Carne Asada Street Tacos

Recipe From: Laura

Oh, the symphony of flavors exploding in these Carne Asada Tacos!  Believe me, these lil bundles of luv will put those poor taco trucks to shame. Lol.  😋😉😁 They're absolutely AHHHMAZING!  A 12-hr. marinade and spice rub produce this incredible tender juicy flavor like no other.  So, line up your taco fixins’ and fire up the grill for some epic Carne Asada tacos!

 Queso…I know this recipe may look a lil daunting, but I promise, its not.  Invest in the time to read through the tips so your tacos are an ultimate success!  On a personal note,  I've used different cooking methods for this and found my luck to be with the stove top method, using a lil of the marinade to cook in.  But then again, I'm still working on mastering the grill.

 Fun fact! In Spanish, Carne literally means “flesh/meat/beef” and Asada means “roast/broiled/grilled,” so together it means “grilled meat.”

 

Servings 10-12    Prep time 35 min   Cook time 20 min

 MARINADE:

 ·      1 ½ – 2 pounds flank steak pounded to an even thin thickness

 ·      1/4 cup soy sauce or liquid aminos

 ·      1/4 cup orange juice

 ·      2 tablespoons lime juice

 ·      2 tablespoons olive oil

 ·      1 tablespoon brown sugar

 ·      1 teaspoon liquid smoke 

 

SPICE MIX 

·      1 tablespoon ground cumin

·      1 tablespoon garlic powder

·      2 tsp EACH smoked paprika, chili powder

·      1 tsp EACH salt, onion powder, ground coriander

·      1/2 tsp EACH pepper, cayenne pepper

 

FOR SERVING (YOUR FAVS BELOW)

·      10-12 corn tortillas (Tortilla Factory is a quality corn tortilla)

·      Pico de gallo

·      Cotija cheese

·      sour cream

·      salsa

·      hot sauce

·      guacamole

 

1.         Add Spice Mix seasonings to a small bag or sealable container; whisk and set aside.

 2.         Add all Marinade Ingredients (except steak) to a large freezer bag and whisk to combine. Add 3 tablespoons Spice Mix to Marinade and whisk to combine.  TENDERIZE!! Super important! Tenderize by pounding steak with meat mallet until it becomes thin & even.  This helps the meat cook evenly and easier to chew.

 3.         Add steak to marinade. Squeeze out excess air, seal and turn to evenly coat. Marinate in the refrigerator 4-12 hours (longer the better but no more than 12 hours).

 4.         While steak is marinating, prepare pico de gallo and other toppings aside from guacamole and refrigerate.

 5.         When you are ready to grill or cook in a skillet (or other preferred method of cooking), mix rest of Spice Mix with 2 tablespoons olive oil to create a wet Spice Rub.

 6.         Discard original marinade if grilling. However, save marinade if you're using the stove top method.  Rub Spice Rub evenly all over  steak   and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. You always want to let any protein sit at room temperature before cooking, so it cooks evenly and you aren’t left with an overcooked exterior and cold interior. This also relaxes the cold fibers for juicier results. I use this time to make guacamole and put together the fixings.

 7.         For grilling method - grease and preheat outdoor grill or indoor grill pan to high heat. Add steak and turn down to medium-high. Grill steak for 5-6 minutes per side, turning once, for medium (recommended 145 degrees F). For medium- well, continue cooking steak over indirect flame for an additional 5-10 minutes per side, depending on thickness. *If you like your steaks rare then use HIGH heat so you can get the charred outside in less time.  For stove top, add oil to skillet and a little bit 1/3 c. or so of the left over marinade. Cook until you reach your desired 'doneness' & texture.

 8.      Remove steak and let rest 10 minutes before chopping into small pieces.

 9.       Warm tortillas in the microwave, in a skillet ,char on the grill or open gas stove top flame so they are warm but still pliable

 10.       Assemble Street Tacos by layering warmed corn tortillas with carne asada steak, pico de gallo, sour cream and cotija. Serve with optional lime wedges and hot sauce.

 

****************************************************************************** 

 Great tips for success:

 

·         Cut against the grain to have tender pieces of meat.

 

·         Marinade is a must!  At least 4-12 hours for optimal taste.  After 12 hours, the acid in the marinade will begin to change the structure of the meat to the point of mushiness.

 

·      Use quality warm corn tortillas, guacamole, sour cream and pico de gallo which adds a sensational flair to the whole meal.  La Tortilla Factory are a best bet since they don’t break or tear.   Use flour tortillas if you prefer.

 

·      Best type of meat is going to be skirt or flank steak.  Preferably flank steak since it has a wide, leaner, flat shape, rich flavor & melt-in-your-mouth texture.

 

·         Tenderize!! Pound the steak with a meat mallet so it becomes thin & even. 

 

·         Rub steak evenly with the spice rub & let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

 

·      The grill delivers the smoky flavor characteristic of street tacos, but you can use the other methods.

