Carne asada tacos
Tacos de carne asada
Thin beef steak marinated in citrus, garlic and cumin, grilled hard over high heat, chopped and piled on corn tortillas with onion, coriander and lime.
Recipe by I Want Some Food · Reviewed by the editorial kitchen. Native name preserved: Tacos de carne asada.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Rest
- 2 hr
- Total
- 2 hr 30 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spice
- Mild
- Cost
- A bit special$16–28 USD · indicative, not a store price
About
Carne asada is thin beef, usually skirt or flank, marinated briefly in orange and lime juice with garlic, cumin and a little oil, then grilled as hot as you can manage so the outside chars before the inside overcooks. It is sliced across the grain, chopped and served on small warm corn tortillas with white onion, coriander, lime and salsa. On a charcoal grill it takes six minutes. On a stove, use the heaviest pan you own and turn on the extractor. Do not marinate for more than a few hours, because the citrus turns the surface mushy.
What you'll need
13 ingredients. Tap each one once it's out on the bench.
- Marinade
- To serve
Ingredients
Marinade
- Beef, skirt or flank steak, no thicker than 2 cm800 g
- Orange juice120 ml
- Lime, juiced2
- Garlic, crushed4 clove
- Cumin, ground4.9 ml
- Black pepper4.9 ml
- Neutral oil44 ml
- Salt, added just before grilling9.9 ml
To serve
- Corn tortilla, small taco size16
- Onion, white, finely chopped1 medium
- Coriander, chopped1 bunch
- Lime, in wedges2
- Spring onion, whole, for grilling (optional)6
Scaling multiplies the written quantities. Baking still prefers a scale.
Steps
Step 1
Mix the orange juice, lime juice, garlic, cumin, pepper and oil. Lay the beef in a dish, coat it well, cover and refrigerate for 1 to 3 hours, no longer.
5 min
Step 2
Heat a grill until very hot, or heat a cast-iron pan over high heat for 5 minutes. Take the beef out, wipe off most of the marinade and salt both sides.
8 min
Step 3
Grill the beef for 2 to 3 minutes a side for skirt, a little longer for flank, until charred outside and still pink inside. Grill the spring onions alongside until soft and blackened in patches. Rest the beef 5 minutes.
12 min
Tip: Do not crowd the pan. Cook in batches so it keeps searing instead of stewing.
Step 4
Warm the tortillas on a hot comal for about 30 seconds a side, until they puff in places, and stack them in a tea towel. Slice the beef thinly across the grain, then chop it into small pieces.
8 min
Tip: Skirt has an obvious grain. Cut along it and you get chewy strings.
Step 5
Use one tortilla per taco, or two stacked as taquerías do, and add a spoon of beef, onion, coriander and salsa, and squeeze over lime. Serve the grilled spring onions on the side with a little salt.
3 min
Nutrition
Per serving · estimate
- Calories
- 853 kcal
- Protein
- 59.5 g
- Carbs
- 59 g
- Fat
- 42.3 g
- Saturated fat
- 13.4 g
- Fibre
- 9.1 g
- Sugar
- 5.9 g
- Sodium
- 1169 mg
Calculated from canonical ingredient data (USDA FoodData Central averages and equivalent published tables). Estimates only.
Allergens
Informational only. Not a medical guarantee. Cross-contamination happens in real kitchens.
- No major allergens flagged in the structured ingredients.
- Gluten-free
- Dairy-free
- Nut-free
Adapt this recipe
The original recipe stays as it is. Personal versions are labelled. Serving changes are simple maths.
Adaptations · 0 / 15 used. Resets 12 November.
Substitutions
Skirt steak → Flank, flat iron or thin-cut rump
Flank is leaner and needs slicing especially thin across the grain.
Corn tortillas → Flour tortillas
Standard in Sonora and across the north.
Tips
- Buy outside skirt if you can find it. It is thicker and more tender than inside skirt.
- Serve with salsa roja, pico de gallo or guacamole. A taco without salsa is not finished.
- Leftover carne asada makes good quesadillas the next day.
History & culture
In northern Mexico carne asada is less a recipe than an event. In Sonora, Chihuahua and Nuevo León a weekend asada means a grill, friends, beer, grilled spring onions and a pot of frijoles charros. Taquerías in the north serve it on flour tortillas as often as corn, with guacamole and a salsa bar.
Grilling beef is a ranching habit, and the cattle country of northern Mexico, built on Spanish land grants and later on American markets, is where carne asada belongs. The cut that defines it, arrachera or skirt steak, was cheap butchers' trim until the late 20th century, when the taco boom on both sides of the border made it one of the most sought-after cuts.
Traditional — Northern taquerías often marinate with beer, soy or Maggi seasoning, and many grill the beef with nothing but salt. The citrus and garlic version here is the common home marinade. Charcoal is better; a smoking-hot cast-iron pan is the honest indoor option.
Provenance: Editorial adaptation.
Questions about this recipe
Answers taken from this dish's times, amounts, swaps and tips.
How long does Carne asada tacos take?
2 hr 30 min all in — 15 min prep, 15 min cook, 2 hr rest. Cook and rest follow the method. Leftover storage and optional extra waits are not included.
How many does it serve?
The recipe is written for 4 people. Scale the ingredient list on the page if you are cooking for a different number.
How hard is it?
Easy.
How spicy is it?
Mild.
Does it fit a diet?
The published recipe is labelled Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Nut-free.
What does it cost to cook?
A bit special — about $16–28 USD, as a grocery budget for this recipe, not a restaurant price.
6 more questionsFewer questions
What equipment do I need?
Frying pan, Comal or dry skillet, Tongs, Chef's knife, Cutting board.
How much salt do I put in?
The recipe lists Salt at 2 tsp (added just before grilling).
What can I use instead?
Skirt steak → Flank, flat iron or thin-cut rump. Flank is leaner and needs slicing especially thin across the grain. Corn tortillas → Flour tortillas. Standard in Sonora and across the north.
Any tips from this recipe?
Buy outside skirt if you can find it. It is thicker and more tender than inside skirt. Serve with salsa roja, pico de gallo or guacamole. A taco without salsa is not finished. Leftover carne asada makes good quesadillas the next day.
Can I prepare this ahead?
Leftover carne asada makes good quesadillas the next day.
Can I use an air fryer?
This method is not written for an air fryer. The core technique on the page still applies.
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