Carne asada (KAR-neh ah-SAH-dah) means “grilled meat,” and in Mexico it names both the dish and the backyard gathering built around it: thin beef steak, marinated in citrus and garlic, seared hard over charcoal, chopped and piled into warm corn tortillas. It is the filling in most taco trucks’ steak tacos across the US. This version gives you the cut to buy at an American or British butcher, a marinade window with a hard ceiling of 8 hours, a pull temperature of 142°F (61°C) that lands on the USDA’s safe minimum after resting, and the quantities for a party of 15.
What carne asada is and whether it’s worth making at home
How do you make carne asada? Marinate 2⅔ lb (1.2 kg) of skirt or flank steak for 2 to 8 hours in the fridge with orange and lime juice, garlic, serrano chile, cilantro, cumin, oregano, oil and salt. Pat it dry, grill over high heat 3 to 4 minutes per side to 142°F (61°C), rest 5 minutes and slice thin against the grain for corn tortillas with onion, cilantro and lime. 160 minutes for 6 servings.
It’s worth it, and it’s one of the least work-intensive recipes on this site for what it puts on the table. Grill time is about 10 minutes per batch, so feeding 15 isn’t much harder than feeding 6.
Who it suits. Anyone with a grill or a heavy cast iron pan, and anyone cooking for a group, a game day or a birthday in the yard.
Who it doesn’t. People who only own nonstick pans, which can’t get hot enough to sear without steaming the meat. And anyone who wants their steak well done: past about 160°F (71°C), skirt turns tough and stringy.
Real time. 160 minutes total, 40 of them hands-on. Two hours are fridge time and half an hour is charcoal time.
Honest difficulty, easy. Two habits matter, drying the steak before it hits the grate and slicing across the grain. An instant-read thermometer removes the guesswork on doneness.
The best cut for carne asada, skirt or flank
Buy outside skirt if you can, and flank if you can’t. Outside skirt is the diaphragm muscle, called arrachera in Mexico: long, thin, loose-grained and marbled. Inside skirt, from the abdominal wall, is what most supermarkets sell as plain “skirt steak”; it is a little leaner and chewier. Flank is thicker and leaner, with the grain running along its length.
What changes with each. Outside skirt has 17.6 g of fat per 100 g (3.5 oz) raw in USDA data, against 7.2 g for flank, so it stays juicy even if you overshoot by a minute. The price is shrinkage: it keeps only about 65 % of its raw weight. Flank keeps 81 %, needs a couple of extra minutes per side and must be sliced thin.
Where to buy it.
- In the US, ask the butcher counter for outside skirt, often a special order. Mexican carnicerías sell it as arrachera, already trimmed into thin steaks and sometimes pre-marinated; for this recipe, buy it plain. Flank is in every supermarket.
- In the UK, flank is usually labeled bavette, and skirt is sold by independent butchers and online meat boxes. Onglet (hanger) is a good third choice.
- Not available at all? Flat iron or sirloin flap (bavette in some US shops) cut ¾ inch thick work, a little firmer.
The carne asada marinade, ingredient by ingredient
The marinade seasons the surface; it does not tenderize the inside of the steak, because acid penetrates only a few millimeters. Tenderness comes from the cut, the doneness and the slicing. Here is what each part does and what to swap.
| Ingredient | What it does | Swap | What changes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orange + lime juice, 180 ml (¾ cup) | Acidity, a little sugar for browning | 180 ml sour orange juice (Latin grocers) | Closer to the Yucatán style, sharper |
| Garlic, 4 cloves | Main savory note | 1 tsp garlic powder | Flatter, slightly sweeter |
| Serrano, 2 | Fresh green heat | 1 jalapeño | Milder, more bell-pepper flavor |
| Cilantro with stems, 30 g | Taco-shop flavor | Flat-leaf parsley | Fine steak, no longer tastes Mexican |
| Mexican oregano, 1 tsp | Citrusy, grassy note | ½ tsp Mediterranean oregano | More minty; use half |
| Oil, 2 tbsp | Carries fat-soluble aromas, prevents sticking | Olive oil | Nothing noticeable |
| Salt, 1½ tsp | Seasons deeper than finishing salt | Kosher salt, 2½ tsp Diamond Crystal | Same result by volume adjusted |
Mexican oregano is sold in the spice aisle of Latin grocers and on Amazon; in the UK, in Mexican food shops online.
Your game plan, from marinade to tacos in 160 minutes
160 minutes on the clock, about 40 hands-on. Marinate, light the fire while the steak finishes marinating, grill, rest, slice. The onion, cilantro, pico de gallo and salsa verde all get made during the 2 hours of fridge time.
