Carne Asada Tacos (Recipe 88 of 125)

I am a lover of Mexican food. Guaranteed that I'll order either carne asada or chili colorado when at a Mexican restaurant. Carne asada is my litmos test to see how good the restaurant is. I've never found a great recipe to duplicate what you get in a restaurant. And this one, while good, wasn't what I was looking for either. 

I chopped up a white onion (did you know if you cut an onion in half and place the cut side into cold water you take out all the acid and "hotness" from the onion and are left with just the flavor?) and some cilantro to use as my topping.

I won't make this one again. I'll continue my search for a GREAT carne asada recipe. 

Carne Asada Tacos

Recipe from Gimmesomeoven.com

Serves 4

1 1/2 to 2 pounds flank steak

5 garlic cloves, minced

1 lime, juiced

1 orange, juiced

1 jalapeño, cored and finely minced (optional)

1/2 cup finely-chopped fresh cilantro

1/4 cup avocado oil (or olive oil)

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

coarse sea salt and black pepper, to taste

12 to 16 corn tortillas, homemade or store-bought

toppings: chopped white onion, chopped fresh cilantro, salsa (red, green or pico de gallo), crumbled queso fresco, sour cream, sliced radishes, sliced jalapeños

Make the marinade. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the garlic, lime juice, orange juice, jalapeño (if using), cilantro, oil, chili powder, cumin and oregano until combined.

Marinate the steak. Place the flank steak in a shallow baking dish, pour the marinade evenly over the steak, and toss the steak until it is evenly coated in the marinade.  (Alternately, you can combine the steak and marinade in a large Ziplock or Stasher bag and toss to coat.)  Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours to marinate.

Bring the steak back to room temperature. Remove the dish from the refrigerator, lift the steak out of the marinade and transfer it to a clean plate. Season each side with a few generous pinches of salt and pepper, then let the steak rest for 30 minutes or until it reaches room temperature.

Cook the steak. Heat an outdoor grill or indoor grill pan (or cast-iron skillet or griddle) to high heat.  Cook the steak for 5-7 minutes per side — resisting the urge to move the steak as it cooks so that it can sear properly — until it reaches your desired level of doneness.  

Assemble the tacos. Once the carne asada is cooked and has rested for at least 10 minutes, slice or dice the steak into bite-sized pieces. Fill each corn tortilla with your desired amount of steak and toppings.

Serve. Then serve up the tacos immediately and enjoy!