A work in progress: finding a good recipe for Carne Asada like the taco shops...

M

michael-in-phoenix

Well-known member
...in the southwest make.

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t159/Storehouse78/salsa/carne-asada-burrito.jpg

Dawn/MO and I have been talking about this for years. The taco shops in San Diego and Phoenix make Carne Asada burritos and tacos using grilled marinated flank steak. They are very, very good. I have been trying to get a handle on the marinade, but until recently I've not been very successful.

I know that every family in Mexico that cooks carne asada has their own version, and this doesn't make things any easier! I've found some good recipes, for sure, but none that taste like the taco shop version I love so dearly.

Recently I came across a carne asada recipe over on the "other" board. The recipe was being panned in the reviews as not being authentic, etc. In the reviews someone submitted a simple marinade from his friend in Mexicali. I tried it with some sirloin (couldn't find skirt or flank steak) and it was pretty good!

I had a feeling the marinade was pretty simple, using only a few ingredients. Don't get me wrong: this ISN'T exactly the right recipe. It still needs work, in my opinion. But, my family inhaled it and asked me to please put it in "the rotation" on a regular basis.

Ennyhoo, here it is:

1 1/2 pounds flank steak

juice of two fresh limes

juice of one lemon

juice of two oranges

4 cloves fresh garlic, crushed and chopped

1/2 tsp. fresh ground black pepper

1 tsp. salt

Mix all the ingredients and place in a ziplock bag with the meat. Marinate in the fridge over night.

Grill steak over hot coals (or a hot gas grill) until nicely carmelized on the outside, reserving the marinade.

Transfer to a plate to rest, being sure to save the juices that collect on the plate.

Once the meat has rested for a bit, slice very thin, cutting on the bias, across the grain. Chop the meat into 1/4" to 1/2" pieces.

At this point the meat can be used for tacos or burritos, etc.

This next step is optional. It mimics the taco shop method of heating the meat and browning it before it goes into the tortilla.

Heat a skillet on high heat to very hot. Add the chopped steak and it's juices to the pan and finish cooking until the meat starts to brown. Add a few tablespoons of the marinade if it gets too dry.

As I said, I think I will still play with this recipe a bit, but my family thought it was wonderful.

Enjoy!

Michael

 
Michael, I think I am going to make that photo my wallpaper on my laptop!

It looks wonderful. The flavor is so consistent at most of the taco shops. That is what frustrates me so much. There has to be a recipe out there somewhere! I asked a guy once who had a taco shop how he made his carne asada. I was at a hectic craft show and couldn't write it down and couldn't remember it afterwards. Two of the ingredients I did remember were soy sauce and chicken boullion granules. Smart and Final carries/carried chopped beef that I am pretty sure was used by the taco shops. I bought it once and it was almost exactly the same size and shape as the taco shops carne.
I bought some thin sliced beef to try and make carne yesterday. I will give it another whirl. I just don't taste the citrus that most recipes call for.
I found the recipe for Garlic Chile Chicken, but lost it. LOL. I will find it again. It is Cantonese, that much I remember. Two flavors I crave from San Diego. Thanks for trying and posting, Michael.

 
Ang, I wrote that post! Maria must not have known it was from my post originally.

That's my "go-to" marinade for chicken and pork. Moyn got me started on the quest for a mojo recipe after I had a bottled version given to me. I tried the bottled stuff and loved it, so I went looking for a good recipe. That's the one I came up with.

It is a good one, and I named it after Moyn!

Michael

 
I use soy sauce in the marinade for greek souvlaki. Jeff Smith suggested it.

It seems it is a salty background flavor that kind of underpins everything.

Thanks desertcook.

Michael

 
I think it's one of those umami sorts of things. Like ketchup in really great borscht. Not

conventional but even the old babbas know it works.

 
I have the Promaster close-up lens set. It has +1. +2 and +4 diopters. They screw onto the lens

you are using on the camera. Have not worked with them enough to know much yet. A single macro lens is so expensive so hubby got me these to try first. Even then they run $60. I do food photo shoots of food I cook for Linda Stradley's website, and I do like that I can sprinkle the food with coarse sea salt at the finish and they show up so pretty with the macro lens.

 
hmmmm, will have to look into these. Thanks! I love to capture close ups; just generally

of people, have not ventured into food. There have been times recently, where I thought I was too close, and it ended up blurry. Did not have time to change the lens....

So much out there since I took photography classes in school.

Thanks for the info on ProMaster.

 
I've been using a Mojo off the shelf of the little Mexican market...

and it mentions the juice of sour oranges. As far as spices...I can see a lot of pepper and I can taste cumin underneath. I'd love to hear how this progresses! Carne asada is a stand-by for me because I want to cook for 2 every night. It makes an easy after-work supper with some rice!

 
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