Taco Toppings: Carne Asada (+Other Taco Bar Ideas)
These taco toppings are quick, easy, delicious, and perfect for adding some variety and customization to an amazing taco bar! There are over 15 recipes that are sure to make your menu truly unique. In fact, these dishes are exactly what you need for an authentic and extremely flavorful taco bar lineup!
2lbsflank steak(or skirt steak, flap, hanger steak, or London broil)
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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.