When it comes to the best carne asada, nothing beats this tried and true recipe that’s reminiscent of my travels to Mexico. It’s incredibly tender, big on authentic flavor, and perfectly charred on the outside.
From roadside stalls to 5-star luxury restaurants, I’ve devoured my fair share of carne asada throughout Mexico. And no matter the source, it’s always juicy, tender and packed with bold spicy flavor.
But the truth is, there’s no “one” authentic carne asada recipe. Depending on the region, you’ll often find subtle tweaks and variations to the spices and ingredients.
So I’ve put together what I call my ultimate carne asada marinade to grill up the best carne asada (which of course turns into carne asada tacos). The ingredients itself are simple, as they should be, but are distinctive, bright, and super fresh. Just as traditional Mexican food should be!
WHAT IS CARNE ASADA?
Carne asada literally translates to “grilled meat.” Pretty basic, eh? And that grilled meat can be anything from sirloin steak to tenderloin to skirt steak or flank steak. Though I’d say flank steak is most commonly used. You don’t need an expensive or fancy cut of meat, especially as you’ll thinly slice it, then chop it up into small, bite-sized pieces for tacos, burritos, nachos or fries.
But what makes carne asada so deliciously flavorful is two things – the marinade and the fire-grilled char on the outside.
IT’S ALL ABOUT THE CARNE ASADA MARINADE
Instead of teasing you with an authentic marinade (which, as you’ve learned doesn’t exist), just know that this version is one that will make your taste buds happy. Here’s what’s in it:
Olive Oil and Lime Juice: Makes the steak extra juicy, with that trademark punch of lime acidity!
Garlic and Cilantro: Essential aromatics for fresh, bold flavors.
Spices: Nothing beats this bold combo of cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper.
I’ve always found simple is best, but feel free to tweak! If you want it sweeter, add an orange. If you want it more spicy, add paprika and oregano. Heck, I’ve even seen carne asada marinated in beer and soy sauce (though spoiler, those aren’t gluten-free).
HOW TO MAKE CARNE ASADA
Now that you’ve got your marinade ingredients lined up, let’s get grilling! Here’s how to make this delicious carne asada.
Marinate: Whisk all of your marinade ingredients together and marinate your steak for 1-4 hours in the fridge.
Grill: Once your steak has marinated, heat a grill on medium-high heat. Add the steak and cook for approximately 5-7 minutes each side, for a flank steak. That’ll get you a good char on the outside but maintain a medium-rare inside. Depending on the thickness of your meat and personal preference, feel free to adjust this cook time.
Rest: After your steak has cooked, let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
Slice: Thinly slice the meat against the grain for the most tender pieces. From there, you can chop it into smaller, bite-sized pieces for use in other recipes.
WAYS TO SERVE CARNE ASADA
You can of course it eat carne asada on it’s own, but it’s also delicious turned into:
Carne asada fries with a dollop of sour cream, guacamole, and shredded cheese.
Carne asada tacos with a sprinkle of cilantro, onion, and fresh lime juice.
A steak burrito bowl with cilantro lime rice, black beans, guacamole, fajita veggies and pico de gallo. You could also drizzle a little lime crema or chipotle sauce on top!
HOW TO STORE IT
Let the meat cool to room temperature, then place it in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. It will also stay good in the freezer for up to 3 months, if you’d like to meal prep it. Yes, that means you can have a quick-and-easy Mexican feast any night of the week!
INGREDIENTS
1 ½ lbs flank steak
⅓ cup olive oil
3 limes, juiced
½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp cumin powder
½ tsp chili powder
salt and pepper, to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Whisk all of the marinade ingredients together in a small bowl.
2. Add the steak to a glass or non-reactive baking tray and pour the marinade on top. Ensure both side of the steak are well coated, cover the baking tray with plastic wrap and marinate for 1-4 hours. Alternatively, you could marinate in a plastic bag.
3. Heat a grill on medium-high heat. Add the carne asada and cook for 5-7 minutes on each side. Remove the steak to a cutting board and let it rest for another 5 minutes.
