeno! If you like some extra heat, leave the seeds in. If not, carefully remove the seeds with your knife)
- Juice the lime and the orange and pour in to the bowl.
- Pour in the vegetable oil and mix the marinade with a fork or whisk.
- On a tray that's long enough for your skirt/flank steak to lay flat, place your beef on it and season with salt and pepper.
- Spoon over the marinade and don't be afraid to rub it in with your hands. (You can wear gloves if you prefer)
- Once the steak is coated on both sides, cover the tray with some plastic wrap and put in the fridge for 4 hours. (Or overnight for incredible flavor!)
- When you're ready to start cooking, take the steak out of the fridge and wait for it to come to room temperature.
- Heat up a large shallow saucepan or cast iron skillet on medium/high heat. If you feel like grilling it for some added smoky taste, go right ahead and fire up your grill or BBQ!)
- Since the beef has been marinating in vegetable oil among other ingredients, you don't need to add any excess oil to the pan. Once the pan is hot, carefully lay the steak in away from you to avoid splatter)
- You should hear an instant sizzle! Cook each side for 5-7 mins on each side until the middle is pink. (If you like your steak well done, cook for 10-12 mins on each side or until the inside is brown)
- Once the beef is cooked, lay on a chopping board or tray and cover with aluminium foil. Leave to to rest for at least 10 mins)
- After 10 mins, remove the foil and slice the beef against the grain.
- If you want to add this to a burrito or taco, or if you have kids eating this, chop the slices into smaller bitesize cubes like in the image above) Enjoy!
Click here to view other meat recipes.
Click to view my awesome guacamole recipe!