Carne asada cooked over an open fire is one of those meals that makes you feel like you've figured something out. The char, the citrus, the smoke. Everything working together to make a simple piece of beef taste extraordinary.
Here's how to do it right, from the marinade all the way to the slice.
The Marinade
Start 24 hours (or at least 4 hours) before you cook. The longer the flank steak sits in the marinade, the more the citrus and acids break down the muscle fibers and drive flavor into the meat.
For 2 pounds of flank steak: juice of 3 limes and 1 orange, 4 cloves of garlic minced, 1/4 cup of cilantro chopped, 1 tablespoon of chili powder, 1 teaspoon of cumin, a teaspoon of smoked paprika, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and salt to taste. Combine everything in a zip bag with the steak, press out the air, and refrigerate.
Building the Fire
For carne asada, you want high, direct heat. Build a solid hardwood fire and let it burn down to a thick coal bed. You should be able to hold your hand 6 inches above the grate for no more than 2 seconds. That's hot enough.
No grate? Lay the flank steak directly on clean coals for a blistered, traditional char. It sounds aggressive but the result is something you can't replicate any other way.
The Cook
Pull the steak from the marinade and shake off the excess. Don't pat it dry. You want some moisture hitting that fire for steam and sizzle. Lay it on the grate and don't move it for 3 to 4 minutes. You want real grill marks and a crust that's developed before you flip.
Flip once. Cook another 3 minutes for medium. Pull at 125 internal for medium-rare, which is the target for carne asada. The carryover cook will take it to about 130 to 135 as it rests.
The Slice
Rest the steak on a board for at least 8 minutes. This is non-negotiable. Slice against the grain, thin, at a 45-degree angle. The grain on flank steak runs lengthwise, so your knife should travel perpendicular to those long muscle fibers.
Serve immediately on warm tortillas or straight from the board. The MWTP Trailblade Steak Knife Set handles these thin slices with the kind of clean cutting action that keeps the juices in the meat instead of on your board.
Serve With
Grilled corn tortillas, fresh pico de gallo, sliced avocado, a charred lime half for squeezing, and cold beer. That's the whole picture.
MWTP Trailblade 5" Handforged Steak Knife Set
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Handforged and fire-ready, these steak knives cut through fire-cooked proteins with zero resistance. Serve the meal right with the right blades at the table.
Fire It Up and Let Us Know How It Goes
Carne asada over an open fire is one of those meals that earns its reputation every time you make it. Once you've nailed it once, it becomes a staple in your outdoor cooking rotation.
Tag us when you cook it. We want to see what you're working with.