Best 5 Sonoran Carne Asada Recipes
Sonoran carne asada, a flavorful and tender grilled beef dish, is a specialty of the Mexican state of Sonora and a beloved dish throughout Mexico and the Southwestern United States. It is a cornerstone of Sonoran cuisine and a staple at many gatherings, whether it be a family cookout, a fiesta, or a special occasion. The dish is characterized by its unique marinade, which typically includes a combination of citrus juices, spices, and herbs, and its cooking method, which involves grilling the beef over a hot fire to achieve a smoky, slightly charred flavor. Carne asada is often served with a variety of accompaniments, such as tortillas, beans, rice, guacamole, and salsa, and it can be enjoyed as a main course, a taco filling, or a burrito ingredient.
Here are our top 5 tried and tested recipes!
CARNE ASADA
From time to time I receive e-mails asking some common questions for an Authentic Carne Asada recipe, the first one being how to marinate the meat. I always give out the same answer: every cook or grill master has their own unique way of seasoning their meat. I hope you enjoy this delicious recipe.
Provided by Mely Martínez
Categories Beef
Time 30m
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- Place the flank steak in a large baking dish and, if using the sliced onion, spread the slices over the meat.
- In a medium-sized bowl mix together the orange juice, lime juice, light beer, Kikkoman soy sauce, vegetable oil, and freshly ground black pepper.
- Pour the marinade over the meat; cover with a plastic film and refrigerate for at least one hour.
- Light up your charcoal grill, or preheat your gas grill. (You can also use a cast iron grill pan, the ones you use over the stove top). And brush your grill with a little vegetable oil as this will prevent the meat from sticking.
- Remove meat from marinade and pat dry. Place meat on the grill and cook for 8 to 10 minutes per side. (Cooking time will depend on the meat thickness and your personal preferences, either medium or well done). Remove meat from grill and place it on your cutting board. Slice it and serve it with corn tortillas and other garnishes mentioned above.
- If you would like to have the same effect as that of the Mexican-American restaurant, place the cooked meat on a preheated cast iron pan, add a few drops of Soy Sauce and serve immediately. Enjoy!
Nutrition Facts : ServingSize 6 oz, Calories 247 kcal, Protein 32 g, Fat 12 g, SaturatedFat 6 g, Cholesterol 90 mg, Sodium 80 mg
SONORAN CARNE ASADA TACOS
If you're trying to replicate the carne asada experience in Sonora, there are rules to follow: Diezmillo (chuck roll) and palomilla or aguayón (top sirloin) are the traditional meats of choice. The first brings a deep beef flavor and a sturdy chew, while the second has a milder taste and a tender bite. Use one or the other, or a combination. Either way, they need to be sliced to 1/2-inch thickness, grilled over high heat, and seasoned with a generous amount of salt - and only salt - right as they are thrown on the grill. They should be flipped just once, when meat juices rise and start to bubble, allowed to rest covered, and then thinly sliced or diced into bite-size pieces. There is no carne asada just for the meat, though the meat turns out as tasty as can be, but it should end up in a taco that should have trouble closing (with its proper accompaniments of refried beans, guacamole and salsa) and should be eaten in good company.
Provided by Pati Jinich
Categories dinner, lunch, meat, tacos, main course
Time 30m
Yield 6 to 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Start a charcoal or gas grill, and get it very hot. For gas, set to high heat. For charcoal, grill is ready when coals are red but entirely covered with gray ash, and you can hold your hand about 5 to 6 inches above the coals for only about 4 to 5 seconds before it becomes too hot.
- Clean and season the grill: Using a pair of tongs, rub a quarter of a white onion over the grill. Next, rub the beef fat over the grill to season it further. (Alternately, you can do this using tallow or vegetable oil.)
- Working in batches if needed to avoid crowding, place the meat over the hot grill. Season the meat generously with salt on top right before throwing it on the grill, salt-side up. (Alternatively, sprinkle the salt on top of the meat once it's on the grill.)
