If you’re looking for an authentic Carne Asada recipe – this is it! Grilled Carne Asada tastes better and looks more beautiful than it has a right to, if you judge a meal by the amount of effort it takes. And it’s a sensory pleasure before it even touches the grill! As you squeeze fresh orange, lime and lemon juices for the Carne Asada marinade, then whisk in cilantro, garlic and jalapeño, the aroma that floats up to your nose is nothing short of heavenly.
Then the steak cooks hot and fast, on your table in about 20 minutes, complete with gorgeous grill marks and a perfectly pink and tender interior.
To make this, we started with a recipe from Tyler Florence and switched it up to make it our own: swapping in apple cider vinegar, reducing the oil a bit and adding a third citrus flavor (lemon) and some cumin. Adding lemon juice to the mix happened by chance. I’d just finished a batch of homemade tonic water which left us with a slew of lemons, limes and oranges, flesh and juice intact, sans zest. And I love the citrus trifecta – now I may always use making tonic water as an excuse to make Carne Asada!
What is Carne Asada?
The literal translation of the term means Carne (flesh, meat or beef) and Asada (roast, broiled, grilled), typically translated to ‘Grilled Meat’ and most often is seared in some way for that signature charred flavor!
What cut of beef is used for Carne Asada?
There are several cuts of beef used to make Carne Asada including sirloin and tenderloin, but most recipes call for either flank steak or skirt steak. I’ve tried both and definitely prefer outside skirt steak for its flavor and texture. Either way you’ll want to thinly slice the steak across the grain before serving for maximum tenderness!
Carne Asada Marinade
Carne Asada marinade is an essential part of making this recipe authentic! Zesty, fresh citrus juices and apple cider vinegar tenderize the beef, while fresh cilantro, cumin, salt, and pepper season it to perfection. It’s important to give the meat plenty of time to marinate, a minimum of 1 hour, to soak up all of the delicious flavors!
How to make Carne Asada:
Combine all marinade ingredients in a large, glass baking dish. Add raw skirt steak or flank steak, turning to coat and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up to 8 hours (any longer will start to break down the meat).
How long to grill Carne Asada?
Grill the steak over a medium-high flame for 7 to 10 minutes until it reaches 130°F for medium rare, 10 to 12 minutes until it reaches 140°F for medium. (The steak will continue to cook once you’ve removed it from the grill.) Transfer steak to cutting board and let rest 5 minutes before slicing.
With summer in full swing, you may have plans to BBQ with friends and family. Grilled Carne Asada is perfect – but be sure you make plenty (or make Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas to go with it!) Serve it on its own, or with grilled tortillas, fresh pico de gallo and all the toppings for Carne Asada Tacos, Carne Asada Burritos, or as the main attraction in big, crunchy Carne Asada Steak Salads or Carne Asada Nachos.
Carne Asada Recipe Video
Carne Asada
Ingredients
- 2 pounds skirt steak trimmed of excess fat
Carne Asada Marinade
- 1 jalapeño seeded and minced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves chopped
- juice of 1 orange
- juice of 1 lime
- juice of 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a large glass baking dish whisk together Carne Asada marinade ingredients (jalapeño through black pepper) until combined. Add skirt steak in a single layer, turning to coat with marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, but no longer than 8 hours (longer will begin to break down the meat).
- When you're ready to grill: preheat an outdoor grill to medium-high. Grill steaks for 7 to 10 minutes per side, turning once for medium-rare. Remove steaks and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
- Slice thinly across the grain and serve.
Notes
- Ask your butcher or grocery meat counter for ‘outside skirt steak’ for the most flavorful and juicy results.
- Note that the longer you marinate the skirt steak, the more tender and flavorful it will be come. But be sure to grill it within 8 hours to maintain the texture of the meat.
Perfect timing! We are celebrating as couples tomorrow, our friends’ who are expecting baby boy! The theme is Mexican and she LOVES Carne Asada. Any tips for making this at home and transporting/keeping it warm but not overcooked for the large group? Thanks!
Looks delicious! Can’t wait to make it.
