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Published: May 2, 2019 Updated: Aug 4, 2020 by Hilda Sterner | This post may contain affiliate links 56 Comments

Mexican Carne Asada Marinade

Name: Mexican Carne Asada Marinade
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 3 pounds Skirt steak; ⅓ cup olive oil; ¼ cup soy sauce; 1 lime or lemon ((juiced)); 2 tbsp orange juice ((freshly squeezed)); 2 tbsp red wine vinegar; ½ cup onion ((diced)); ¼ cup cilantro ((chopped)); 4 cloves garlic ((crushed)); 1 Serrano pepper ((diced)); 2 tsp salt; 2 tsp chili powder; 1 tsp black pepper; 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes ((optional))

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Just in time for Cinco De Mayo, I'm releasing my secret Mexican Carne Asada Marinade Recipe! Don't take this the wrong way, but you haven't had good Carne Asada until you've had it in San Diego. I love to dice the grilled meat into cubes and use it to make California burritos.

grilled carne asada on a tray sitting on a patio table

Why This Recipe Works

The fact that we are neighbors with Mexico means we are spoiled with amazing Mexican food! This includes delicious options like burritos, Carne Asada fries, tacos, and a San Diego original, the California Burrito!

This Mexican Carne Asada Marinade is the first step in making all the delicious food mentioned above. And although soy sauce usually has no business in Mexican food, it really works in this recipe! Don't believe me? Try it for yourself and then let me know what you think!

Until now, this recipe was only given out to a few select "special people." However, as I've gotten older (and wiser), I'm learning that there's no point in holding on to things. This includes my "secret recipes."

What Goes into This Recipe

Recipe Ingredient Notes

Flank or Skirt Steak — The best cuts of meat to use for Carne Asada are flank and skirt steak. Both cuts of meat come in long strips. Flank steak is usually thicker and a lot leaner. Skirt, on the other hand, has a lot of marbling, which makes it perfect for this recipe. For this reason, I prefer using skirt steak.
Onion & Garlic — If you don't have fresh onion and garlic, add 1 teaspoon of powdered onion and powdered garlic instead.
Vinegar — I prefer using red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar in the marinade, but distilled vinegar may be substituted.

How to Make This Recipe

1. Whisk all the marinade ingredients into a bowl.

Carne Asada marinade ingredients in a bowl

marinade in a bowl with a fork in the middle

2. Add meat and marinade to a large Ziploc bag and seal. Allow the meat to marinate for 4 or more hours, or overnight.

3. Barbecue meat using high heat, until charred on the surface, and cooked to medium-rare or medium. Don't overcook the meat.

4. Remove the meat from the grill and allow to rest for a few minutes.

5. Cut the meat against the grain and serve.

Recipe FAQs and Expert Tips

What Cut of Meat is Used for Carne Asada?

The two cuts of meat that are most often used to make Carne Asada are flank steak and skirt steak. Of the two, I prefer skirt steak. The two cuts have a lot in common.

First, they are located next to each other on a cow's body. Additionally, both cuts are lean and fibrous.

As a result, both flank steak and skirt steak do well being marinated in this Mexican Carne Asada marinade.

Carne Asada is best when cooked using high heat, for a short period of time, or to medium-rare.

Finally, the cooked meat should be cut across the grain. Following these steps will ensure the Carne Asada is tender, delicious, and full of flavor!

What Goes with Carne Asada?

Carne Asada can be served in so many ways. Let's take a look at some of the possibilities. When served in restaurants, Carne Asada is often served with Mexican Rice and refried beans.

Additionally, if you're doing Keto, or are on a low carb diet, you can slice the Carne Asada meat and serve it over a salad, or wrap it in a low carb tortilla.

Another delicious option would be to serve it diced, over nachos. Or, my favorite option, use it to make a Carne Asada Quesadillas!

The best meat for making Carne Asada, in my opinion, is skirt steak.
Use approximately ¾ teaspoon of salt, for each pound of meat.
Marinate the steak for a minimum of 4 hours, or preferably, overnight.
Instead of discarding the leftover marinade, use it to marinate some boneless chicken to make Pollo Asada (Chicken Asada) the following day.

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This recipe was originally posted on 5/2/1019 and was updated on 1/8/2021 by adding a few additional images and recipe ingredient notes.

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