This carne asada is so incredibly flavorful and tender that it’s perfect for tacos, fajitas, burritos, or just enjoy it by itself! A delicious, oil-based marinade creates a citrusy and extra tender piece of beef that is then charred to perfection on a hot grill. This dish is bursting with that classic, authentic Mexican flavor!
Easy Carne Asada
Carne asada is an extremely popular grilled meat that can be used for a wide variety of meals! This recipe combines the citrus flavors of orange juice, lemon juice, and lime juice to create the perfect marinade!
Not to mention, my carne asada recipe is ridiculously easy! The marinade is made by simply pouring the ingredients into a bag and mixing it up!
One of the most flavorful beef recipes you'll ever enjoy!
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🥘 Ingredients
These ingredients are simple, staple ingredients and you most likely already have the majority of them! Just don’t forget to pick up some flank steak from the store!
- Orange Juice – ¾ cup of orange juice.
- Olive Oil – ¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil.
- Lime Juice – ¼ cup of lime juice (or the juice from 2 fresh limes).
- White Vinegar – 3 tablespoons of white vinegar.
- Lemon Juice – 2 tablespoons of lemon juice (or the juice from 1 fresh lemon).
- Cilantro – 1 cup of chopped, fresh cilantro.
- Jalapeno – 1 large, minced jalapeno (if desired, remove the seed for a milder flavor)
- Garlic – 1 tablespoon of minced garlic.
- Cumin – 1 teaspoon of cumin.
- Salt & Pepper – ½ teaspoon of both salt & pepper
- Flank Steak – 2 pounds of flank steak (or skirt steak).
*Be sure to see the recipe card below for ingredients,
amounts & instructions!*
🔪 How To Make Carne Asada
This recipe is so easy, you’ll only spend 20 minutes preparing and cooking as the rest of the time is spent marinating and resting! All you will need is a BBQ grill, knife, and cutting board!
This recipe makes 6 servings of approximately ⅓ pound each.
Mix & Marinate The Steak
- Make the marinade. In a gallon-sized Ziploc bag, add ¼ cup of lime juice, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of minced garlic, ¾ cup of orange juice, 1 cup of cilantro, ½ teaspoon of salt & pepper, 1 teaspoon of cumin, ¼ cup of olive oil, 1 large jalapeno, and 3 tablespoons of white vinegar. Seal the bag and gently squish it around to combine everything.
- Marinate the steak. Put the 2 pounds of flank steak into the bag with the marinade and seal it. You want the marinade to be touching all sides of the steak. Place the bag in the refrigerator for 2 hours up to overnight. (*See notes on marinade times).
Preheat, Grill & Serve
- Prepare to grill. Heat your grill to high heat. Remove your flank steak from the bag and discard all remaining marinade (*see note on discarding marinade).
- Grill. Place your carne asada on the grill and cook for 7-10 minutes per side depending on your desired doneness. (I typically cook for 8 minutes, flip, and cook for an additional 7 minutes).
- Rest and serve. Remove the steak from the heat and set it aside on a plate, tray, or cutting board. Loosely cover the meat with foil and let it rest for 10 minutes. Slice against the grain to serve.
My carne asada recipe would pair exceptionally well with some classic Mexican-inspired side dishes. Try out my restaurant-style Mexican rice and refried black beans! Enjoy!
💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes
- Brining containers, storage containers, and bowls also work for marinating the skirt steak. Just be sure to cover with the marinade, and turn the meat to ensure even saturation.
- A minimum of 30 minutes is desired for any marinated meat recipe, although the marinade flavor will not have enough of a chance to permeate your skirt steak in this amount of time. It will still add flavor.
- 24 hours is the maximum amount of time that you want to marinate meat in a citrus or vinegar-based marinade. The marinade will break down the meat fibers over time and you may get an undesirable texture.
- Both skirt and flank steaks are relatively thin. The key to getting a robust char on the outside while keeping a juicy pink center is to cook the steak quickly over a very HOT grill.
- With thinner steaks like these, when both sides have a satisfactory char, the center is usually done as well. Don't play the guessing game, use a meat thermometer to check the center. You are aiming for 130°-140°F (55°-60°C) for medium-rare.
- Never reuse marinade that has come in contact with raw meat. It can be full of harmful bacteria and should be thrown away after the meat is removed.
🥡Storing & Reheating
Place leftover carne asada in a shallow, airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
To freeze, wrap the steak tightly in foil or plastic wrap and place it in a heavy-duty freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months and thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Reheating Carne Asada
Preheat your oven to 250°F (120°C) and allow your leftover carne asada to come to room temperature. Place a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet.
