Carne Asada

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In Spanish, carne asada is loosely translated to “grilled meat.” The cut of meat can be anything from tenderloin to skirt steak or my favorite cuts: flank steak and sirloin tip! This carne asada uses flank steak and is packed with fresh, bold, and bright flavors thanks to the citrus, herbs, and spices in the marinade.

While marinades for carne asada vary from region to region in Latin America, with some areas not using a marinade at all, it's hard to determine what is an "authentic" marinade. However, I find mine to be pretty close to what I'm served at my local Mexican restaurant and is made with everyday ingredients that you can find at any grocery store.

Key Ingredients You Need

Lime — You must use fresh lime for the marinade. The preservatives in bottled lime juice just won’t do this recipe justice as you lose a lot of the bright, fresh flavor from the limes.
Spices — I lean on pantry staple spices for this recipe. Keep in mind that spices lose their flavor over time, so make sure they are not past their prime for the best tasting carne asada.
Olive oil — Olive oil helps keep the acidic flavors from the lime and orange juice from dominating. If you prefer to use a different oil, make sure it is a neutral-tasting oil to avoid overpowering the other ingredients. Sesame oil, for example, would take over the marinade, unlike canola or vegetable oil.

How to Make Carne Asada

Set of two photos showing marinade ingredients being placed in a bowl and then mixed together.

Step 1: In a bowl, add olive oil, garlic cloves, limes juice, orange juice, jalapeno, cilantro, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and black pepper. You can include the lime and orange peels as well.

Step 2: Whisk together all ingredients until everything is evenly combined.

Set of two photos showing marinade added to a bag with the meat and then mixed to coat.

Step 3: Place the meat and marinade into a ziplock bag and seal it up, removing as much air as possible from the bag.

Step 4: Using your hands, mix it around until evenly coated.

Set of two photos showing the bag of meat being transferred to the fridge and then cooked on the grill.

Step 5: Place in fridge and let marinate for 2-4 hours.

Step 6: Once finished marinating, cook on a grill or pan according to preferred doneness over high heat.

Tips For This Recipe

Do not over-marinate the flank steak. The acid in the marinade will cause the meat to break down too much. 2 to 4 hours is the ideal time.
To get more of the marinade’s flavor into the steak, you can use a fork and pierce the meat a bit.
Before you grill the steak, bring it close to room temperature to allow for even cooking. Cold steak may grill unevenly.
Let the carne asada rest before cutting it. Doing so allows the juices inside the steak to redistribute, leaving it juicy and moist.
When cutting meat, always cut against the grain for tender pieces. See which way the muscle fibers are running down the steak and cut parallel to it.
If you do not have flank, sirloin tip is my second go-to. Alternatively, skirt or flat iron steak works as well.
Add a little more heat to this by adding ancho chili powder or chipotle seasoning to the marinade.

Close up photo of a slice of carne asada in focus, highlighting the piece being medium-rare.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long should I cook it?

I recommend using a meat thermometer to determine how long to cook your carne asada as time will vary based on the size and temperature of your grill. Here is approximately the temperature that you should cook your steak.
For a rare steak: 125F
For a medium-rare steak: 135F
For a medium steak: 145F
For a medium-well steak: 155F

How do I store leftovers?

You can place any uncut carne asada in an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 4 days. It’s best to leave it uncut, so it doesn’t dry out when you reheat. You can freeze cooked carne asada as well. Transfer to a freezer-safe container or bag and freeze for up to 3 months.

What can I serve it with?

You can use this recipe in tacos, burritos, rice bowls, salads, on top of fries, or just on its own with some roasted vegetables. I like to serve with some guacamole, pico de gallo, sour cream, sliced jalapeños, mango salsa, sliced radishes, shredded lettuce, pickled onions, Mexican rice, refried beans, sliced avocados, lime crema, chimichurri sauce, diced red onions, and corn salsa.