Make-ahead, the two-stage marinade. The night before, combine the steak with garlic, chile, cilantro, spices, oil and salt. Two hours before grilling, add the ¾ cup (180 ml) of juice. You get 24 hours of flavor and only 2 of acid. The refried beans and salsa verde can also be made a day ahead; guacamole always goes last.
Signs each stage is on track.
- Marinade → the meat darkens to a deeper red and the surface stays firm. Gray and soft means too long in the acid.
- Fire ready → the coals are coated in white ash and you can’t hold your hand 4 inches (10 cm) above the grate for more than 2 seconds.
- First side → after 3 minutes the steak releases from the grate on its own. If it sticks, it isn’t seared yet.
- Doneness → 142°F (61°C) in the thickest part.
- Slicing → pink center, and the juice stays in the meat instead of pooling on the board.
How to slice skirt steak against the grain
Slicing across the grain is what makes a tender taco instead of a chewy one. The muscle fibers are long strands; cut along them and every bite has inch-long fibers to chew through. Cut across them at ¼ inch and every bite has quarter-inch fibers.
Skirt trips people up because its grain runs across the width of the steak, not along it. Cut the steak into 4-inch (10 cm) sections first, turn each one 90 degrees, and slice. Flank’s grain runs lengthwise, so slice it straight across on a slight diagonal.
Carne asada internal temperature and food safety
Pull the steak at 142°F (61°C). USDA FSIS sets 145°F (63°C) with a 3-minute rest as the safe minimum for beef steaks, and a thin steak climbs about 3°F during resting, so you land on that minimum with a pink center, which is medium.
Many taquerías serve it juicier, around 135°F (57°C), below the USDA line. If you’re feeding anyone pregnant, very young or elderly, go the full 145°F (63°C).
Never reuse raw marinade as a sauce. The USDA’s marinating guidance says leftover marinade can only be used if it’s brought to a boil for at least 1 minute. I prefer to set a little aside before it touches the meat.
Mistakes and fixes.
- Gray, unbrowned steak → it was wet or the fire wasn’t hot enough. Pat dry, wait for white ash.
- Mealy surface → more than 8 hours in citrus. Use the two-stage marinade.
- Tough and chewy → cooked past 160°F (71°C) or sliced with the grain.
- Juice all over the board → sliced without resting. 5 minutes under foil.
- Stuck to the grate → dirty or cold grate, or flipped too soon. Clean, oil and wait 3 minutes.
Heat level, 1 out of 5. Two seeded serranos spread through 2⅔ lb of steak give aroma, almost no burn. Heat comes from the salsa.
Kids and allergens. Kids usually love it chopped small in a taco; make the marinade without chile or set a piece aside first. The recipe has no gluten, dairy, egg, nuts, soy or fish. Variations with Worcestershire add fish (anchovy) and gluten, and beer adds gluten.
Which version to make
- Short on time → 30 minutes in the fridge with everything but the juices, then 2 tbsp fresh lime juice squeezed over the sliced steak. Less aromatic, same bright finish.
- No grill → an 11-inch (28 cm) or larger cast iron skillet over maximum heat with 1 tbsp oil, steak in batches, 2 to 3 minutes per side for skirt. Open a window.
- Broiler → highest setting, steak 3-4 inches (8-10 cm) from the element, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Less char, still good.
- Leaner → flank instead of outside skirt brings a serving from 610 to about 540 kcal and fat from 34 g to 20 g, while protein rises to about 50 g.
- With beer → ½ cup (120 ml) light Mexican lager in place of the orange juice. A very common variation; less sweet, faintly bitter.
- Vegetarian → 6 large portobello caps or 8 cleaned nopales with the same marinade for 30 minutes, 4 to 5 minutes per side.
A real regional variant. In northern Mexico a lot of carne asada is grilled with no marinade at all, just coarse salt over charcoal or mesquite wood, usually with a thicker cut.
How much carne asada per person, for 6 and for a crowd
Plan on 7 oz (200 g) raw per person for a taco meal with sides, which is the recipe above, and 9 oz (250 g) for a party where meat is the main event. Skirt loses about a third of its weight, so 9 oz raw becomes about 6 oz (165 g) cooked, four tacos of 1½ oz (40 g).
| Guests | Raw steak | Tortillas | Onions and cilantro | Limes | Scallions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 3.3 lb (1.5 kg) | 24 + 6 spare | 1 onion, 1 bunch | 3 | 12 |
| 15 | 8.3 lb (3.75 kg) | 60 + 15 | 2½ onions, 2 bunches | 8 | 30 |
For 15, triple the marinade and split it among three bags. Grill in 2⅔ lb (1.2 kg) batches, slice each batch as it comes off, and keep sliced meat covered next to the grill above 140°F (60°C), the USDA hot-holding temperature. Cheese quesadillas off the same grill keep people happy while the steak cooks.