4. Using a sharp knife, slice the carne asada at an angle against the grain. From there, you can further chop the carne asada into smaller pieces, if you’d like.
TIPS
I think carne asada is best when cooked on an outdoor grill. But if you’re without one (as I currently am) this reversible grill/griddle is great for your stovetop.
Remember to double-check the angle of the grain before cooking. Then, it’s easy to determine how to slice against the grain once it’s done.
A slow roasted Prime Rib recipe with step by step instructions and tips for how to slow roast a boneless or bone-in prime rib roast. This herb and garlic crusted prime rib is unbelievably easy to make and is sure to “WOW” your dinner guests!
Cooking prime rib can seem intimidating, especially since it is so expensive and you don’t want to ruin it, but it is actually really simple! This easy prime rib recipe has simple ingredients and easy to follow instructions that will allow even the most novice cook to have success! Let’s start with the basics:
About the Price:
This section of beef is so tender and delicious that is comes at a cost. Most local grocery stores carry choice grade prime rib for between $10.99 to $11.99 per pound. I’ve found Costco to have the lowest prices for the best quality. They even sometimes carry prime grade meat.
Prime Rib is expensive, but just like most things, it’s much cheaper to serve at a dinner party at your house then to buy for everyone at a restaurant!
How much do you need?
Prime rib roast is also referred to as standing rib roast and it is the cut of meat that is taken from the back of the upper ribs of the cow. This prime rib section typically makes up about 7 ribs. You don’t have to buy the whole section, just specify to your butcher how many pounds you would like.
The rule of thumb for buying prime rib is to buy one pound per person. A bone-in standing rib roast will feed about 2 people per bone. Also, be sure to consider how many side dishes you plan to serve. If you are preparing a large holiday meal with plenty of other food you could plan on ½ – ¾ pound prime rib per person.
Bone-in or boneless Prime Rib:
You can choose to buy your prime rib bone-in or boneless. Many chef’s would say that bone-in ribs are more flavorful and cook better. I typically buy bone-in but I’ve cooked a boneless prime rib from Costco and honestly couldn’t really tell a difference
If you buy a bone-in prime rib you should ask the butcher to cut the bone off and tie it to the roast for you. My local butcher does this without asking, but ask them just in case. This way you can cook the bones with the meat: they make a nice rack for the meat to sit on, but then you can easily remove them before carving the roast.
If you decide to buy a boneless prime rib you will want to set it on a rack to roast. I’ve had success using the wire rack from my instant pot set on top of my cast iron skillet.
Cook time and Temperature:
The length of time you decide to cook your prime rib depends on how rare you want your meat.
Start by cooking your prime rib at 500°F for 15 minutes and then lower the oven temperature to 325° F and cook for 10-12 min per pound for rare prime rib, or 13-14 min per pound for medium rare prime rib, or 14-15 min per pound for medium well prime rib.
Bone-in or boneless Prime Rib:
You can choose to buy your prime rib bone-in or boneless. Many chef’s would say that bone-in ribs are more flavorful and cook better. I typically buy bone-in but I’ve cooked a boneless prime rib from Costco and honestly couldn’t really tell a difference
If you buy a bone-in prime rib you should ask the butcher to cut the bone off and tie it to the roast for you. My local butcher does this without asking, but ask them just in case. This way you can cook the bones with the meat: they make a nice rack for the meat to sit on, but then you can easily remove them before carving the roast.
If you decide to buy a boneless prime rib you will want to set it on a rack to roast. I’ve had success using the wire rack from my instant pot set on top of my cast iron skillet.
Cook time and Temperature:
The length of time you decide to cook your prime rib depends on how rare you want your meat.
Start by cooking your prime rib at 500°F for 15 minutes and then lower the oven temperature to 325° F and cook for 10-12 min per pound for rare prime rib, or 13-14 min per pound for medium rare prime rib, or 14-15 min per pound for medium well prime rib.
