Carne Asada
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Cilantro, olive oil, soy sauce, orange + lime juice, garlic, jalapeno and cumin make for the easiest and most flavorful marinade. SO SO GOOD.
Hope you all had the most amazing Cinco de Mayo.
The weather finally warmed up in Chicago – I mean, hello, we’re talking sunny 70 degree weather! I know, I couldn’t believe it either considering it was snowing just two weeks ago.
So we quickly took advantage of the real Springtime weather and took Butters out in his dashing sombrero.
Once we got home, we took out a few beers and threw this oh-so-perfect marinated flank steak onto the grill.
The marinade – as simple as it is – is unbelievably flavorful, and it yields the juiciest, most tender flank steak. I could honestly eat the steak all on its own but the warm tortillas and fresh guacamole don’t hurt either.
WHAT CAN I USE INSTEAD OF FLANK STEAK?
Skirt steak, flat iron steak, and hanger steak are all great options as well!
WHAT IF I DON’T HAVE A GRILL?
No grill, no problem. A cast iron grill pan or a large cast iron skillet will work beautifully here, especially during those winter month when it’s too cold to grill out!
Carne Asada
Ingredients
- ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup reduced sodium soy sauce
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 ½ pounds flank steak
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine cilantro, olive oil, soy sauce, orange juice, lime juice, garlic, jalapeno, cumin and 1 teaspoon pepper; set aside 1/2 cup of the mixture in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
- In a gallon size Ziploc bag or large bowl, combine steak and remaining cilantro mixture; marinate for at least 4 hours to overnight, turning the bag occasionally. Drain the steak from the marinade.
- Preheat grill to medium high heat. Using paper towels, pat both sides of the steak dry; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Add steak to grill, and cook, flipping once, until desired doneness, about 6 minutes per side for medium rare. Let rest 5 minutes.
- Thinly slice steak against the grain and serve with reserved 1/2 cup cilantro mixture.
Did you make this recipe?
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I’ve made this SO MANY times. My family adores it. I cook it in a cast iron skillet.
I cook the meat until rare. Then, I let it rest before cutting it into smaller pieces and throw it back into the skillet to crisp it up and warm it just before serving.
DELISH!
I’ve made this three times, each time a winner! Used stovetop non-stick grill in place of cast iron and it worked just fine.
Could I do this with rump steak?
Tried it tonight and was sooo good!
I don’t have a grill. Can I make it on the stove-top with a cast-iron grill pan?
OOPS. Sorry, I just read that I can do stove-top with a grill pan. Thanks.
This is really good. The only thing I change is I use Serrano peppers for more heat.
Could you use pork for this?
My husband hates cilantro. What’s a good alternative?
SOOO good! This makes great meat for fajitas. I used some of the reserved mix on veggies.
This has become a staple in my home. It’s also fabulous on chicken thighs.
Delicious! Always a winner and super easy to throw together!
Also works great with flat iron steak!
I’ve made this twice and absolutely love it. Served it to some others who are quick to judge and the too loved it. Have shared your wonderful recipe. I’m living in Mexico now and am about to try it on some locals
I have made this a lot! My family loves it, and it’s better than the fresh carne asada I can buy at the Mexican market. I’m super curious what the locals thought?? Any update?
Can this be done in a slow cooker so it’s more tender?
Not the author but I’ve made this MANY times. The marinade really tenderizes the meat well. It’s not tough or chewy at all, especially if you leave it marinating over night. I suppose you could cook it in the crock pot but you’d lose that great grilled flavor that makes it Carne asada and the texture would likely be different. But no harm in trying. Would love to know how it turns out.
Perfect recipe
Delicious! My son and husband loved the flank steak using this marinade!
Thanks for the recipe. I did it for the first time and everything turned out thanks to you. I love tse
This recipe is li9fe changing! I use it for Steak all the time. Recently my daughter marinated prawns in it, very good! thank you
My go to recipe for flank. This one is the best!
AMAZING! FULL of flavor. My whole family was impressed by the very first bite! We’re putting in our “make for company” file ASAP. And so easy too!!