 

·      If you cook on too hi or too long it won’t be as tender & juicy.

 

Tortillas: Before you pile your toppings into your carne asada  tacos, I HIGHLY recommend warming the corn tortillas.  Warm tortillas elevate any street tacos to a whole new level.  Not only are they softer and the ideal non-jarring, melt-in-your mouth temperature, but the flavors are accentuated when warmed.  Try open flame, skillet, microwave or oven, with the microwave being the quickest.   Once your tortillas are warmed (with any method), keep them warm and pliable by stacking on a plate and covering with a slightly dampened, paper towel or clean towel

Open Flame (gas stove or grill):  this method is how I achieve the smoky char you see on the tortillas and is best with FRESH/homemade tortillas as previously discussed.    I simply add the tortillas directly to the burner of my gas stove then flip with tongs once they are charred on one side.  You can also accomplish this on the grill as well.  If you are using lower quality tortillas, you will want to take special care not to over-char or they will become brittle and break.  You still want the tortillas soft and pliable.

Skillet:  heat a skillet (or griddle if you have one) to medium high heat (do not grease).  Working with one tortilla at a time (more for a griddle), heat each side of the tortilla for approximately 20-30 seconds until warm and soft.  You are not looking for char marks with this method.

Microwave:  working with about 5 tortillas at a time, stack tortillas on a microwave safe plate and cover with a damp paper towel.  Microwave for 20 seconds on high, then repeat at 10 second intervals if needed until warmed through.

Oven:  create separate stacks of about 5 tortillas each, then wrap each stack in foil.   Bake at 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes or until heated through (you can bake all stacks at once).

Cooking street tacos -

 GRILL:  Take care to grease your clean grill grates well with oil.  Next, close the lid and heat to the highest heat and WAIT to add your steak until the grill reaches temperature, this could take up to 15 minutes, so be patient.  Add your steak and reduce heat to medium-high heat. This temperature ensures a smokey charred outside, and pink juicy inside.  Grill steak for 5 to 6 minutes per side, turning once, for medium, depending on the thickness.

 OVEN ROASTED:  You may also broil your carne asada which mimics the high directional heat of the grill. Place carne asada on a baking sheet.  Broil 8 inches away from the broiler for 7-10 minutes on each side or until it reaches desired temperature.

 STOVE TOP:  You may use the stove, but unless you have a large grill pan, your carne asada might not fit in your skillet and you may need to cut your steak in half and work in batches.  Heat one tablespoon olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and some of the marinade.  Cook for 6-8 minutes per side or until it reaches desired temperature.

 Use a high smoking point oil.  For the grill, generously grease the CLEAN grill with a high smoking oil such as vegetable oil, canola oil or peanut oil. I just use a wad of paper towels to grease the grill.  NEVER use spray oils once the grill is on.

 Use a hot grill.  Heat up the grill with the lid closed cranked to the maximum temperature so it can achieve temperature more quickly; plan on 10-15 minutes.  Once the grill is hot, you can adjust the temperature.  Don’t add the steak until the grill reaches temperature or it won’t sear as nicely.

 Don’t overcook.  For the juiciest street tacos, don’t cook carne asada above medium.

 When to use high heat.  If you like rare or medium-rare steak, then grill steak on high heat so it’s hot enough to get some color on the outside in a short amount of time.

 Let carne asada rest.  After the carne asada is grilled, it is important to let it rest for 10 minutes before chopping.  While the steak cooks, the juices are forced away from the heat to the middle of the meat.  The resting time allows for the redistribution and reabsorption of the juices throughout the whole steak.

 How do I know when carne Asada is done?

 Flank steak is a lean cut of beef, so it is best not cooked above medium or else it can be tough and chewy instead of juicy.  I would aim for medium, meaning it will be pink in the middle.  That being said… the marinade gives you a little wiggle room, but don’t push it.

 To check the carne asada for doneness, insert an instant read thermometer into the center of the steak.

 

Rare steak:  125 degrees F

Medium rare:  135 degrees F

Medium: 145 degrees F *RECOMMENDED*

Medium well:  155 degrees F

Medium Well (not recommended)

Well done: 165 degrees F (not recommended)

How to cut steak for street tacos

 Steak is usually sliced against the grain to shorten the tough fibers, but we are cutting in both directions – so it doesn’t really matter what end you start with.  I recommend slicing the steak into ½-inch slices then ½-inches slices the other direction to create ½” cubes.  You really don’t want pieces much larger than this as smaller pieces create the most melt-in-your-mouth texture.

 Salsa: If making pico de gallo, let it rest. After you combine the Pico de Gallo ingredients in a bowl, let them sit at room temperate for the flavors to meld together.  If you taste it right away, I guarantee you will be disappointed. The salt draws out the flavor from the tomatoes, which we desperately want in this recipe.  Sitting also tones down the raw onion as it mingles with the lime.  Give your Pico de Gallo at least 30 minutes for the magic to happen.