A meat thermometer is essential to ensure you cook it perfectly!
Roast your prime rib until the thermometer registers:
115-120˚F for rare
125-130˚F for medium rare
135-140° F for medium
145-150 F° for medium well
Please keep in mind that the meat temperature will continue to rise 5-10 degrees when it’s resting out of the oven, so don’t over cook it!
How to make Prime Rib:
1. Let it rest. Remove your prime rib from the refrigerator about 1 hour before cooking to give it time to come to room temperature. Season it with a little bit of salt and cover it lightly with plastic wrap while is rests.
2. Prepare herb rub. Combine the salt, pepper, fresh thyme, rosemary, garlic and olive oil and rub it all over the outside of the roast. Place a bone-in roast with the bones down, in a cast iron, roasting, or other oven safe pan. Place a boneless rib roast on top of a rack, and then in your pan.
3. Cook the boneless or bone-in prime rib at 500 degrees for 15 minutes and then reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees and continue cooking until the meat is 5-10 degrees away from the desired doneness temperature (see cooking temperature guidelines above or below in the recipe card).
4. Allow time to rest. Remove the prime rib from the oven and and tent the entire roast with foil. Allow it to rest for 30 minutes–It will continue to cook the extra 5-10 degrees. Resting the meat is essential as it allows the juices to seal back into the meat. If you cut the meat too soon, the juices will run out and you will be left with a chewy prime rib roast.
5. Carve and Serve. Spoon some of the extra sauce from the pan over the roast, if desired, or use it to make gravy. Cut the kitchen string holding the roast to the bones (if using a bone-in roast) and remove the bones before carving.
Tips for perfect prime rib:
Use a meat thermometer! You can use a probe that stays inside the meat the entire time it cooks or you can use a simple instant read meat thermometer. Either way, remember that each slice of meat is different and each oven is different. Don’t take the chance of ruining such an expensive piece of meat.
Don’t over-cook! The meat will continue to cook once it’s taken out of the oven (your thermometer will continue to rise 5-10 degrees) so err on the side of taking your prime rib out early. If you take it out and it seems under-cooked, you can always cook it a little longer.
Let it REST! As with most meat, you want to let it rest after cooking to allow the juices to settle in the meat, making it juicier and more tender. If you cut into your prime rib without letting it rest, the juices will rush out and the meat will be chewy.
Cut meat across the grain. That means, notice the directional lines in the meat grain and slice perpendicular to them. If you cut along the grain then the meat will be tougher and chewier to eat.
Prime Rib Recipe
A slow roasted Prime Rib recipe, seasoned with garlic and herbs, with step by step instructions and tips for making perfect boneless or bone-in prime rib.
Ingredients
5 pounds beef prime rib (or larger* if larger, double the spices/seasonings)
Sea salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
8 cloves garlic , minced
1/4 cup olive oil
horseradish , for serving (optional)
Instructions
Remove your prime rib from the refrigerator one hour before cooking. Season it on all sides with salt and cover it loosely with plastic wrap as it comes to room temperature. Prime rib roast will cook better and more evenly when it’s at room temperature.
When you are ready to cook the prime rib, lower/adjust your oven rack so the meat will cook in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
In the meantime, mix together 1 ½ teaspoons salt, pepper, rosemary, thyme, garlic, and olive oil.
Pat the roast with paper towels. Spoon seasoning over it, rubbing it onto all sides. Place bone-in roast with the bones down, inside a roasting pan cast iron pan. Place a boneless roast on a rack inside the pan.
Bake prime rib at 500 degrees for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees and continue baking until desired doneness:
Rare: cook until thermometer reaches 120 degrees F (about 10-12 min/pound)
Medium rare: Cook until thermometer reaches 130 degrees F (about 13-14 min/pound)
Medium: Cook until thermometer reaches 140 degrees F (about 14-15 min/pound)
Medium well – Cook until thermometer reaches 150 degrees F
A couple of things to keep in mind:
– A meat thermometer is essential to ensure it cooks to your perfect doneness. Not all roasts or ovens are the same!
