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Three Carne Asada Tacos on a plate topped with fresh salsa, onions, cilantro, and a lime wedge.
Reda

Carne Asada Tacos

Juicy, charred steak tacos with bright citrus marinade and fresh toppings that taste like your favorite taqueria.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 25 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner, lunch
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 385

Ingredients
  

For the Marinade
  • 1.5 lb flank or skirt steak
  • 0.33 cup orange juice freshly squeezed
  • 3 tbsp lime juice freshly squeezed
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 0.5 tsp dried oregano Mexican if available
For Serving
  • 12 corn tortillas warmed
  • 0.5 cup white onion finely diced
  • 0.5 cup fresh cilantro chopped
  • 2 limes cut into wedges
  • 0.5 cup salsa verde or roja store-bought or homemade

Equipment

  • Grill or Grill Pan
  • Gallon zip-top bag or shallow dish
  • Sharp knife
  • Cutting board

Method
 

Marinate the Steak
  1. In a small bowl, whisk together orange juice, lime juice, minced garlic, soy sauce, vegetable oil, cumin, and oregano. Place the steak in a gallon zip-top bag or shallow dish and pour the marinade over it, turning to coat. Seal and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably 4 hours or overnight.
Grill the Steak
  1. Remove the steak from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking. Heat your grill or grill pan to high heat, about 450-500F. Scrape off excess marinade and pat the steak dry with paper towels - this helps it char properly.
  2. Grill the steak for 3-4 minutes per side for flank steak (2-3 minutes for thinner skirt steak), until deeply browned with good char marks and an internal temperature of 130F for medium-rare. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 5-10 minutes - this is crucial for juicy meat.
  3. Find the direction of the muscle fibers and slice thinly across them, not with them. For flank steak, this means cutting crosswise into strips. Pile the sliced meat onto a warm plate.
Assemble and Serve
  1. Quickly char the corn tortillas directly over a gas burner or in a dry skillet for 20-30 seconds per side until soft and slightly blistered. Wrap in a clean kitchen towel to keep warm.
  2. Layer each tortilla with a generous handful of steak, a spoonful of diced onion, a sprinkle of cilantro, and your favorite salsa. Squeeze fresh lime over the top and serve immediately.

Notes

Skirt steak cooks faster and has more fat; flank is leaner and easier to slice. Both work beautifully here. The marinade also works great with chicken thighs if you want to switch proteins. Make the marinade the night before for maximum flavor penetration.