- Grill for 4 to 5 minutes, until the bottom has seared, deep grill marks have developed, and the meat juices have started rising and bubbling over the top. Flip to the second side and grill for another 3 to 4 minutes for medium. Remove the meat and place in a lidded dish or container. Cover the cooked meat while you grill the remainder. Allow the meat to rest for at least 5 minutes.
- One by one, take out the pieces of meat and cut into about ½-inch dice, placing them back in the same lidded dish and covering until all the meat has been chopped.
- Before the meat is brought to the table, make sure the refried beans are hot. Set them on the table along with the salsa and guacamole, in separate bowls.
- Reduce the heat of the grill to medium if using gas, or, if using charcoal, set the flour tortillas on a cooler part of the grill. Heat the flour tortillas about 1 minute or so per side, until puffed, lightly browned and completely heated through. Keep warm in a clean kitchen towel or tortilla warmer and bring to the table.
- To assemble the tacos, a common practice is to grab a warm flour tortilla, spread some refried beans on the middle, add a generous amount of meat, then add salsa and guacamole on top to taste - but everyone can choose how they want to build or eat their tacos. (If the taco doesn't easily close, your assembly was successful!)
SONORA STYLE CARNE ASADA TACOS
Sonora Style Carne Asada Tacos recipe from Pati's Mexican Table Season 9, Episode 4 "Carne Asada with La Familia"
Provided by Pati Jinich
Categories Antojos Main Course
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Start a charcoal or gas grill. Gas should be set to high, charcoal is ready when the coals are red but entirely covered with gray ash and you can only hold your hand above them, about 5 or 6 inches away, for about 4 to 5 seconds before it becomes too hot.
- Clean and season the grill by rubbing a quarter of a white onion over the grill, using a pair of tongs. Next, rub the beef fat, tallow or vegetable oil over the grill to further season it.
- Working in batches if necessary, place the meat on the hot grill. Season the top of the meat generously with salt just before you put it on the grill, salted side up. Or salt it once it is on the grill.
- Grill for 4 to 5 minutes, until the bottom has seared, deep grill marks have developed, and the meat juices have started rising and bubbling over the top. Flip over and grill for another 3 to 4 minutes for medium-rare. Remove the meat and place in a lidded dish or container. Cover while you grill the remaining meat. Allow the meat to rest for 5 minutes before cutting.
- One by one, take out the pieces of meat and cut into 1/2-inch dice or slice thin. Place the cut up meat back into the dish and cover to keep warm as you work.
- Reduce the heat of the grill to medium if using gas. If using charcoal, set the tortillas on a cooler part of the grill. Heat the flour tortillas for about 1 minute per side, until puffed, lightly browned and completely heated through. Keep warm in a clean kitchen towel or tortilla warmer and bring to the table.
- Spread some refried beans on the middle of a warm flour tortilla, add a generous amount of meat, then top the meat with salsa and guacamole to taste. Your taco should be so full that it's difficult to close it!
SONORAN CARNE ASADA
This Sonoran carne asada is cheap and easy to make with beef chuck and excellent for a fast supper! Serve in warmed tortillas topped with onions, tomatoes, avocado, lettuce, red cabbage slaw, and/or cilantro. Garnish with a wedge of lime, to be squeezed over taco before eating.
