Carne Asada Tacos
With Homemade Flour Tortillas and Pico de Gallo
This is the holy grail of carne asada tacos. Smoky, citrus-marinated skirt steak, punchy pico de gallo, and warm homemade tortillas. It's a project that pays off in spades.
Prep: 45 minutesCook: 35 minutesServes 12
Carne Asada
| Item | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Skirt Steak— cut to 6-8 oz pieces | 907g (2 lb) |
| Kosher Salt— as needed | |
| Neutral Oil | 75g (1/3 cup) |
| Soy Sauce | 15g (1 tbsp) |
| Chipotle Chiles in Adobo | 2 count (30g) |
| Garlic Cloves— minced | 25g (4.5 clove) |
| Dried Oregano | 1 tbsp |
| Ground Coriander | 2 1/2 tsp |
| Smoked Paprika | 2 tbsp |
| Ground Cumin | 2 tsp |
| Mexican Bouillon Powder | 1 1/2 tsp |
| Black Pepper | 4 tsp |
| Fresh Chopped Cilantro | 25g (1/2 cup) |
| Fresh Lime Juice— from about 1.5-2 limes | 60g (1.75 count) |
| Fresh Orange Juice— from about 2 oranges | 150g (2 count) |
Steps
- Jaccard each steak 10–12 times (or poke with a fork 30–40 times). Cut into 4 equal pieces.
- Season both sides of the steak generously with salt; let rest for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, combine the neutral oil, soy sauce, chipotles, garlic, oregano, coriander, paprika, cumin, bouillon, pepper, cilantro, lime juice, and orange juice; blend for 30 seconds to a smooth paste.
- Add the steaks to a ziplock bag, pour in the marinade, coat well, expel the air, and seal. Chill overnight (or for a minimum of 2 hours).
- When ready to cook, heat a grill to high and oil the grates well.
- Grill the steak for 3–4 minutes per side until lacquered and the internal temperature reads 130–140°F (54–60°C).
- Let the steak rest for 5–10 minutes.
- Slice the steak across the grain, then into ½-inch cubes.
Pico de Gallo
| Item | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Ripe Tomatoes— flesh only, diced | 300g (2 cup) |
| White Onion— small-diced & rinsed | 150g (1 count) |
| Jalapeño— finely diced | 30g (2 tbsp) |
| Fresh Chopped Cilantro— finely chopped | 15g (1 cup) |
| Fresh Lime Juice— from 1 lime | 30g (1 count) |
| Kosher Salt | 1 1/4 tsp |
Steps
- Dice the tomatoes (discarding pith and gel) and place in a strainer to remove excess tomato water.
- Combine the drained tomato, onion, jalapeño, cilantro, lime juice, and salt in a bowl; stir to mix.
- Let sit for 20 minutes for the flavors to mingle.
Flour Tortillas
| Item | Quantity |
|---|---|
| All-Purpose Flour | 300g (2 1/2 cup) |
| Kosher Salt | 1 tsp |
| Unsalted Butter— cold, cubed | 50g |
| Cold Water | 170g (3/4 cup) |
Steps
- Pulse the flour, salt, and butter in a food processor until it resembles gravel.
- Stream in the water while pulsing until a shaggy dough forms.
- Knead the dough for 2 minutes until it forms a soft, cohesive ball.
- Divide the dough into 12 pieces (about 40g each) and roll into balls.
- Cover with a damp towel and let rest for 5 minutes.
- Roll each ball to a 7-inch (18 cm) round, dusting lightly with flour as needed.
- Cook in a griddle or nonstick pan over medium heat: cook the first side for about 90 seconds until bubbles form, then flip and cook another 30 seconds.
- Keep finished tortillas wrapped in a warmer.
Assembly
| Item | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Ripe Avocado— mashed and seasoned with lime and salt | 1 count (200g) |
Steps
- Re-warm the tortillas if needed.
- Spread mashed avocado on each tortilla, load with the grilled steak, and top with drained pico de gallo.
- Fold and serve immediately.
MexicanTacosBeefDinnerGrillingSummerWeekend Project