I had no idea I could be such a good cook! xD Seriously – this was unbelievably amazing!
One modification: partner and I don’t like cilantro so we substituted with fresh parsley and it was extremely excellent. You won’t be disappointed in the slightest!
This sounds wonderful and I can’t wait to try it but my shopper chose top sirloin instead of flank steak. :-/ Can I use this on top sirloin or hold out for the next grocery trip to get flank or skirt?
I’m making it this weekend and using top sirloin because it’s on sale. It will be a lot more tender than flank steak! Sounds like a great recipe!
I made this tonight with a flank steak that was probably older than it should have been (a year in the freezer??). I marinated for 24 hours and then sous vided for 10 hours at 135 degrees, finally finishing on the grill. It was amazing. The marinate is fantastic and the steak was fall apart tender and extremely delicious. Thank you for the recipe and we bought your book!
I will be making this really soon. I do however want to know where did you get the pan in the photo? It looks like one my grandmother had and I am search for one just like it!
I have one of those, myself. It came from my grandmother and I remember her cooking many a meal in it, especially Sunday dinners. I’m sure it’s no longer available in store, just in our memories. Hope you find what you’re looking for.
If you look on Ebay, vintage aluminum roasting pan, you will find many choices with some looking just like this one. I believe it is a Wearever brand.
amazing recipe.. just hsd some reposdao tequila as a preamble and we desfrutallo..mucha gracias por todos
I put in marinade on lunch hour and grilled for dinner about 6 hours later. Definitely will make again, perfect Thank you for sharing
Made it. Ate it. Loved it.
I had to omit the jalapeños for the sake of pleasing all my family members (*ahem* looking at you, 5-years-olds), but overall this recipe was spiced just right. Just the right saltiness, brightness and earthiness. Also, it was super easy and came together quickly. Will make again and again.
Tip: save the rind of your lime before juicing it! It’s great for adding to your accompanying drink or dessert.
Can this be made on the stove top or in oven?
so yummy 😀
Family favourite…melt in your mouth deliciousness!
I’ve never written a review on a recipe but DAYYYUUUMMMMMM, the most delicious and authentic tasting recipe ever. Wow wow wow yummy!!!!
This recipe is incredible! For the first time, I made flank steak that wasn’t tough and chewy!! I subbed the soy sauce for coconut aminos and let the meat marinate for 48 hours. Put in sous vide at 130 for 1.5 hours then seared on cast iron. Incredible flavor and the whole family enjoyed it! 🙂
I want to note… you probably should not marinade for over 8 hours… the acid from the citris will start cooking the meat (think ceviche). Other professional chefs elsewhere have noted that.
But glad everyone is enjoying, awesome recipe!
This marinade was fire!!! Made recipe exactly as written and used like fajitas with oven roasted fresh bell peppers and all the fixings! Will definitely make again!
I have been making this recipe for so long…it’s always well received by my family and friends! They all love it! Thank you for sharing it!
This was amazingly yummy!! I rather clean than cook so I got lucky finding this recipe. I was craving some marinated meat and on limited time I only let it sit for approx. 2 hours so I can imagine if I fully followed the directions. I made tortas for me and my kids with some home made bean & salsa and the meat marinade was purrrfect. Thank you much for sharing!
I made this tonight for dinner. OH MY. Just so “dam delicious “!! This is going to be on regular rotation for sure. I marinated overnight. Too cold to grill, so I used my Cast Iron Skillet and broiled. Put the Cast Iron skillet in the oven while the broiler was preheating. Once preheated I put the Flank Steak in the skillet. 6 minutes, then turned for 5 more. Came out medium. I also made two pans of roasted red, yellow, orange peppers, onions and garlic. So so good.
Yumm!! thx for the oven instructions – Im terrible with the grill
OMG!!! This was BY FAR the best carne asada recipe I’ve ever tried!! The meat was better than almost every taco I’ve ever had in California in my life! Thank you so much to whoever came up with this because it is 100% perfect!!!
