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Authentic Carne Asada Marinade for Flavorful Grilling

Close-up of juicy, grilled, and sliced steak coated in a rich Carne asada marinade, resting on a white plate.
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This recipe provides a simple, traditional Mexican carne asada marinade to tenderize and flavor skirt or flank steak for grilling.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 pounds skirt steak or flank steak
  • 1 cup fresh lime juice (about 6–8 limes)
  • 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced (optional, for spicy carne asada marinade)

Instructions

  1. Prepare the steak by trimming any excess fat from your skirt steak or flank steak.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the lime juice, orange juice, cilantro, minced garlic, olive oil, cumin, oregano, salt, black pepper, and minced jalapeño if you are using it. This creates your citrus carne asada marinade.
  3. Place the steak in a large, resealable plastic bag or a non-reactive dish.
  4. Pour the marinade over the steak, ensuring the meat is fully coated.
  5. Seal the bag or cover the dish and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or up to 12 hours, to allow the meat to absorb the flavor. Do not marinate longer than 12 hours, as the acid can break down the meat too much.
  6. Remove the steak from the marinade, letting excess drip off, about 30 minutes before grilling. Discard the used marinade.
  7. Grill the carne asada over medium-high heat until cooked to your desired doneness, typically 3-5 minutes per side for medium-rare.
  8. Remove the steak from the grill and let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing thinly against the grain for serving.

Notes

  • For the best flavor, use fresh lime juice rather than bottled juice in this Mexican carne asada marinade.
  • If you are making tacos, slice the rested meat thinly against the grain before serving.
  • This marinade works well for both skirt steak carne asada marinade and flank steak carne asada marinade.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://chefsily.com/carne-asada-marinade-recipe-for-grilling/