How to Make Carne Asada at Home

Spice up your Taco Tuesdays and learn How to Make Carne Asada at Home. Carne Asada is key to creating big-flavor, street-style Mexican food.

Cinco de Mayo is right around the corner so we are focusing on bringing you great food and drinks to celebrate this occasion. We are starting off with carne asada. Carne asada is a delicious and popular dish in Mexican cuisine that translates to “grilled meat.” While traditionally made with cuts like flank steak or skirt steak, flat iron steak is a great alternative for a tender and flavorful carne asada. In this post, we’ll guide you through the process of How to Make Carne Asada at Home using flat iron steak, including choosing the right cut of meat, marinating, grilling, and serving. Whether you’re making tacos, nachos or a main dish, this carne asada recipe is sure to be a crowd-pleaser.

Choosing the Flat Iron Steak

Flat Iron steak is widely available and as tender as filet mignon even when cooked well done. When it comes to making carne asada using flat iron steak, it’s important to choose a good quality cut of meat. Look for steaks that are marbled with fat and have a deep red color. Avoid steaks with too much fat or connective tissue, as they can become tough when grilled. Your local butcher can also help you choose the best cut for your needs.

Marinating the Meat

Marinating is a crucial step in making flavorful carne asada. In a large bowl, whisk together the ingredients for the marinade, that includes lime juice, garlic, cumin, chili powder, and other spices. Place the flat iron steak in a pyrex or porcelain baking dish. Using a fork, poke a few holes all over the steak. Pour the marinade over the steak, making sure it’s fully coated, and let it marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or ideally overnight. The acid in the marinade will help tenderize the meat and infuse it with flavor. Make sure to flip the meat over at least once while marinating.

Preparing the Grill

Before grilling, make sure your grill grates are clean and well-oiled to prevent the meat from sticking. To create a two-zone fire, preheat one side of the grill to high heat and the other side to low heat. This will allow you to sear the steak on high heat and then move it to the cooler side to finish cooking.

Cooking the Flat Iron Steak

Remove the steak from the marinade and pat it dry with paper towels. Place it on the high heat side of the grill and sear for 3-4 minutes per side, or until it has a nice crust. Then, move the steak to the cooler side of the grill and continue cooking for another 5-6 minutes, or until it reaches your desired level of doneness. Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature, see chart below. We like medium-rare, which should be 130-135°F.

Beef Cooking Temperatures

Temperature	Doneness
120-125 degrees F	Rare
130-135 degrees F	Medium-Rare
140-145 degrees F	Medium
150-155 degrees F	Medium Well
160+ degrees F	Well

Resting and Slicing the Meat

After cooking, let the flat iron steak rest for about 5-10 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute. Cut the steak against the grain into thin strips to ensure it is tender and easy to chew. Serve and enjoy! You can also serve the carne asada with warm tortillas, fresh salsa, guacamole, and other toppings of your choice.

Carne Asada-Ingredients

• 2 lbs flat iron steak
• 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1/4 cup soy sauce (low sodium)
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 4 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro (finely chopped)

How to Make Carne Asada at Home-Instructions

• In a mixing bowl whisk together lime juice, orange juice, soy sauce, oil, sugar, cumin, chili powder, garlic and cilantro.
• Place steak in a pyrex or porcelain baking dish. Using a fork, poke a few holes all over the steak. 
• Pour the marinade over the steak making sure to coat the entire steak. You can also place the steak and marinade in a zip lock bag. 
• Cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours and up to overnight. Turn the steak at least once while it is marinating.
• Lightly oil the grill grates. Preheat your grill for 2 zones (high heat area and low heat area).
• Remove the steak from the marinade and lightly pat dry.
• Grill over high heat for 3-4 minutes per side to get a nice crust.
• Move the steak to low heat and continue cooking for another 5-6 minutes until it reaches an internal temperature of 130-135 degrees F. for meduim rare.
• Remove from the grill and let rest for five minutes.
• Cut the steak against the grain into thin slices. 
• Serve and enjoy!

For other great Mexican dishes try:

Air Fryer Beef Chimichangas

Barbacoa Style Short Rib Tacos

Crockpot Chicken Tacos

Simple Grilled Shrimp Tacos

Tequila Lime Beef Fajitas

The Best Easy Chili