Put the carne asada on the baking sheet and bake in the middle of the center rack until the internal temperature reaches 110°F (43°C). *About 30 minutes depending on your steak thickness.
For best results, give the leftovers a quick sear in a super hot pan to finish.
❓ What Is Carne Asada?
Carne asada refers to beef that has been marinated and then grilled. It is also traditionally sliced into thin strips for serving.
❓ Which Meat Is Best For Carne Asada?
Skirt steak or flank steak is the best cut of meat for carne asada because they provide the richest beefy flavor compared to other cuts of meat! These cuts have large amounts of muscle fiber, causing them to be tougher.
Letting the meat marinate breaks down those fibers, causing the steak to become much more tender!
❓ Is Carne Asada Spicy?
Carne asada can be as spicy (or mild) as you want it to be! The meat itself is not spicy- in fact, all of the heat would come from the marinade.
If you want your carne asada to be on the spicier side, then don’t remove the seeds from the jalapeno used in the marinade. On the other hand, if you want your meat to be milder, remove the seeds or omit the jalapeno altogether!
😋 More Great Grilled Recipes!
- Grilled Grouper
- Lamb Chops
- Cowboy Ribeye Steak
- Marinated Grilled Porkchops
- Grilled Haddock
- Cracker Barrel Grilled Chicken Tenders
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📖 Recipe Card
Carne Asada
Ingredients
- ¾ cup orange juice
- ¼ cup olive oil (extra virgin)
- ¼ cup lime juice (juice from 2 fresh limes)
- 3 tablespoon white vinegar
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice (juice from 1 fresh lemon)
- 1 cup fresh cilantro (chopped)
- 1 large jalapeno (minced, seeds removed for milder flavor if desired)
- 1 tablespoon garlic (minced or crushed)
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon each, salt & pepper
- 2 lbs flank steak (or skirt steak, flap, hanger steak, or London broil)
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
- Hold open a gallon-sized Ziploc bag and pour in the lime juice, lemon juice, minced or crushed garlic, orange juice, fresh chopped cilantro, salt, pepper, cumin, extra virgin olive oil, diced jalapeno, and vinegar. Seal the bag and gently squish it around to combine everything.
- Put the steak in the bag with the marinade ingredients and seal it securely. You want the marinade touching all parts of the steak, so squeeze the bag to spread it as needed. Refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours up to overnight. *See notes on marinade times.
- When ready to cook, heat your grill to high heat. Meanwhile, remove your flank steak from the bag and discard any remaining marinade.
- Place your carne asada on the grill and cook for 7-10 minutes per side depending on your desired doneness. *I typically cook for 8 minutes, flip and cook for an additional 7 minutes.
- When the steak is ready, remove it from heat and set it aside on a tray, plate, or cutting board. Tent a piece of foil loosely over the top and let it rest for 10 minutes. Slice against the grain when serving.
Notes
- Brining containers, storage containers, and bowls also work for marinating the skirt steak. Just be sure to cover with the marinade, and turn to ensure even saturation.
- A minimum of 30 minutes is desired for any marinated meat recipe, although the marinade flavor will not have enough of a chance to permeate your skirt steak in this amount of time. It will still add flavor.
- 24 hours is the maximum amount of time that you want to marinate meat in a citrus or vinegar-based marinade. The marinade will break down the meat fibers over time and you may get an undesirable texture.
- Both skirt and flank steaks are relatively thin. The key to getting a robust char on the outside while keeping a juicy pink center is to cook the steak quickly over a very HOT grill.
- With thinner steaks like these, when both sides have a satisfactory char, the center is usually done as well. Don't play the guessing game, use a meat thermometer to check the center. You are aiming for 130°-140°F for medium-rare.
- Never reuse marinade that has come in contact with raw meat. It can be full of harmful bacteria and should be thrown away after the meat is removed.
- To store: Place leftover carne asada in a shallow, airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- To freeze: Wrap the steak tightly in foil or plastic wrap and place it in a heavy-duty freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months and thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
- To reheat: Preheat your oven to 250°F (120°C) and allow your leftover carne asada to come to room temperature. Place a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet. Put the carne asada on top and bake on the middle of the center rack until the internal temperature reaches 110°F (43°C) (about 30 minutes depending on your steak thickness). For best results, give the leftovers a quick sear in a super hot pan to finish.
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