This was amazing. I used skirt steak and let it marinate for about 8 hours and grilled it at around 450 for 6 min per side like the recipe says… and WOW. One of the best things I’ve ever eaten. I’ve tried making carne asada at home before and nothing has compared to this. I served it at a party and it was gone so fast, people couldn’t stop raving.
Made this at the firehouse for holiday dinner, compliments came from all quarters. But, when the chief steward called me this morning to ask, “can you send me the recipe?” It confirmed what I already knew; this is a keeper!
I didn’t have cilantro. Can I use parsley as a substitute?
You shouldn’t. Cilantro has a ‘bite’ to it that no amount of parsley will ever match.
You can use coriander as a substitute but dear god no parsley.
Coriander is just another name for cilantro 🙂
Coriander is the seed of the cilantro plant. Cilantro refers to the plant/leaves/stems.
Cilantro is the leaves and the stems of the plant, coriander is the seeds. Both have the somewhat citrusy flavor, but are not interchangeable.
Coriander like someone else said is just another name for cilantro. People mistake for the seed because in the US we label the seeds and ground seeds coriander but they are called “coriander seeds”. The flavor of the seeds is not the same as cilantro.
Incredibly tender and flavourful, next time I will add more jalapeños as we like it spicy. Recipe was easy to follow. New addition to our favourite list,
I have not made this yet but plan to. I have a quick question, i do not have a grill to make this on so what would i do to get this to turn out great using the oven. I do have a cast iron skillet i can use, will that work just fine as well?
Absolutely! Bring your meat close to room temperature. Preheat cast iron skillet under the broiler for about 5 minutes. Add meat and broil until done. Probably 6-9 minutes. Love broiling these in the oven!
I’m looking to try this but wondering it if would be good in a stir fry?
I love to make recipes by order to try to start with and then after that I like to tweak them how I like them and that’s with any good chef
you can make things a certain way as they’re expected to be made or you can put your own twist
Absolutely delicious! Our new go-to steak recipe! We simply served it on warm corn tortillas with sliced avocado and used the reserve marinade as “taco sauce”, drizzling a little on each one. Yum!
Thank you for this! I have taken this recipe and adjusted it to my personal taste several (I mean several) times over ie: when a recipe calls for 4 cloves of garlic, I’ll do 8. Kidding.. kind of 🙂 I few tips for this amazing carne recipe.
1. Meat matters. Flank steak or a cut of meat that has some good marbling (fat) throughout. Fat is flavor people, sorry! I’ve used Wagyu steak and it was BOMB. Just make sure you cut it in thin slices before you marinate.
2. DON’T let it marinade for an extremely long time. Damn Delicious isn’t lying when they say the citrus will ruin the fiesta! Four hours is good but, I find 6-8 to be optimal.
3. DON’T skip patting the steak down with paper towels before tossing it on the grill. Seriously, oil + fire = I’m lucky I still have eyebrows 😉
Such an outstanding recipe thank you so much again. Pair your carne with a good pico de Gallo and let the good times roll!
I plan on making this tomorrow after the steak marinates overnight. I’m skeptical that it will taste like the Carne Asada I had in Austin Texas when I lived there in the 80s. There was an old Mexican man that had a stand next to where I worked. He had a line of people there all day getting his homemade carne asada and he opened at 6am. Great memories of great food that I’m hoping this recipe tastes like!! The sauce will be the key!!
Using the marinade with the raw meat juice in it is a no no . Can be used if cooked, however.
I’ve been to the grocery store and bought the ingredients. I’ll marinate it overnight and have it for supper tomorrow night. I’m reminded of another wonderful flank steak recipe. With this other recipe you score the steak on both sides before marinating it. Not too deep, mind you. I thought this might be helpful. I’ll post a review, most likely Thursday.
I made this tonight for Cinco de Mayo. I was very skeptical of the good reviews. Surely it couldn’t be THAT great. I’ve been burned by recipes with 5 star reviews before. Holy cow it was really that good!!!! The juiciest steak I have ever had. We live in a major metropolitan area and frequently go out for Mexican. This carne asada was as good or better than any I’ve had in a Mexican restaurant. I followed the recipe exactly as written and grilled it over charcoal. Perfection. The only negative was that there was none left for leftovers tomorrow. We ate every last bit in under 10 minutes. My 8 year old daughter who eats like a bird had three large helpings. Trust me, you want to make this!
