Carne Asada Tacos

Ingredients

Carne Asada

• 2 lbs flank steak or skirt steak
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup lime juice (3–4 limes)
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 jalapeño, minced
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp chili powder
• Salt, pepper

To Serve

• Warm corn tortillas (→ see breads/corn-tortillas)
• Diced white onion
• Fresh cilantro
• Lime wedges
• Salsa verde or pico de gallo
• Pickled red onions (→ see sides/pickled-red-onions)
• Cotija cheese, crumbled

Method

1. Marinate: Combine oil, lime juice, garlic, jalapeño, cilantro, cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper. Coat steak. Refrigerate 2–8 hours.
2. Grill: Remove steak from marinade, pat dry (wet surface won't sear). Grill over high heat 4–5 min per side for medium-rare (125°F for flank, 130°F for skirt). Rest 10 min.
3. Slice: Cut against the grain into thin strips. This is critical — flank and skirt steak have long, tough muscle fibers. Cutting against them shortens the fibers, making each bite tender.
4. Assemble: Warm tortillas on the grill 30 sec per side. Fill with carne asada, onion, cilantro, salsa, pickled onion, cotija. Squeeze lime over.

What You're Practicing

• Acid marinade: lime juice tenderizes the surface and adds flavor
• Grilling thin, flat cuts over high heat
• Slicing against the grain — the single most important step for tender steak
• Building tacos from multiple foundation components (tortillas, pickled onions)