– Also, the meat will continue to cook once it’s taken out of the oven (your thermometer will continue to rise 5-10 degrees) so remove it from the oven 5-10 degrees before it reaches your optimal temperature.
– Remove it from the oven and tent it with foil. Allow it to rest for 30 minutes before
carving.
Carve your roast by slicing against the grain at about ½ inch thickness. Serve with horseradish, if desired.
I’m sure you’ve heard of fusion cuisine, it’s been around since the 1970s. Fusion has become a big in today’s contemporary restaurants and chefs have gotten very creative.
So what is Fusion Cuisine anyway? As its name suggests it’s cuisine that combines or fuses elements of culinary traditions and foods from different countries, regions, or cultures.
A popular type is Pacific Rim Cuisine that combines foods and cooking styles from countries and islands around the Pacific Ocean, like Kilawin Poke where Hawaiian Poke (diced raw fish) meets Filipino Kilawin, a Filipino style Ceviche.
Another fusion style is Chinese Pizza, sounds weird I know but it works. It puts favorite Chinese dishes like beef broccoli on top of a pizza crust and sprinkled with cheese.
So here’s a fusion dish that combines Korean flavors with a Mexican favorite, Korean Beef Tacos. It’s similar to my Korean Fried Chicken Baos which puts Korean fried chicken inside a Chinese steamed bao.
This dish is amazing! It’s a little sweet, a bit garlicky, and has just the right bite of sriracha. The sweet beef is topped with caramelized kimchi, sriracha lime mayo, and cilantro. All this goodness in a mini flour tortilla. The flavor combination is perfect. Your family and friends will love it!
By the way you can sub the beef with ground Turkey or impossible beef for a lighter or vegan taco.
It’s Cinco De Mayo again and to me that’s the best excuse for a celebration featuring Mexican food and drinks! Not that I need a reason to enjoy Mexican food, I’m just crazy about it! No one ever has to twist my arm into making a pitcher of Margaritas or a tray of tacos and burritos.
But Cinco De Mayo is still a great excuse to throw a party! You don’t have to be Mexican in my opinion to celebrate. But if you really must know the reason Cinco De Mayo is celebrated it’s a holiday that celebrates the date of the Mexican army’s 1862 victory over France at the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War. Just in case you were thinking it’s the Mexican Independence day, it’s clearly not. I believe the largest Cinco De Mayo celebration is in Puebla.
History aside Cinco De Mayo has become somewhat a part of American culture simple because it involves great food and drinks I think. What ever the reason it’s a great time to throw a party or at the very least have a “Mexican” night with the family.
It doesn’t have to be an invite the whole neighborhood block party, you can keep it simple and have a pot luck with friends and family or simpler still enjoy some Mexican dishes with just the family. Here’s a few fun ideas you can use to make your celebration fun for all!
Set up a Margarita Bar
Guests can help themselves to margaritas, you can serve the classic margarita or add a flavored one or two like mango and strawberry.
If you’ve got kids or for any one wanting something non-alcoholic (like the designated driver) put bottles of Jarrito in a tub of ice, don’t forget the bottle opener!
Or set up a Horchata bar with several flavors of this refreshing Mexican drink.
Put up a Pinata
Pinatas are always fun. They’re colorful and full of candy, what’s not to like? You can use your pinata as just decoration or you can actually have the kids break it.
If you consider breaking the pinata with a stick too violent, I’m a bit iffy on it too, you can cut a flap on the bottom of your pinata and attach ribbons or string to it. The kids just have to tug on it to let the candy and other treats out. This is a safer option specially when there are toddlers involved!
Set a colorful table!
Use colorful dinnerware at the table and as serving plates.
They don’t have to be ceramic, you can mix and match colorful paper or plastic plates.
Decorate with bright colors and props
Dust off the maracas and sombreros and haul out the serapes. Use colorful balloons, fabrics, banners, paper lanterns and flowers to spruce up the party area.
