If someone asked me what my kids ask to eat for dinner, this would be one of them. I’ve even had requests for this as a birthday dinner. So, of course, it must be good. .
I tend to go over the top and make quacamole, Spanish rice, and maybe some tomatillo sauce to go with a margarita. Yes, the margarita may be the main course. But honestly, the carne asada doesn’t need a lot of jazz. You can just simply put this over a simple salad, make it a bowl, tacos, or nachos grades. Ohhhh…nachos grandes…I could eat those in my sleep. Gosh, that sounds really good…
Anywho, some short-cuts I make as a mom is setting out meat in my refrigerator the day before (sometimes two days, I’m guilty). Confession: most days I don’t even have planned, but if I have meat defrosted in the refrigerator then I at least have a start of some ideas depending on the amount of time I have.
So if you are going to work that morning, throw the marinade together before you leave, otherwise, it can be done 1-2 hours before as well. The longer the marinade sits, the betta! Don’t forget to include your onions.
In this recipe, I included bell peppers which is your choice to include in the marinade or not. It is good either way. Sometimes I prefer to have ‘medium’ simple vegetable to break up different flavors. My Spanish rice is pretty robust, so I tend to keep the vegetables out of the marinade. The veggies are perfect grilled in the juices of the marinated steak.
Here are your wonderful ingredients: add olive oil and vinegar to this picture.
Put up to 3 lbs. skirt steak in olive oil, white vinegar, soy sauce or teriyaki sauce, garlic, pepper, garlic powder, chili powder, oregano, pinch of red pepper (more to taste), and paprika in a bowl covered with plastic or ziplock bag. Best if marinaded in the refrigerator for up to 8 hrs. The soy sauce part helps get that crisp on the edge of the steak–its a must.
Hello gorgeous!! Please, sit and relax in my refrigerator…
When you’re ready to cook, just throw it on the grill. I prefer to use my cast iron so the marinade doesn’t escape and I can put the onions and vegetables on their too. I have cooked this inside on my cast iron for many moons, but since it’s summer and blazing hot, I go outside and cook. My house tends to get hot quick if I cook a lot inside. So, either way works well.
This is one beautiful beast.
I have been doing keto a lot lately (queue eye roll for diets, blah), so I made this into a salad with salsa and sour cream. I do make sure to cut the really fatty parts out that can cause you to chew like a cow eating cud. Never pretty at the dinner table.
Topple on your favorite salsa, some sour cream, and yummy onion bell pepper mix and there you go! Otherwise, make the carne asada in several other variations. If you need a dressing on top, I would suggest an avocado ranch. The salsa and sour cream will turn to an already creamy, spicy dressing which I think you’ll be pleased with.
I hope you enjoy! This is a crowd pleaser.
The best Carne Asada
Equipment
- cast iron
- small mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup white vinegar
- 1/2 cup teriyaki sauce (or soy sauce)
- 4 cloves garlic (or 1 1/2 tbsp)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp red pepper (can reduce)
- 1 tsp paprika
- 3 lbs skirt steak
- 1 onion
- 2 heads lettuce
- 2 tomatoes
- 1 jar your favorite salsa
- sour cream
- 2 red and yellow bell pepper
Instructions
- Wisk together the olive oil, vinegar, terriyaki, garlic, salt, pepper, garlic powder, chili powder, dried oregano, red pepper, and paprika in a small bowl. Place skirt steak in bowl, turning a couple times to coat. Cover with plastic and set to marinate 1-8 hours.
- Preheat cast iron on the grill or stovetop on medium to medium-low heat. Cook to desired pink or lack of pink. Take up to 30 minutes on medium low heat. Cooking low and slow makes the meat more tender (I would put the cover down if cooking low on the grill). Marinade should start to evaporate and edges should crisp (that's the best part). Half way through, put the vegtables on and continue to cook with the meat until tender and completly sauteed in marinade.
- Assemble the lettuce and vegtables as a salad. Add salsa and sour cream.
- To make into nachos grandes: assemble chips on the bottom of a 9×12 dish, add tender diced steak meat, bell peppers, onions, 1 lb of sharp cheddar cheese, 1/2 lb of monterey jack cheese and cook at 400 for 15 minutes. Add green onions and jalapenos. Then kiss your spouse.