What carne asada costs
At the BLS US city average for all uncooked beef steaks, $12.81 per pound in August 2026, the 2⅔ lb (1.2 kg) of steak for 6 comes to about $34, or roughly $5.65 per serving before tortillas and produce. Outside skirt usually runs above that all-cuts average. The party for 15 needs about $106 of steak.
Yield. 2⅔ lb (1.2 kg) of raw outside skirt gives about 1¾ lb (785 g) grilled, 65 % per USDA data, enough for 18 tacos. The same weight of flank gives about 2⅛ lb (970 g), so flank is cheaper per pound and per taco.
Serving, storing and reheating carne asada
Flavor and texture. Charred, slightly bitter edges, a pink juicy center, and a background of garlic, cumin and citrus. Skirt is loose and rich; flank is firmer and cleaner.
How it’s served. Chopped on two stacked warm corn tortillas with white onion, cilantro and lime, or sliced on a plate with beans and tortillas on the side. Guacamole, pico de gallo, salsa verde and grilled scallions with salt and lime fill the table. If you want a second filling, carnitas tacos share the same tortillas, salsas and onion.
Fridge. USDA FSIS says cooked meat leftovers keep 3 to 4 days at 40°F (4°C) or below, and shouldn’t sit out more than 2 hours. Store it in strips, not chopped, so it dries out less.
Freezer. Raw steak marinated without the juices freezes well; raw steaks keep 4 to 12 months for quality on the foodsafety.gov chart. Cooked, FSIS suggests 2 to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge.
Reheating. A very hot skillet, 1 to 2 minutes, chopped meat and a teaspoon of oil, to 165°F (74°C) in the center. The microwave turns it gray and tough; if you must, cover it and go in 30-second bursts. Leftover strips also make a fine topping for crisp Oaxacan tlayudas.
Carne asada FAQ
How long should I marinate carne asada? Somewhere between 2 and 8 hours in the fridge for an orange-and-lime marinade like this one; a short soak tastes faint, and an all-day soak goes mealy on the surface.
Can I marinate carne asada overnight? Yes, in two stages: garlic, chile, cilantro, spices, oil and salt overnight, juices 2 hours before grilling.
Is skirt or flank better for carne asada? Outside skirt is juicier and more forgiving; flank is leaner, yields more and needs thinner slicing. Both work.
What temperature should carne asada be cooked to? Pull at 142°F (61°C); after 5 minutes of rest it reaches the USDA’s 145°F (63°C).
How much carne asada do I need for 20 people? About 11 lb (5 kg) of raw steak at 9 oz (250 g) per person.
Can I cook carne asada in a pan? Yes, in cast iron over maximum heat, 2 to 3 minutes per side in batches.
Why is my carne asada tough? Usually it was sliced with the grain or cooked past 160°F (71°C). Slice ¼ inch thick across the fibers.
What’s the difference between carne asada and carnitas? Carne asada is marinated beef steak grilled fast; carnitas is pork shoulder cooked slowly in its own fat until it browns.
Carne asada nutrition per serving
Per serving (3 tacos with onion and cilantro, no salsa, guacamole or lime), calculated ingredient by ingredient from USDA SR Legacy with the recipe quantities. The steak uses grilled outside skirt at its 65 % yield, and the full marinade is counted, even though some stays in the bag:
- Calories: 610 kcal
- Protein: 40 g
- Carbohydrates: 39 g (tortillas)
- Fat: 34 g, of which 10 g saturated
- Fiber: 6 g
- Sugars: 4 g
- Sodium: 711 mg
Roughly 380 kcal and 27 g of fat per serving come from the steak, and the tortillas add about 160 kcal. Most of the sodium, roughly 580 mg per serving, comes from the marinade salt, so the real number is a little lower.
I grew up in Venezuela with beef grilled under coarse salt, and in Colombia I learned to buy entraña from the neighborhood butcher for grilling with arepas, the way it goes next to Colombian beef skewers. Mexican carne asada taught me to trust a thermometer: my first batches sat in lime overnight and came off the grill mealy on the outside. Now the juice goes in two hours before the fire, never earlier. Josnaisis.