Simply the best! The flavors work. We grilled in our Ninja Foodi and used in tacos. Only regret was not slicing the meat small enough. Great recipe. Thanks for sharing! We marinated for 24 hrs.
Love this! I made this last night for my house and everyone loved it! I was in somewhat of a time crunch and used the cooked steak we had the night before, orange extract, and was able to let it sit for about 15 min but it still turned out wonderful. I’m definitely going to make this again along with your other recipes (pan sheet tacos tomorrow!!!).
Everyone loved this made tacos followed recipe exactly and it’s incredible !!! Will definitely made again. Now bookmarked for future. Damn delicious never disappoints. Thanks for the yummy recipes
My family loves this recipe and we have it a couple times a month minimum. It always comes out perfect, even if I don’t have orange juice or cilantro, I just make it without and still comes out amazing. We’ve made it for both of our families and everyone always asks for the recipe! Super easy and so delicious, won’t be looking for another carne asada recipe ever again.
I made this on a cold and snowy Valentines night in Vancouver. It was delicious. So fresh and tasty, but tender and flavorful.
It made Spring seem closer. Something about it really raised my spirits.
Thank you for making my day in the midst of this difficult lockdown!
Way too salty for my taste. I will try again but a lot less soy sauce. Even for low sodium it was still too salty. I did not salt the meat either.
Same here – I think I will need to use half the soy sauce since I prefer it not to heavy on the seasoning. Nevertheless a great recipe!
I made this for dinner this week, and it brought such a bright, fresh, summery flavor to a cold winter night! I also doubled the recipe and popped a second cut of beef with the marinade into the freezer. We can’t wait to have it again soon — delicious!!
This was delicious and very easy to make. Thank you!
First time making it myself. My butcher only had skirt steak, so I used that instead. It was easy and super delic! Thank you so much!
I followed the recipe pretty much to a T. I used a neutral vegetable oil so the olive oil would not interfere with the other flavors. Used 2 whole Serrano’s with seeds (didn’t have a Jalapeno) and full strength soy sauce. All other ingredients were to the recipe. Salt & pepper was 1/2 teaspoon each. Pulsed everything in the food processor to a nice consistency. Marinated 2 1/2 pounds of carne asada flap meet from 6pm Saturday night to noon Sunday in a Ziploc bag. Cooked over charcoal on the Weber for about 6 to 8 minutes over very hot coals. Tasted a thicker piece after resting the meat for about half an hour. Perfectly cooked, very juicy and had an excellent flavor. Will definitely use this recipe in the future.
Absolutely loved this. I made one with flank steak and one with freshly harvested snow goose. Shocking…but my guests completely ravished the snow goose. It was incredible
I made this last week for myself and my Grandchildren and it was a Huge Success!! The flavor was FABULOUS and for a change, BOTH of my Grandkids LOVED it! So much so thst we’re having it again toNIGHT! Brought back by Popular Demand!
And we’ll make it again and again for guests, I’m sure.
Turned out great. I love this marinade. I’ve done it twice now. I did it the other night and forgot I didn’t have an orange. I did half a grapefruit with a bit of honey (as oranges tend to be more sweet). It was equally fantastic.
This was so good. I didn’t have a fresh jalapeno so I reconstituted a dried chipotle to put in. I also cooked some rice up and fried it with some of the marinade, which was really good too. The marinade makes the steak so tender. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
I have made a version of this for a few years that I absolutely love for chicken or beef. The only difference is my recipe calls for a teaspoon of canned chipotle in adobo sauce. It is a delicious add in! This is such an addictive marinade. Thanks for posting!
Keep up the great work
I made this with elk steaks- Marinated for 8 hours. It was so delicious! My husband said it was the best carne asada he’s ever had and my 7 year old loved it. Thank you for another great recipe!!
