Carne Asada
Mexican grilled steak: skirt or flank marinated in lime, citrus juices, garlic, chilli and coriander, then grilled hot over high heat and sliced against the grain. The classic taqueria filling; equally good as a steak with rice, beans and tortillas.
Overview
Skirt or flank steak (cuts that take a marinade well and grill fast) sit in a punchy marinade of lime, orange, garlic, jalapeño, cumin, oregano and coriander for 2-4 hours, then grill quick over high heat. Sliced thin against the grain so the long fibres become tender bites.
Ingredients
Marinade
- 1 kg skirt steak (or flank)
- 4 limes (juice)
- 1 orange (large, juice)
- 4 garlic cloves (crushed)
- 1 jalapeño (seeded, finely chopped)
- A handful of fresh coriander (chopped, stems included)
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
To serve
- Warm corn (or flour tortillas)
- Charred salsa (or pico de gallo)
- Lime wedges
- Sliced avocado
- Chopped coriander
Method
Stage 1 - Marinate
- Whisk all the marinade ingredients in a bowl.
- Place the steak in a dish or zip-lock bag; pour the marinade over.
- Refrigerate 2-4 hours (don't go beyond 6; lime juice "cooks" the surface).
Stage 2 - Bring to room temperature
- Take the steak out 20 minutes before cooking; pat dry (a wet steak doesn't sear).
Stage 3 - Grill
- Heat a griddle pan or BBQ over very high heat until smoking.
- Cook the steak for 3-4 minutes a side for medium-rare (skirt and flank are best at medium-rare; well-done turns them rubbery).
- Lift onto a board; rest 5-8 minutes (essential).
Stage 4 - Slice and serve
- Identify the grain (the direction the muscle fibres run).
- Slice the steak against the grain into 5 mm strips. This is non-negotiable for tenderness.
- Pile onto a board with warm tortillas, salsa, lime wedges, avocado and coriander; serve family-style.
Notes
- Against the grain or it's chewy: Skirt and flank have long fibres. Slicing with the grain leaves them long and tough; against the grain shortens them into bite-sized pieces.
- Don't over-marinate: Citrus acids start to cure the meat past 6 hours; the surface goes mushy.
- Smoking-hot pan: These cuts want a hard sear. Mid-temperature grilling gives grey meat with no crust.
Storage
- Best fresh from the rest. Sliced leftovers keep 2 days; eat cold in salads or quesadillas.
Recipes mentioned here
Pico de Gallo
Ripe tomato, white onion, jalapeño and coriander are chopped fine and tossed with lime and salt, then left to rest for ½ hour for the juices to draw out and the flavours to combine. Texture matters: each bite should have all four colours. A staple alongside grilled meat, tacos and chips.
Quesadillas
Pre-cook any "wet" filling (mushrooms, chorizo, peppers) and cool. Cheese is grated. A dry, hot griddle or non-stick pan heats over medium heat. A tortilla goes on; cheese scatters over half; filling (if any) over the cheese; folded in half. Pressed gently with a spatula; cooked for 90 seconds until the underside is gold-spotted; flipped; cooked for 90 seconds more. The cheese should be fully melted and just starting to ooze at the edges. Sliced into 3 wedges; served with salsa, guacamole, sour cream, lime.
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