What a fun way to celebrate your friends’ happy news! I would transport the carne asada in a preheated baking dish covered with foil. If at all possible, it would be great to reheat it right before serving in a hot skillet with a little oil (similar to what I do for Carne Asada Nachos), just for a minute or two. Have a wonderful time!
This is the best baseline for carne asada you will find. It has everything needed to make proper carne asada for salads or tacos or fajitas. Missing lemons? Use more lime. No lime? Use more lemon and orange. No cider vinegar? Use white vinegar. It really won’t hurt. Personally I like heat so I use much more jalapeno.
Now let me add a personal tip. If you like fajitas then cut up a bunch of onion and peppers and toss it into the bag/bowl with the marinating meat. Then drain and caramelize those peppers and onion in a pan with a little butter or oil. You have fajitas bursting with flavor!
Thank you for your kind comment, John. Love your idea for fajitas!
We had a crowd over for Sunday dinner and used this recipe with 10lbs o NY Sirloin. It was delicious!!!! Loved loved loved it. And the marinade completely flavored the steaks in just 4 hours. Impressive to say the least!
That’s fantastic, Michelle! Thank you for coming back to let me know!
This 4th generation Texan says Excellent! Be aware the skirt steak is the diaphragm muscle of the cow. Has 2 parts: inside skirt which is thinner and tougher having little flavor; this is what you get at the grocery store. The outside skirt is thicker, tender and has much more flavor. This is what you get in higher end restaurants. Ya gotta request it at meat markets and grocery stores.
Great advice! Our butcher just sells the outside skirt steak so I didn’t think to mention it, but I’ll definitely make a note of this in the recipe. Thank you!
Wow those cuts look amazing
Thank you, Joanne!
Marissa, that carne asada is grilled to absolute perfection! I just want to reach through my screen and grab a piece. Definitely a big hit at my house!
Thanks, Kelly!
Oh my gosh! I’m not really a steak guy, but this one looks phenomenal; so succulent and cooked to perfection. Love the marinade, too!
Wow! Thanks so much, Ben!
I definitely remember this!!! Thank you for the reminder, because I’m TOTALLY making this when we fire up the grill this weekend!! Yaaasss!
woohoo! You know I love to hear that, Cheyanne!
Oh my gosh! This carne asada needs to jump off my computer screen and right onto my grill. This seriously looks amazing, Marissa! I’m thinking this would be an excellent addition to the menu for 4th of July…or really any night during the summer. That steak looks like it’s been grilled to perfection! 🙂
Thank you, David!! Yes, perfect for celebrating on the 4th!
Your video has me drooling Marissa! This carne asada looks totally mouthwatering!
Thank you so much, Mary Ann!
Marissa, this looks heavenly. I would like a few slices of this with your Pico de Gallo and a tortilla. YUM!
Thank you, Valentina! Love how you think!
Hey Marissa,
Beyond hungry, of course, do you know what your posts make me feel? Happy!Thanks for sharing.
Thanks so much, Ashton!
This is fabulous! I love the addition of three citrus fruits. I cannot wait to try the recipe. I’ve made so many recipes out of Mexican cookbooks, but really I don’t think I’ve made actual carne asada!
Thank you, Mimi!! I’m excited to hear what you think!
That looks super delish, Marissa! Love the cilantro packed marinade! Bet it adds so much flavour! Totally wishing it was nice out right now so I could grill this…though, there’s always tomorrow 😉 Hope you’re having a lovely weekend!
Crossing my fingers that you’ve got sunshine today, Dawn! Thanks for your sweet comment!
This carne asada looks fabulous Marissa, i really enjoy your posts this sound sooo delicious…i will definitely make this in few days latter…Thanks for sharing..!
Thank you, Santosh!
This steak looks amazing, Marissa. So perfectly cooked! The marinade sounds wonderful. I’ll be trying this soon!!
Love to hear that, Katherine! Thank you!
this looks very tasty marissa. we are not big meat eaters but i’m sure this would be delicious. cheers sherry
Thank you, Sherry!
