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Mexican carne asada marinade with sliced skirt steak
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4.60 from 5 votes

Mexican Carne Asada Marinade with Skirt Steak

This Mexican carne asada marinade calls for just 4 ingredients (including skirt steak) and is packed with flavor, tenderizing the meat in 20 minutes. It makes the best Mexican skirt steak marinade not only for grilling but also for sautéing, slow cooking, pressure cooking, baking, meal prep, and more.
Course:Condiment
Cuisine:Mexican
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 6 minutes
Marinade time 20 minutes
Total Time 31 minutes
Servings 4
Calories429 kcal
Author Denise Browning
Cost $ 3.25 per person

Equipment

  • Sealable plastic bag
  • Cutting baord
  • knife
  • skillet

Ingredients

  • 1 lb skirt steak
  • ½ cup olive oil
  • 1 oz taco seasoning 1 bag (see homemade recipe in the notes)
  • ¼ cup lime juice
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Place skirt steak on a cutting board, remove the top fat and silver skin, top with a plastic sheet, and pound the meat with a mallet on both sides until it is about ¼-inch thick (0.5 cm). Slice the steak into 3 to 4 pieces to fit in into the skillet where it will cook.
  • Then, combine the taco seasoning, olive oil, and lime juice in a large Ziploc bag and place the steak inside. Shake to combine!
  • Next, squeeze the air out of the bag, seal, and let the skirt steak marinate at room temp for 20 minutes maximum. If you marinate longer, the meat flavors may get lost.
  • Remove the steak from the bag. Then dab to remove excess moisture from the marinade.  This is so the steak can properly sear and get a nice brown crust.
  • Cook the skirt steak either on a charcoal grill (preferred) or in a large cast-iron skillet or griddle. To cook it indoors, heat a cast-iron skillet over high heat for about 3-5 minutes or until super-hot and add the oil. It will shimmer! Place the steak(s) flat (do not overcrowd the pan), lower the heat to medium-high, and cook the steak for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until medium-rare (internal temp: 130 – 135°For 54-57°C).
  • Transfer the steak(s) to a plate and tent with foil. Let it rest for 3-5 minutes and squeeze the juice of a lime on top. Cut into thin slices against the grain.

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

To make homemade taco seasoning, mix together the following:
  • 1 tablespoon of chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon each of ground cumin, garlic powder, and
  • ½ teaspoon of onion powder
  • ¼ teaspoon each of salt, ground black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes.
In Mexico it is quite common to have the carne asada seasoned with salt, or salt and pepper.
Storage
Cooked skirt steak: store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Freeze for up to 2-3 months.
Raw skirt steak: Do not freeze raw skirt steak with the marinade. It will make the meat itself turn mushy because it will penetrate and break down the meat fibers greatly.
If freezing a steak marinade using another type of beef that is neither flank steak nor skirt teak, remove as much air as possible from the bag, seal it, and freeze the steak packs (steak with marinade for up to 3 months. 
Let the marinade/steak thaw in the fridge completely (about 24 hours or more).  Or to speed up the process, you can submerge the sealed steak pack in a bowl of cold water in the fridge until it’s fully thawed. When it is ready to cook, remove the steak from the marinade, discard the liquid, dab the steak, and let it rest on a plate for 20 minutes at room temp before cooking.

Nutrition

Calories: 429kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 71mg | Sodium: 648mg | Potassium: 349mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 682IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 9mg | Iron: 3mg

** Nutrition labels on easyanddelish.com are for educational purposes only. This info is provided as a courtesy and is only an estimate, since the nutrition content of recipes can vary based on ingredient brand or source, portion sizes, recipe changes/variations, and other factors. We suggest making your own calculations using your preferred calculator, based on which ingredients you use, or consulting with a registered dietitian to determine nutritional values more precisely.

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