Boy, oh boy do I LOVE tacos! … and of all the tacos out there, a good Carne Asada is definitely top 3!

Note the operative word here is “good” carne asada. While just about any Mexican taco stand, truck, or restaurant will have carne asada, not all carne asanas are created equal. You taco lovers out there know what I mean. Sometimes they are dry; sometimes they are bland; sometimes they are chewy; uggghhhh….. frustrating.

 So fret not, this my friends, will eliminate the “mystery asada” at a random taco stand, and will surely please the crowd (guests tested and pets approved). 

Now, the recipe is for the marinade, so not much to write about other than maybe a few simple tips on how to treat the beef:

• First, the cut of beef is important. Don’t get something too lean or it will dry out. The most common cut of beef for carne asada is beef “flap meat”, which I learned isn’t that easy to find in some parts of the country (ahem, Rochester NY). While here in CA, this cut is readily available everywhere, in places like say upstate New York, you might get quizzical looks from the local butcher. In some places, this cut is often referred to Bavette or Sirloin Bavette (ahem, Rochester). If you still can’t find this cut, you can substitute for a similar juicy, beefy cut like skirt steak (yum!) or flank steak. Both will work just fine.
• How long to marinade will depend on the cut you end up with. Flap meat is usually pretty thin, so you don’t need to marinade more than a few hours. Flank steak, being a thicker cut could probably use more time or even over night.
• Cook it over HOT coals and over flames for that awesome charbroiled taste. You need high heat to sear and brown the beef to beautiful charred perfection. So while a gas grill will do, we all know you can’t beat hot coals. So dust off that old Weber charcoal grill and get going.
• Lastly, how you slice the finished meat matters….. a lot. Slice against the grain. These cuts of beef have muscle “grain” that run all parallel in one direction. Slice 90 degrees perpendicular to the grain, NOT in the same direction as the grain. And when cutting, think small pieces, like the size of a small sugar cube. This way you can load up your taco with a pile of goodness.

And that’s it! Use corn or flour tortillas – your choice. You can decide what topings you want to dump on top – I like the classic onion & cilantro mixture myself, and a good dousing of home made salsas. Or forget the taco format all together – throw them over nachos, carne asada fries, beef salads…. Oh man, if I can just fill this post with the salivating emoji, I would. Enjoy!