Pacifico & Mesquite Grilled Carne Asada

Good Morning Gentle Readers,

Carne Asada, which literally means grilled meat, can mean a social bar-b-que. It can also be a generic rendition of marinated steak. The real McCoy is of Tex-Mex origin and properly begins with the same cut of beef as fajitas, the skirt steak.    

The skirt steak is marinated for anywhere from hours to days. The marinades vary, but a typical marinade might include:

• 3-4 Garlic Cloves
• Peppers (Serrano or Jalapeno) to Taste
• A Handful of Cilantro, finely chopped
• Kosher Salt to taste
• Black Pepper to taste
• Juice of Two Limes
• Two Tbsp White Vinegar
• 1/2 Cup Olive Oil

Or you can shortcut the process and buy marinated Carne Asada from a local carniceria. Heck, in the southwest you can even find Carne Asada in the meat case of the local supermarket. Try Bill Baileys. 

There are a few tricks to grilling Carne Asada.

• A hot fire is a must. 400 degrees is ideal. Use mesquite. Mesquite chips are fine. A mesquite fire is better. Carne Asada is not Filet Mignon, it should be cooked quickly and well done. You want a little crunch around the edges.
• Carne Asada is a thin cut of beef, it must be unfolded and fully stretched out across the grill. Use tongs and a BBQ fork.
• If you like spicy, add thinly sliced serrano peppers directly to the carne asada after you've flipped to side two. Or, diced onions. Or both.

I go both ways, across and with, but technically you should slice Carne Asada as you would fajitas, across the grain with a very sharp knife.

Serve with flour tortillas, frijoles, avocado, grated cheese, sour cream, diced onion, cilantro, & diced tomatoes. Any combination of sides that suits your tastes is fine. 

As Always,

TWC