Excellent recipe! My husband isn’t a big fan of cilantro but he said he could eat this meat every day. I usually don’t have an orange lying around so I use 4TBSP canned pineapple juice. SO yummy! This meat is very versatile and can be served in tacos, salads, rice and so much more. My mouth is watering just thinking about it 🙂
I love this marinate! I used it last night on my flank steak! It turned out amazing, really flavorful! 🙂
I love this recipe so much! I’ve made it several times and there are never any leftovers. I highly recommend the overnight marinade for the fullest flavor and don’t forget to set aside some for serving! I made that mistake once.
Wow! This is a must try recipe. Thanks for sharing.
I used minced garlic from the jar I.l.o. and I threw in half the Rhine of each Orange and lime. Only marinated for about 5 or 6 hours. I don’t think that’s long enough. Overnight or at least all day maybe. Other than that I followed the recipe and ingredients. I liked it enough to share it with a coworker. And we are already making plans to make it again. For the meat, I used Aracherra that is thinly sliced. After cooking it I sliced into cube sizes for the tacos. We had pinto beans and cilantro lime rice to go with it and, of course, some fresh made tortillas. This recipe is tasty but not spicy. If you want the heat then you’ll have to adjust your peppers and seasonings.
I didn’t notice any garlic flavor and suggest using fresh garlic clove instead of the jar stuff. Or use more than called for if you favor garlic.
I like the recipe and the flavor and will make it again.
Thank you for this!!! I have made this recipe probably 6 times now, and it is INCREDIBLE. The best carne asada I’ve ever tasted. I think my husband falls a little more in love with me every time I make it. LOL
This was so good! Everyone in my family loved and said I need to make it again. Thank you for such a great recipe!
This is delicious! The only thing I did different, because I don’t currently have a grill, is I cooked this in my instant pot with 1 cup of beef broth for 12 minutes and a 10 minute natural pressure release time. Thank you for a great recipe! I will definitely be making this again and again 🙂
I should specify that I cut the meat into thin slices and marinated it overnight before cooking in the instant pot.
Delicious. Our Mexican meat market closed down due to the pandemic and our family panicked. They made the best Carne Asada marinade. I decided to try this recipe and found it to be pretty close. Love it on flank steak or also called skirt steak.
Delicious on chicken also. I always grill.
If I was making this to use in tacos for 150 people, what would you recommend for cooking? Should I grill it the day before and keep put it in a warmer tray the day of or would that over cook it?
This carne Asada recipe is nothing less than great! Both of my sons complemented how yummy the dish was and it was a such simple recipe to follow. Your recipes are so reliable with minimal failure rate. Thanks so much ChungAh,
I added about a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar and juice of half a lemon. It was an amazing meal! Definitely making this again.
I made this. It was amazing. So delicious. My boys gobbled it. The rating that matters in my house – it is a “do again”.
Dang this is good. Made it as written.
I used skirt steak and a Weber charcoal grill. Made a hot fire and because the skirt steak is so thin, only grilled for about 3 mins a side – perfect.
Fwiw we wanted leftovers so we got two 1 lb steaks – the marinade amount worked fine for the added meat.
I substituted Adolfo’s meat tenderizer instead of salt, added parsley, and chopped sweet onion. If you want it spicy keep some of the jalapeño seeds.
This recipe is no joke. Absolutely freakin’ delicious. Only had time to marinate in the refrigerator for a couple of hours but it still turned out spectacular on the grill. Will definitely make this again soon.
Holy guacamole, these were DAMN Delicious. This marinade absolutely killed. Used it for the carne and the pollo, served with tortillas, black beans, orange cilantro slaw and all the fixings. Thanks for grilling advice. We regularly have 7 adults and plenty of guests. 6 lbs of meat and barely any leftovers. Can’t wait to make it again!
Orange cilantro slaw??? That sounds amazing! Do you have a recipe for that?
YES!!!
Please share!