Don’t forget colorful baskets they can hold everything from flatware to favors!
Serve lots and lots of Mexican Food!
Tacos, burritos, nachos, chimichangas, enchaladas, you name it! Serve up lots of your favorites. If you’re just wanting to keep it simple then focus on an entree like fajitas, and serve up sides of rice and beans. But don’t forget the salsa and guacamole!
If you don’t a lot of time to cook then whip up a pot of my Beef Barbacoa, you can use it in tacos, burritos, nachos, salads, or whatever you want. Best of all it’s made in an Instant Pot and can be made in less than 2 hours. Your friends and family will think you slaved over a hot stove all day!
Change pot setting to Manual and adjust time to 60 minutes
Once it’s done let it sit in the pot for 15 minutes then carefully turn the valve to “venting” to depressurize the pot
Remove cover and shred beef – it shouldn’t take much to shred it by now the meat should be falling apart.
Leave in juices until ready to use
Use to fill tacos and burritos or to top nachos. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro and lime wedges.
You can store leftovers in its juices in a sealed container in the fridge for about 5 days or freeze up to 3 months.
Beef Barabacoa Nachos, Beef Barbacoa Street Tacos, or Barbacoa Quesadillas are just a few dishes you can make using the Instant Pot Beef Barbacoa recipe!
Trying to decide what to make for dinner tonight? I think it’s an age old problem, one even my Grandmother faced. I remember her telling me that she loved to cook but deciding what to cook for dinner every night was her biggest problem! I face this issue daily myself, but not only do I have to decide what to cook I like to try and make dinner a fun family time too. That’s why I came up with the dinner theme ideas. I center dinner around a theme like Italian Night, Mid Easter Night, and so one. This means I make food matching my theme and set the table to make it look we’re eating in whatever country the food is from. One of my favorites is Greek night because we can have Beef Souvlaki! Opa!
It doesn’t take much to plan a Greek night dinner all you need is some great Greek food like chicken or beef gyros, tzatziki sauce for dipping or topping, Greek Salad, souvlakis, and maybe some baklava for dessert. You can wash it all down with some Greek wine or Ouzo for a fruity smoothie for the kids.
As far as table settings start with a blue and white table cloth or runner, if you have one with a Greek key design or border that works great, then use blue and white plates if you have them. An alternative would be a burlap cloth stenciled with green olives or anything that reminds you of the sea or olive orchards. Scatter some sea shells or fresh lemons in the center and a potted rosemary pot to complete you tablescape. Just remember to keep it simple and fresh looking!
Or consider dining outdoors just like you would if you were on Santorini or Mykonos! Just keep the blue and white theme going and you’ll do great. Now for the most important part, food and drink!
You can start off with some ouzo if you dare or a nice minty lemonade is refreshing. Then set out plates of greek olives, cheeses, and fresh crusty bread. You can also set out bowls of tzatziki for dipping. Click here for my tzatziki recipe!
Cheeseburgers are probably my most favorite foods on earth. I love a tasty and juicy cheeseburger and am always in search for the perfect one.
Okay I’ve found a lot of truly magnificent cheeseburgers around the country, but in my humble opinion the best cheeseburgers are those that we make at home.
My son make the BEST ever cheeseburgers you will ever taste. Seriously it’s to die for! But his burgers are an overnight project. You start out mixing his seasoned butter the night before and freezing it at least overnight. Lot’s of work, but the end result is definitely worth it.
As much as I love his cheeseburgers I don’t always have the time nor inclination to make them. So there has to be an easier way right? Ok I’ll settle for a good burger at home verses an excellent one.
Recently I made these cheeseburgers for lunch. I didn’t have to leave home to make them, I had all the ingredients in my kitchen. It didn’t take all day and all night to make them and they turned out pretty good. My grandsons loved them.
These burgers are tender, juicy, and tasty. All this using store bought frozen ingredients. Best of all it’s cooked in less than 15 minutes. