Carne Asada Marinade Recipe

Carne Asada Marinade Recipe: This marinade for carne asada recipe is a surefire family fave-and trust when I say that I have tried a ton! Letting that flank steak chill in this zesty citrus-soy mix for a full day pretty much promises to be melt-in-your-mouth tender at the first whiff of grill.

A fire carne asada starts with a bangin’ marinade. Your flank steak soaks up all those bold, fresh flavors for a full 24 hours before it hits the grill.

Whether you stuff it in tacos, toss it on a salad, or just straight-up dive into that juicy, flavor-loaded steak, this will be the best carne asada you’ve ever laid hands on.

What Is Carne Asada Recipe?

Essentially, carne asada is simply a Mexican classic-a steak marinating in a mixture of lime juice and spices. The name simply means “grilled meat,” so yeah, you’re throwing that steak on the grill, old-school style.

What Is Carne Asada Marinade Recipe?

This carne asada marinade is packed full of flavourful good stuff, such as:

Fruit Juice
Orange, lemon and lime juices will add in that zesty, fruity punch.

Soy Sauce
It gives your steak a rich, savory feel.

Spices & Seasonings
That would be cilantro, garlic, chili powder, cumin, paprika, pepper, and oregano-mostly serious mojo.

Chipotle Pepper
Chopped up chipotle brings the heat.

Olive Oil
Keeping your steak juicy and all of those killer flavors locked in.

How to Make Carne Asada Marinade Recipe

Whippin’ this marinade together for your carne asada is the easiest thing on the face of the Earth: just throw everything in a bowl and whisk it all up. Reserve a cup of that mojo for using after you grill the steak. Throw on your flattened steak into the marinade, seal it up in its bag, and let it soak for 24 hours. Boom, done.

1.Mix together orange, lemon, and lime juice in a large glass or ceramic bowl. Add cilantro, soy sauce, garlic, chili powder, cumin, paprika, black pepper, chipotle, and oregano. Toss it all together.

2.Slowly whisk in some olive oil until it’s all blended smooth. Scoop out a cup of the marinade, place it in a small bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and pop it in the fridge to use after the steak’s grilled.

3.Lay that steak between two thick sheets of plastic, like freezer bags, on a flat surface. Take out your meat mallet and pound that steak nice and hard on the smooth side until it is about 1/4 inch thick.

4.After pounding, poke steak all over with a fork. Place steak in the marinade in the large bowl, cover, and marinate in the refrigerator for 24 hours.

5.When you’re ready to cook, preheat the grill to medium-high and brush the grate lightly with oil.

6.Remove steak from marinade; letting any excess liquid drip off. Discard marinade.

7.Place the steak on the hot grill, searing the steak to desired doneness, about 5 minutes per side for medium-rare.

8.Remove steak from grill and slice across the grain.

9.Put it on a serving plate and splash the leftover marinade on top. Serve it up right away!

How Long to Marinate Carne Asada

This recipe requires an all-night soak to produce the most juicy and flavorful carne asada. Honestly, though, if you can only do overnight or even just a few hours, it’s still so much better than skipping the marinade.

How to Make Carne Asada Recipe

Once your steak’s done marinating, toss it on a hot grill and cook it how you like. Around 5 minutes per side should give you a nice medium-rare. Drizzle the saved marinade over the steak and serve it up.

Community Tips and Praise

This one’s a keeper for sure! says AC in the City. “I never made carne asada before, ever. We marinated it for 24 hours, and man, it slapped! This marinade covered nearly 4 pounds of skirt steak perfectly! That marinade covered nearly 4 pounds of skirt steak perfectly!”

“This was fire! I think I preferred it to the carne asada at the Mexican restaurant down the street. It had that citrusy kick, super light and fresh. It grilled up medium rare, then cooked a little more as we took it off, so it hit medium. My fam couldn’t get enough!

“This recipe is legit. Season just so. I have had my fair share of carne asada in many restaurants, but this is the best by far. I added some red pepper instead of the paprika for a little more heat. Marinated for 24 hours, plus more garlic and some chipotle in adobo sauce. It is crazy good-you have to try it!

Carne Asada: Frequently Asked Questions

What can I substitute in for flank steak?
You can substitute with skirt steak, flat iron, or hanger steak; these work quite well, too.

What if I ain’t got a grill?
No grill? No problem. It will suffice to use a cast-iron grill pan or a big ol’ cast-iron skillet to get the job done, especially on days too cold to fire up the grill outside!

Storing and Reheating

Leftover carne asada may be stored in the fridge sealed for up to 3 days.

To reheat, put in a hot pan on your stovetop or microwave for 1 to 3 minutes, turning half way through cooking so that each side is heated.