How much orange juice do you need
Can I cook this steak in the Instant Pot ?.I don’t have a grill.Thanks.Vesna
Vesna. Carne can be grilled in the oven if you don’t have a grill. Broil like any other, but remember, flank steak and flap steak (which is what my Mexican market sells for Carne Asada. Just remember, any of the very lean meats, like flank steak, should be grilled or roasted much less than steaks with higher fat content. stop broiling sooner rather than later (if you have to, make one slice, if it is TOO rare, then try some more, but once you’ve over broiled…it get tough.
Flank steak if not over coooked is a wonderful steak. And so is carne asada. There’s some in my fridge right now. We grill enough for lunches the rest of the week. 45 seconds in the microwave gives enough heat to make it great again.
I did not have flank steak as labeled on the package bought from a rancher and it was flap steak which I think is kinda of the samething. I also rotated it every couple of minutes while on the same side. Then flipped after 6 minutes. Did the same on the other side. Best thing I have tried. This is a must recipe. Better than any skirt steak.
My two housemates are Central American. Carne is the equivalent of an American hambuger for hosting a get-together. What you want is a very lean beef that you season and quickly grill (or, if you have no other options, oven broil.). Too well done and it gets tough. But seasoning well, and marinating for a sufficient length of time are the keys. Flap steak is the typical meat–carne–sold for carne asada, but many US groceries, esp. other than in the SW or big cities, may not carry flap steak, hence flank steak. So flank steak is fine. So is flap steak. The key is not to over cook, which makes it tough. We have carne in the reefer right now. We do enough on the weekend for the whole week if we grill. I put a piece in the microwave for 45 seconds and it is warmed again and quite reasonable for a midweek lunch or supper. One of my favorite meats. [PS: Carne serves the same place as a hamburger does in the US for having friends over for grilling. Come on over, and I’ll put a piece of carne on the grill, “Carne con cerveza” beef and beer. Means carne asada and beer or other soft drinks
Delicious. My opinion, but I re-use steak marinade all this time and drizzle once cooked. If you buy quality meat you do not have to worry as many eat rare steak which is basically raw. Would not recommend this for pork or chicken.
Yikes
Rare steak is not basically raw. It’s cooked to an internal temperature of between 130-140 degrees Fahrenheit but the outside surface is in direct contact with high enough heat to kill any bacteria that may be present. We can eat steak (a whole muscle cut) while still ‘pink’ in the middle, because most of the meat fibers are dense and as such, bacteria and viruses cannot penetrate too far into the tissue, and instead sit mostly on the surface. This is how these organisms can come into contact with the liquids and rubs in your marinades.
(Ground meat of any kind is an absolute ‘No’ as the process in which it’s ground mixes the meat and can lead to the bacteria tainting the entire batch from a single source of infected meat, which is another reason why you should only order/cook your burgers to an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit or higher.)
If you are serving this used marinade to guests, it would be advisable to let them know you are reusing marinade that was in direct contact with raw meat (or omit serving it to them entirely) because some people are immunocompromised and and can suffer life threatening symptoms if exposed to illnesses such as E Coli, Salmonella, and Listeria which can all be found on beef products if mishandled.
(There is no definitive way for you to know if your store bought meat has been mishandled, whether it be by the slaughter house, the packagers, the transporters, the butchers, or the store you purchased it from.)
I get it, sometimes you make a marinade and it contains expensive ingredients or is just absolutely delicious and you don’t want to throw it out. If you must reuse your marinade after it has made contact with raw meat, it is advised to boil it first to ensure it’s safety. You can find more information about how to safely reuse marinades here:
https://tinyurl.com/USDABeefSafetyGuidelines
You can find this information under the marinating tab closer to the end of the index.
This was absolutely delicious (and is better than my old recipe), though I forgot to reserve some of the marinade for serving. I considered cooking the marinade after the meat came out, so we could serve it, but figured it would ruin the cilantro. Oh, well. I’ll remember next time!
I used this for a carne asada salad and it came out RIDICULOUSL!! So amazing that my husband and MIL who hate cilantro, LOVED it! Made the marinade as written and grilled it up to put on top my salad.
I used red butter lettuce, sliced red onions, sliced cherry tomatoes, grilled corn, black beans. Topped it off with a cilantro, lime, avocado dressing and cojita cheese…
The picture of this is beautiful and very appetizing but the recipe calls for draining the marinade and drying the beef before cooking. Did you boil the marinade then pour it over the beef?
set aside 1/2 cup of the mixture in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Hi there-
Any suggestions on what I can use if I do not have a grill?
You can broil it on high in your oven. You can also use a cast iron pan stove top. Either way, just try to get the steak as dry as possible before cooking.
Love it!
Outstanding! Very flavorful!!
Very juicy with medium rare steak.
I’m salivating. That does look damn delicious! Can’t wait to try this version.
This was a big hit. Before marinating overnight, I pounded the flank steak out flat with a tenderizing hammer and the end result, cooked on the grill, was very tender and juicy, much more so than I expected flank steak to be I left the cilantro out of the marinade because not everyone likes it and I was unsure about the group I was serving it to, and served chopped cilantro on the side instead. I didn’t have low sodium soy sauce so I used regular instead and just didn’t add any additional salt, and the amount of saltiness was perfect.
In the past when making carne asada I’ve just usually winged it with soy sauce, lime juice, chili peppers, and whatever cut of beef happened to be on sale, but this recipe helped me step up my game considerably. Definitely a keeper.
I made this as a sliced steak last night in cast iron skillet on stove. I liked it. Found the meat a little tough still even though marinated 10 hours and cooked very high heat. Marinade /sauce was flavorful but oily. Parts were cooked to med well (edges), inside was barely med rare. So…not sure yet.
Diane…flank steak and flap steak are both very lean cuts of beef, and if you overcook, they get quite tough. So, if you notice on the picture, it is still pink in the middle. Flap steak should be the same. I would perhaps not cook on very high heat. my housemate, who is Salvadoran, and does most of the grilling here. His recommendation is to cook on medium-medium high, no higher.
I made this and it was fabulous the next day! The second day with the second day of sitting go with the second day of meat. You will not be disappointed!!!
It’s marinating in the fridge right now! I could drink this marinade it’s that good! Can’t wait until the steak is cooked!
Made it last night exactly as directed and it brought tears to my eyes…it’s THAT GOOD. I would eat an old shoe if it was marinated in this. Thanks for a great recipe.
Great recipe, but really LOVED the old recipe too. Any chance the old recipe is posted somewhere for use?
I used VERY THICK Chuck Eye Steaks, marinated and seared on grill for a couple minute, then cut into 1/4 inch cubes added more of the marinate and cooked on high heat in a frying pan. Used as Taco meat. Came out perfect and gave a grilled flavor to it. Chuck Eye Steak is a cheaper version of Rib Eye and has a good fat content which adds a lot more flavor than flank steak.
Thank you so much! This was perfection!
You are so talented! I love seeing your site in my email – I know that something delicious is waiting for me. You are my go-to for Damn Delcious meals/ideas/ mouth watering pictures and just pure gastronomic pleasure. Don’t go away – you have a faithful following.
SERIOUSLY the best. SO easy and we put the steak and sauce on street taco size tortillas with a little red onion and OH MY GOSH we were in heaven. This marinade was NOT too spicy whatsoever (though it might be with the jalepeno.) Damn Delicious is my favorite food blog!
This looks wonderful. T-bone steaks were in sale for $4.99/lb, much cheaper than their flank steak. I think I will try them with this instead of freezing them for later.
Love, love this recipe! Girl, you are the bomb!!! Thank you from the bottom of my heart!!❤❤❤
Made this last night for my husband and adult children .there was none left they all loved it. So a big hi 5 to you guys for a fantastic recipe.
A family winner – we love hearing that, Jo! 🙂
I am trying this recipe for the first time, and after marinating overnight, I noticed that the marinade, including the reserved portion, has hardened. Is that normal? Should I heat the reserved portion before serving?
Anna, if you let it sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes prior to cooking, it should return to normal.
