Kick Off Grilling Season With This Classic Mexican Recipe: Tequila Citrus Carne Asada Recipe

Carne Asada is a dish that doesn't need any introduction. Anywhere from your local taco joint to when you travel to Mexico, you'll see it pop up.

Since Carne Asada literally translates to "grilled meat," it is a term that refers to a range of meat (some marinated others not) that hits a charcoal or wood-fired grill. In fact, the term is so ubiquitious that in some regions of Mexico you use the term "carne asada" to refer to a cookout the same way Americans use the term "BBQ" for both the techinique and the event.

At the most simple, it's grilled meat but a few things separate good Carne Asada from great Carne Asada.  

Where Carne Asada Comes From

Yes, you'll see Carne Asada on menus everywhere as you  travel around Mexico but it originally hails from the North. Just like how Texas has a major cattle culture, so do the Northern regions just south of the border! And while you'll see cattle being raised everywhere from Calexico through Chihuahua, the epicenter fo the Mexican cattle culture is the northern region of Sonora. So, while there isn't a specific moment in time or person who can be tied to Carne Asada, it's widely agreed that it comes from this part of Mexico. 

The Best Cut Of Meat For Carne Asada

Since Carne Asada is grilled meat, you could really use any cut of meat that stands up to the dry, hot heat of a grill. But the most classic cut to use is skirt steak -- it's mix of fat and flavor and quick cooking time make it ideal for this cooking method. If you can't find skirt steak, you can substitute flank steak or hangar steak instead! 

Tips To Cook Carne Asada

• To Marinate Or Not: Almost every recipe for Carne Asada that you find in English calls for the meat to be marinated but it isn't essential. In fact, a lot of spots in Mexico just season it with oil, garlic, salt, and pepper before grilling it. The advantage to marinating is that it will bring flavor and help slightly tenderize the meat.
• Keep The Marinade Simple: If you do choose to use a marinade, keep it pretty simple so that you don't overwhelem the flavor of the meat. At the most basic you want a marinade that has some fat, something acidic, and some flavorings, which typically translates to oil, lime juice, and garlic when you're talking Carne Asada. You'll often see people add in a bottle of lager beer to up the flavor and tenderizing aspect.
• How To Make The Marinade Gluten Free: Our marinade is a gluten free twist on the classic marinade where we use tequila instead of beer and then add in some orange juice and some onions for a little extra flavor. Because there isn't any salt (or salty ingredient like soy sauce) you can let this marinade hang out for anywhere from 1 to 48 hours -- just salt it really well before and after it hits the grill so you get maximum flavor. 
• Cook The Meat Briefly: If you go to a taco stand, they'll likely cook the meat really well done. We like it cooked to medium rare which is roughly 2 to 3 minutes per side.
• Let It Rest: Let the meat rest for a minimum of 10 minutes before you slice it!
• Slice It Across The Grain: Yes, you always want to slice meat against the grain but that's more important than ever with cuts like Flank Steak, Hangar Steak, and Skirt Steak. 

How To Serve Carne Asada

Our favorite way to serve Carne Asada is as you see it pictured here as a sort of deconstructed taco platter with a load of tortillas, salsa, guacamole, and all the fixings. However, there are so many other ways you could serve it  from atop sopes, in a burrito, as a taco filling, as part of a torta, or topping greens for a quick steak salad!