Provided by Adrianne DuVall Siddon
Categories Carne Asada
Time 1h
Yield 12
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Place beef chuck in a shallow bowl. Season with pepper, salt, and red pepper flakes. Add enough beef stock to cover. Add lemon juice, lime juice, jalapenos, and cilantro. Turn until evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, preferably 2 to 3 hours.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat. Stir in 1/3 of the beef and saute until just firm to the touch for medium- to medium-rare, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Be careful not to overcook, as the meat will get tough. Transfer to serving dish. Repeat with remaining beef.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 215.5 calories, Carbohydrate 4 g, Cholesterol 51.6 mg, Fat 16.4 g, Fiber 1.5 g, Protein 14.1 g, SaturatedFat 5.7 g, Sodium 237.7 mg, Sugar 0.6 g
CARNE ASADA LORENZA
For centuries, Sonoran carne asada tacos have traditionally been assembled in flour tortillas. However, the corn tortilla, salted and crisped on the same grill that cooks and seasons the meat, has been added to the mix, creating a crunchy open taco called the Carne Asada Lorenza. Not only is it a sight to behold, but it has become such a favorite that it's starting to rival the flour tortilla taco. Once the corn tortilla is seasoned and grilled, it is slathered with refried beans, mounted with copious amounts of melty cheese, and placed back on the grill for the cheese to ooze all over. The taco base becomes a sumptuous bed for the carne asada. Finish it with fire-roasted salsa and guacamole, and you will see what the Lorenza hype is all about.
Provided by Pati Jinich
Categories dinner, meat, tacos, main course
Time 45m
Yield 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Start a charcoal or gas grill, and get it very hot. For gas, set to high heat. For charcoal, grill is ready when coals are red but entirely covered with gray ash, and you can hold your hand about 5 to 6 inches above the coals for only about 4 to 5 seconds before it becomes too hot.
- Clean and season the grill: Using a pair of tongs, rub a quarter of a white onion over it. Next, rub the beef fat over the grill to season it further. (Alternately, you can do this using tallow or vegetable oil.)
- Working in batches if needed to avoid crowding, place the meat over the hot grill. Season the meat generously with salt on top right before throwing it on the grill, salt-side up. (Alternatively, sprinkle the salt on top of the meat once it's on the grill.)
- Grill for 4 to 5 minutes, until the bottom has seared, deep grill marks have developed, and the meat juices have started rising and bubbling over the top. Flip to the second side and grill for another 3 to 4 minutes for medium. Remove the meat and place in a lidded dish or container. Cover the cooked meat while you grill the remainder. Allow the meat to rest for at least 5 minutes.
- One by one, take out the pieces of meat and cut into about 1/2-inch dice, placing them back in the same lidded dish and covering until the meat has been chopped.
- If using gas, reduce the heat of the grill to medium. Brush the corn tortillas with water and sprinkle or rub with salt to taste on both sides. Place on the grill - if using charcoal, place them over indirect heat - and let them toast for about 2 to 3 minutes per side, depending on how hot the grill is, until lightly browned and crisped on both sides.
- Remove the crisp tortillas from the grill, slather each one with a couple tablespoons of refried beans on one side and cover the beans with 1/4 cup shredded cheese.
- Place them back on the grill, cheese-side up, and cook until cheese has completely melted and corn tortillas have browned darker and crisped further, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the grill, place on a platter, top with a generous amount of diced meat and bring to the table. Let your guests top with salsa and guacamole to their liking.
Tips:
- Choose the right cut of meat: Flank steak or skirt steak are the traditional cuts used for carne asada, as they are flavorful and have a good amount of marbling.
- Marinate the meat: Marinating the meat for several hours or overnight helps tenderize it and infuse it with flavor. A typical marinade for carne asada includes citrus juices, garlic, cumin, oregano, and chili powder.
- Grill the meat over high heat: Carne asada is typically grilled over high heat to quickly sear the outside and leave the inside juicy and tender. Make sure to preheat your grill to the highest setting before cooking.
- Don't overcook the meat: Carne asada is best when it is cooked to medium-rare or medium. Overcooking will make the meat tough and dry.
- Serve with your favorite toppings: Carne asada is traditionally served with tortillas, salsa, guacamole, and sour cream. You can also add other toppings such as pico de gallo, cheese, or grilled vegetables.
Conclusion:
Carne asada is a delicious and versatile dish that can be enjoyed in many different ways. Whether you are grilling it for a backyard barbecue or serving it as a main course at a Mexican restaurant, carne asada is sure to please everyone. With its bold flavors and juicy texture, carne asada is a classic dish that will never go out of style.
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