No worries – Anything (marinades, salad dressings, etc. made with good quality olive oil are going to firm up/solidify in the fridge. Perfectly normal, it’ll liquefy again at room temp. You can set the container with your reserved marinade in warm water to speed up the process if you want As far as flank steak or any other thin cut of beef goes, I actually like to put it on a very hot grill while it’s still cold – that lets me get a better sear while not cooking through as quickly. You could also sous vide the meat to 120 or so and then sear at the very end.
That was damn good!
Even damn delicious as some might say! 🙂
I didn’t have cilantro, so I was bummed about that, but this recipe turned out amazing! Definitely will make again and I’ll make sure to use cilantro. Made steak bowls out of these. 🙂 Thanks!
What a great way to use this recipe, Lisa!
One of the best recipes I’ve ever found. We have this dish almost once a week. The marinade is the bomb. We call it Taco Tuesday!!! Yea!
Can we come over for your next Taco Tuesday?! 🙂
I’ve had this pin for a long time now. I noticed today that the recipe has changed. I’m trying it today, but I would love love love to have the OG – it was so delicious! Is theee a link to that one somewhere!?!
Not at this time. This new recipe is actually an improved version of the old one – I promise you – it’s so much better! Hope you get to give it a try! 🙂
Made this and my family loved it, even my kid who normally doesn’t like meat!! Followed the recipe as written. Definitely a keeper in our rotation! 🙂 Thank you for sharing such a great, easy recipe!
You are so welcome, Caitlyn!
Please do not approve this to post online, but Oh PLEASE, PLEASE fix the typo in Gail’s review. (May 6, 11:47 AM) “This looks delicious and I’m going to try it. Also, this is the first time I’ve seen child pdr. as a sub for cilantro. I don’t like it either, so that really helps. Thank you!” What? “Child pdr” !?! Even the thought of powdered children is alarming & horrifying! Thank you SO much!
The post made by Gail was a typo.
It should’ve read Chili Pdr not Child Pdr
Made this last night and it was delicious!!! Perfect for a summer night dinner. What would you suggest serving as sides if not putting on a tortilla? Like to make for a bbq/party.
Mexican rice, corn salad, avocado tomato salad, and/or guacamole would be great accompaniments, Chris!
Can skirt steak be used or flat iron steak
Sure!
Made this tonight for dinner as steak and shrimp tacos. So delicious and flavorful! Marinated the steak for about 25 to 30 mins and it took on a good amount of the flavors. Great for a super easy dinner idea any night of the week. Thank you for this wonderful recipe! Everyone loved the tacos!
I bet tacos are great with this! Thanks so much for sharing with us, Janay!
This was sensational. Thank you for yet ANOTHER dinner my husband was interested with. My cooking game has improved beyond my (and his) wildest dreams because of you!!!!
That is such a huge compliment, Amy! Thanks so much for sharing with us. We hope you’ll continue to enjoy our recipes!
So beautiful ! Hooked !
I cannot wait to make this! I love every recipe of yours I’ve ever tried. You’re seriously amazing
Welcome to Chicago! I hope you’re liking it here (especially now that it’s getting nicer out)!
This looks delicious and I’m going to try it. Also, this is the first time I’ve seen child pdr. as a sub for cilantro. I don’t like it either, so that really helps. Thank you!
You got it, Gail! Let us know how you like it! 🙂
I Am not a big fan of cilantro. Is there something else I could use?
Karen, you can omit and add 1 teaspoon chili powder. 🙂
Can this be cooked inside? Oven? Grill pan?
Yes, absolutely! You can cook this in the oven using the broiler setting on high, about 4-6 minutes per side, or until desired doneness.
So good, was wondering how it would be using a pork tenderloin
Karen. Like you, cilantro does not work for me either….tastes like soapy gasoline. To get around this I use flat-leaf Italian Parsley in place of it. I hope this helps…:-)
This sounds and looks SO good! What a great marinade 🙂
How would you cook in lieu of a bbq?
Nicole, you can cook this in the oven using the broiler setting on high, about 4-6 minutes per side, or until desired doneness.