Leo’s Best Authentic Carne Asada Marinade for Grilling
This is the best carne asada marinade recipe you will find, packed with lime, cilantro, and spices to make your skirt or flank steak incredibly tender and flavorful for your next taco night.
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 10 min
- Total Time: 4 hours 25 min
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: Mexican
- Diet: Low Fat
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 pounds skirt steak or flank steak
- 1 cup fresh lime juice (about 6-8 limes)
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 large jalapeño, seeded and minced (optional, for spicy carne asada marinade)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup orange juice (for citrus carne asada marinade balance)
Instructions
- Prepare the steak: Trim any excess fat from your skirt steak or flank steak. Place the meat in a large, sealable plastic bag or a shallow glass dish.
- Mix the marinade: In a medium bowl, whisk together the lime juice, olive oil, cilantro, minced garlic, jalapeño (if using), cumin, oregano, salt, pepper, and orange juice. This creates your authentic carne asada marinade.
- Marinate the meat: Pour the marinade over the steak, ensuring all surfaces are coated. Seal the bag or cover the dish.
- Refrigerate: Place the steak in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 4 hours, but for the best results, marinate for 8 to 12 hours. Do not marinate for more than 24 hours.
- Prepare for grilling: Remove the steak from the marinade about 30 minutes before cooking. Discard the used marinade. Pat the steak lightly with paper towels to remove excess moisture, which helps achieve a good sear.
- Grill: Preheat your grill to high heat. Grill the steak for 3 to 5 minutes per side for medium-rare, depending on thickness. This is the best carne asada marinade for grilling success.
- Rest and slice: Remove the steak from the grill and let it rest on a cutting board for 10 minutes before slicing thinly against the grain.
Notes
- For an even deeper flavor, add 1 tablespoon of soy sauce to the marinade mixture.
- If you are using flank steak, you may need to increase the grilling time slightly compared to thinner skirt steak.
- This marinade works perfectly for Mexican carne asada marinade tacos or burritos.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4 oz cooked meat
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 1
- Sodium: 450
- Fat: 22
- Saturated Fat: 4
- Unsaturated Fat: 18
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 3
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 32
- Cholesterol: 90