This is the best carne asada marinade!! We’ve tried several but none came out as delicious as this, it is the perfect combination of flavors. We made tostadas with the meat, topped on fried corn tortillas, homemade refried beans, lettuce, pico, guac and sour cream – delicious. Thank you for this recipe!
I love to hear that, Lisa! So sweet of you to let me know!
Finally.. A review from someone who actually made the recipe! Thank you! Now I am encouraged to try it myself!
Best steak I have ever made, no exaggeration!
That’s fantastic, Derek! Thank you for coming back to let me know!
Just made this tonight inside in a grill pan. I used flank steak and it came out beautifully (posting 2 the Gram shortly)
So glad you enjoyed it, James! Thanks for coming back to let me know!
This recipe is delicious. My husband typically doesn’t like skirt steak but thought this was really good! Thank you.
I’m so glad to hear that, LC! Thank you for coming back to let me know!
I have made this a few times now and it is excellent! Everyone loves it. I figured out that leaving it to marinate for 8 – 9 hours works great. I’ve used skirt, flank, and even a top round when the store in NC didn’t have anything better. The extra time in the marinade made it tender enough.
So glad you’re enjoying the recipe, Scott! Thank you for coming back to let me know!
I love this recipe! I had to adjust it a little since I didn’t have orange juice (and I’m not a big fan of it in marinades), so I added a healthy dash more of the lemon and lime juice, added some ground chipotle and red pepper flakes, and I used some poblano pepper since I didn’t have jalepeño. It turned out so delicious. This recipe is a keeper!
I’m so glad that you enjoyed it and made it your own, Debbie!! Thanks so much for coming back to let me know!!
Love that marinade! This steak looks perfect!
Thanks, Sabrina! The marinade really delicious – so good that I riffed on it to make a salad dressing to make big steak salads!
I lover Carne asada. .especially with skirt steak. I will try your recipe at the lake cabin this weekend. I usually serve it with a chimchurri sauce. Do you have a favorite recipe for that?
I’m so excited for you to try it, Renee! On the chimichurri sauce, you beat me to it – I’ve got my favorite recipe for it coming soon. Have a wonderful weekend! 🙂
I made this recipe a few weeks ago, and it was incredible, and easy too! Thank you very much! My question is, would this same recipe be applicable to pollo asada as well? My wife is not a fan of skirt steak due to tough and chewy texture sometimes. Thank you!
So glad you enjoyed it! I think the flavors would be great with pollo (chicken)!
I don’t have a grill would I be able to just put it on a cast iron pan? On a gas stove
Hi Amber – I think that will work just fine on a very hot cast iron pan, but I haven’t done it. Just keep a close eye on it so you don’t over cook it! 🙂
If you want a little more citrus, zest the orange, lemon, and lime and dry the zest out. Then when grilling sprinkle the zest onto to the meat.
Sounds great, Matt! I’ll have to try that.
Would I be able to use flank steak instead?
Hi Beth – sure, I think that would be fine. Just make sure that you slice it across the grain so that it’s as tender as possible. Enjoy! 🙂
If I could just bathe in that marinade, I would. This carne asada looks INCREDIBLE! I am seriously drooling here. You always have a knack for making me jump out of my seat and run to the kitchen to recreate what you’ve made. <3
What a nice compliment, thank you!!
This carne asada looks heavenly Marissa. It looks like something from a Sunset magazine shoot, honestly. The colors, lighting and meat are outstanding. I add cumin to mine too and I’m loving all that skirt steak. Sliced against the grain it’s so tender. YUM!
Wow, Kevin. Thank you so much, that makes me feel just great! I bet there’s some incredible Carne Asada that happens at your house…
Carne asada is such a gorgeous dish, right!? Well, at least YOURS is gorgeous, girlfriend! This is seriously screaming my name! Love all your little swaps and add in’s! I’m all for MORE flavor!! Totally throwing this on the grill this weekend!! Pinned! Cheers!
Awww, thank you Cheyanne! If you try it let me know how it goes…xoxo
Hi Marissa! This is perfect for a Labor Day feast! I would like mine with grilled tortillas and fresh pico! And a cold beer… 🙂
I like the way you think, Dorothy!! Wish we could hang out together this weekend. 🙂