Carne Asada The Real Deal Food

CARNE ASADA

Steps:

• Place the skirt steak in a large glass bowl or resealable plastic bag.
• To make the marinade, add the cilantro, olive oil, orange juice, lime juice, honey, oregano, garlic and serrano chile to a blender. Season with a small pinch of salt and pepper. Blend for 35 to 40 seconds to combine.
• Pour the marinade all over the steak, moving it around to make sure everything is covered. Cover or seal and transfer to the refrigerator and allow to marinate for at least 1 hour, but no more than 6 (too long in the marinade will cause the steak to begin breaking down).
• Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat.
• When ready, remove the steak from the marinade, letting the excess drip off. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper and grill about 4 minutes per side for medium.
• Remove to a cutting board and allow to rest for 5 to 7 minutes. Slice the steak against the grain and serve with the lime wedges.

THE BEST CARNE ASADA RECIPE

Steps:

• When ready to cook, remove the extra salsa from the fridge to allow it to warm up a little. Light one chimney full of charcoal. When all the charcoal is lit and covered with gray ash, pour out and arrange the coals on one side of the charcoal grate. Set cooking grate in place, cover grill, and preheat for 5 minutes. Alternatively, set half the burners on a gas grill to the highest heat setting, cover, and preheat for 10 minutes. Clean and oil the grilling grate.

CARNE ASADA - THE REAL DEAL

Steps:

• In a large ziploc bag, place beer, oregano (rub between palms to crush while adding), cumin, orange juice, sugar and garlic. Add salt and pepper to taste, making it a bit on the salty side.
• Add red pepper flakes and achiote powder, if using. Achiote gives it a nice color and a subtle taste.
• Zip bag closed and shake or knead to blend all ingredients well.
• Add flank steak, zip closed and combine to saturate all sides of beef. Refrigerate at least one hour, turning and shaking bag from time to time.
• Drink rest of beer while meat is marinating.
• Place meat on hot grill, turning only once, about four minutes per side for medium well.
• When done to your liking, place meat on cutting board, let rest for a few minutes, then cut into small 1/2 inch pieces.
• Serve with warm corn and/or flour tortillas, guacamole, salsa and sour cream (or crema fresca). Beans and mexican rice on the side - see my recipe for the rice.

MY MOM'S CARNE ASADA

Steps:

• Place meat, soy sauce, garlic and pepper in a resealable bag.
• Marinate for at least 4 hours.
• Grill 3 minutes or longer depending on thickness on each side.
• Let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
• Serve with tortillas and toppings.
• Enjoy!

CARNE ASADA

Steps:

• Break up achiote rojo into a powder, or as best you can as it is a little moist.
• Mix remaining ingredients except meat into the achiote rojo. Mix well to break up any large pieces of the achiote.
• Place meat in a container or your choice to marinade in and pour the achiote rojo mixture on and work it into the meat.
• Cover and marinade for as long as possible. Time DOES NOT indicate marinade time.
• Get the grill going, pop a beer and get busy. Remember, the wood charcoal is very hot. I get it so my hand can stand the heat test for 2-3 seconds. Closer to 2 seconds, though.
• Put the meat on the grill. Let the meat get good and charred then turn over. Grill for a few minutes and the meat is almost done. At this point make a foil sack to put the meat in . Push the coals away from one side of the grill, put meat in foil sack so that all the meat is covered. Then just put the meat sack on the side where no coals are. They will finish cooking in their own juices.
• When done let the meat rest a few minutes. Cut on a bias and roll 'em up in tortillas and salsa of choice.