Carne Asada — Citrus Marinated
Juicy, citrus-marinated carne asada, kissed by the flames of the grill. The perfect centerpiece for your next taco night!
20 min active, minimal dishes
Carne Asada — Citrus Marinated
Juicy, citrus-marinated carne asada, kissed by the flames of the grill. The perfect centerpiece for your next taco night!
20 min active, minimal dishes
Key move
Don't rush the marinade; at least 4 hours is key for maximum flavor and tenderness.
Cook mode keeps your place
Larger text, ingredients in reach, and saved step progress while you cook.
The Setup
- Large Bowl
- Grill
The Mise en Place
5 of 9Your prep station before cooking begins
The Protein (0/3)
The Aromatics (0/1)
The Pantry (0/1)
Steak is tough.
Ensure you are slicing against the grain. Also, marinating for longer helps tenderize the meat.
Steak is burning on the outside but raw inside.
Reduce the grill heat or move the steak to a cooler part of the grill.
Chef's Notes
For best flavor, marinate the carne asada for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight, in the refrigerator.
Don't overcrowd the grill. Cook in batches if necessary to ensure a good sear and even cooking.
Serve thinly sliced carne asada in tacos with chopped white onion, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime.
The marinade can be prepared up to 2 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator.
The Method
COMBINE
Prep aheadIn a large bowl, whisk together orange juice (¾ cups), lime juice (½ cups), garlic (6 cloves), cilantro (½ cups), jalapeño (1 whole), olive oil (¼ cups), salt (1 tsp), and pepper.
Uneven seasoning: Salt may settle at the bottom; ensure it is fully dissolved before adding the meat.
Marinade ingredients are well combined.
ADD
Prep aheadAdd flank steak (1000 g) to the marinade, ensuring it's fully submerged. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight.
Uneven marination: If the steak is not fully submerged, the exposed parts will remain tough and lack flavor.
Steak is fully submerged in the marinade and the bowl is covered.
PREHEAT
Preheat grill to medium-high heat.
Uneven heating: Avoid overcrowding the grill; leave space for airflow to ensure consistent medium-high temperature.
Grill is preheated to medium-high heat.
REMOVE
Remove steak from marinade and discard marinade.
Food safety: Never reuse the marinade for basting or sauce unless boiled for at least 3 minutes.
Steak is removed from the marinade, and the marinade is discarded.
GRILL
Grill steak for 5-7 minutes per side for medium-rare, or until desired doneness is reached.
Overcooking: Thin steaks can overcook rapidly; use an instant-read thermometer to avoid passing medium-rare.
Steak is grilled to desired doneness (e.g., 130-135°F for medium-rare).
REST
Time-sensitiveLet the steak rest for 10 minutes before slicing against the grain.
Loss of juices: Slicing too early causes the flavorful juices to run out onto the board rather than staying in the meat.
Steak has rested for 10 minutes.
SLICE
Slice the steak thinly against the grain and serve immediately.
Chewy texture: Failing to cut against the grain will result in tough, stringy bites regardless of marinade time.
Steak is sliced thinly against the grain.
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