5 Essential Recipes For A Carne Asada

Nothing brings people together quite like a carne asada. The smell of sizzling meat on the grill, warm tortillas and quesadillas, and a table full of simple but delicious sights that will make your taste buds dance. Growing up between northern Mexico and south Texas, I've hosted my first year of carne asadas and over the years I've learned the basics to host a great one. And today I'm showing you a beginner-friendly guide for everything you'll need to throw an incredible one. We're starting with the most important component, the meat, la carnita. The most popular cut of meat also known as flank steak. This type of meat comes from the abdominal muscle of the cow and it can be cooked at high heat which makes it perfect for grilling. Plus it comes with a budget-friendly price tag. When it comes to seasoning flank steak there are two main ways to do it. You can keep it simple and use pre-made fajita seasoning. My favorite is fiesta fajita seasoning but if you can't find it in stores you can make a similar version at home by mixing kosher salt, MSG for an umami flavor, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and meat tenderizer to break down those muscle fibers and make your meat soft and easy to chew. The second method is to marinate the meat. My personal favorite recipe includes Mexican beer. In a large bowl or zip top bag, add thinly sliced onions, mashed garlic, beer, fresh lime juice, fresh orange juice, Maggi seasoning sauce, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and black pepper. Mix until well combined. Add the meat making sure the sauce and the onions cover the entire steak and refrigerate for at least two hours before grilling. Another typical cut you'll find at most carnasadas is ribs also known as costillitas. As the name says this cut of bone and meat comes from the rib cage of the cow. You can get the English cut but this usually takes longer to cook and they're a little bit harder and messier to eat. I think the best way to go is with a flanken cut. These are thinly sliced ribs that cook pretty fast and once you slice them before serving they are the perfect bite size. For seasoning remember that fajita seasoning we made earlier? Sprinkle it on both sides of the flanken short ribs and they're ready to go. Now if you want to be a little fancy and have a nice thick and tender cut of meat, you have to grill ribeye. Like the previous cut, ribeye also comes from the rib of the cow. However, it comes from the primal area of the ribs, specifically the 6 to 12 rib. These muscles do little physical work which means the meat will be tender and rich in fat. I recommend taking the ribeye out of the refrigerator 20 to 30 minutes before grilling. A cold steak will lower the temperature of the grill surface which will prevent it from getting a deep and crisp sear. Plus, it will allow you to cook the meat more evenly throughout. For seasoning, we're keeping it simple. All you need is salt and pepper. Make sure to cover the steak on all sides and once that's done, we're ready to grill. For carne asadas, you have to use a charcoal grill. However, we're at the Tasty Studio and for safety reasons, we have to use gas. But don't worry, everything will be just as delicious. Whether the grill is charcoal or gas, the temperature needs to be ripping hot, above 500 degrees Fahrenheit. This will help your meat cook fast and get a really good sear. Let's start with marinated flank steak and ribeye. Cooking time and level of doneness is solely based on preference but in order to get a juicy steak that is tender and flavorful, it has to be medium rare or medium. The flank and ribeye steak can be grilled at the same time because they're around the same level of thickness. Grill for 4 to 5 minutes on each side or until the internal temperature reaches 130 to 135 degrees Fahrenheit. Ugh, just look at those beautiful grill marks. Once you're done, remove from the grill and set aside to rest for 10 minutes. Flank and short ribs are the quickest to cook because of how thin they are. Grill the short ribs for about 2 minutes per side until they are charred around the edges. That's it! Easy peasy. Remove from the heat and let them rest for 5 minutes. It is important to let the meat rest after it's cooked to allow the muscle fibers to relax but most importantly, to keep all that moisture in. Before serving, cut the flank and ribeye steak against the grain. Meat is made of muscle fibers. Cutting against the grain shortens the fibers and makes every bite tender and easy to chew. In a carne asada, the grill is not just used for the meat. So yeah, we're not done yet and the grill is staying on. Every carnita asada needs a little something spicy at the center of the table. La salsa. There are many variations and every family has their own take on salsa but for me, it's essential to have a salsa tatemada in every carne asada. Salsa tatemada is fire roasted. You'll need tomatoes, jalapeños, serrano for a kick of real spice and a whole head of garlic. Yes, it's a lot of garlic but stay with me because we're going to use the leftovers for something later. Place the tomatoes, chiles and garlic directly on the grill grates over medium heat. Toss for 8 to 10 minutes until all sides are charred. The best time to do the salsa is when the grill is heating up before you start grilling the meat or towards the end when it's cooling down. We're using a molcajete to make the salsa which is basically a Mexican mortar and pestle but if you want to save time and arm strength, you can use a blender or food processor. Start with the garlic and press towards the edges to mash it until it becomes almost like a paste. Add the chiles, mash them up and do the same with the tomatoes. You can mash until your desired consistency but in my opinion, a chunky texture is better. The Mexican secret to enhance all the flavors of the sauce is adding tomato flavored chicken bouillon and to bring back some freshness and brightness, add cilantro. Trust me, this will become your new favorite salsa. When it comes to extra sides, there are infinite things you can make or bring to a carne asada. So if you're hosting and your guests ask you, what should I bring? Here's the list. Corn and flour tortillas, Oaxaca cheese, sausage, green onions, oh and don't forget something to drink. My recommendation, Mexican sodas. You obviously have to have corn and flour tortillas as a vessel for the meat. And hey, pre-made tortillas are perfect. Throw them on the grill to warm up and they're ready in just a few minutes. Quesadillas are also essential so add some Oaxaca cheese to the tortillas, let it melt, fold and enjoy this cheesy goodness. Grilled sausage is a great add-on as well as grilled green onions to add a little bit of crunch to your meal. And last but not least, this one's a must. Plus, you gotta add some color to your plate so here's an easy guacamole recipe. Make sure you have ripe avocados. Add a few of them to a bowl or molcajete and mash them up. Again, consistency is totally up to you. And the grilled garlic cloves left over from the salsa, dice them up and add a few of them to the guac for a smoky and garlicky flavor bomb. Add chopped cilantro, diced tomato, red onion, olive oil, salt and the juice of one fresh lime. Mix everything until all ingredients are well combined y listo. We've arrived to the best part, the eating part. There's nothing better than gathering around the grill, filling a warm tortilla with freshly grilled carne asada and sharing a meal with friends and family. We hope this guide helps you bring family and friends together because nothing beats great food, good company and a carne asada. You can find the full guide and recipes for free on Tasty.co or the Tasty app. And of course, leave us your favorite carne asada tips, traditions and grilling tricks of your own.