This Backyard Taco Recipe Will Surprise You!
You are in for a treat with this recipe! We make a killer carne asada marinade and perfectly cook the beef to make some AMAZING tacos.
Things to know:
What are carne asada tacos?
Carne asada tacos feature thinly sliced, citrus-marinated, and fire-grilled beef served inside warm corn tortillas. Originating from northern Mexico, this classic street food centers on smoky, charred meat balanced by crisp, fresh toppings and bright citrus notes.
What are street tacos?
Street tacos are small, authentic Mexican-style tacos traditionally sold by outdoor vendors and food trucks. Designed to be eaten easily on the go, they feature simple, high-flavor ingredients rather than heavy toppings.
What cut of meat is used for carne asada tacos?
The most common cuts of meat used for carne asada tacos are skirt steak (known as arrachera in Mexico) and flank steak. Flap meat (bavette) and chuck steak (diezmillo) are also popular alternatives used by home cooks and taco trucks.
What is skirt steak?
Skirt steak is a long, flat, thin cut of beef taken from the plate or diaphragm muscle of a cow. It features a prominent, loose grain and rich marbling, making it intensely beefy and flavorful, though it can become tough if it is not cooked and sliced the right way.
Types of Skirt Steak
Outside Skirt: Sourced from the diaphragm muscle, it is wider, more tender, juicier, and typically more expensive.
Inside Skirt: Sourced from the transverse abdominal muscle, it has coarser muscle fibers and is leaner and chewier
What is special about carne asada?
Carne asada is special because it combines a deeply savory, smoky-charred flavor from high-heat wood or charcoal grilling with a bright citrus and garlic marinade, transforming affordable beef cuts into a tender, versatile staple that also represents a vibrant community social tradition.
Ingredients:
2 cups coarsely chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for serving
2 T diced chipotle chile in adobo
4 scallions, coarsely chopped
8 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Zest and juice of 2 limes
Zest and juice of 1 navel orange
2 T avocado oil, plus more for grill
5 t ground cumin
2 t kosher salt, plus more
2 t freshly ground black pepper, plus more
2 lb. skirt or flank steak, trimmed, cut into 6″ pieces
16 small corn tortillas
1 cup chopped white onion
Sliced red radishes, cotija, and salsa verde, for serving
1. In a food processor or blender, blend cilantro, chipotle chile, adobo sauce, scallions, garlic, lime zest, lime juice, orange zest, orange juice, oil, Worcestershire sauce, cumin, salt, and pepper until smooth.
2. Place steak in a large resealable bag and pour in marinade. Press air out of bag and massage marinade into steak. Refrigerate at least 2 hours and up to 4.
3. Prepare a grill for medium-high heat; heat 5 minutes (or preheat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat). Pour a small amount of oil onto a wad of paper towels and rub grates until coated with a thin layer of oil. Repeat if needed to make sure grates are coated.
4. Using paper towels, pat excess marinade from steak; season both sides with a heavy pinch of salt and pepper.
5. Grill steak until just browned on one side, about 3 minutes. Flip and continue to grill until second side is browned and an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part registers 125°, 2 to 3 minutes more. Transfer steak to a cutting board, tent with foil, and let rest 5 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, reduce grill heat to medium and grill tortillas until just toasted, 20 to 30 seconds per side. Transfer tortillas to a platter.
7. Slice steak against the grain into bite-sized pieces. Top each tortilla with steak, onion, cilantro, radishes, cotija, and salsa verde. Serve and ENJOY!
Equipment used:
Yoder YS640S Smoker
DISCLOSURE: When we link to products and services, those links may be customized affiliate links. If you click on any of those affiliate links and make a purchase within a certain time frame, We’ll earn a small commission. The commission is paid by the retailers.
Here’s an example: If we link to our favorite vegetable peeler, and you click on that link and complete a purchase within the next 24 hours, we may receive a commission somewhere between 1 to 10 percent of your total order.
We are careful to link to products and retailers that we use ourselves and recommend. These affiliate programs use cookies to track visits for the purposes of assigning commission on these sales. Money earned keeps Galley of the Sun running and allows us to do what we love.
Thank you for your support.
SELECT AFFILIATE PROGRAM DETAILS: We are currently members of affiliate programs with Amazon and Dalstrong. We are eligible to earn from qualifying purchases.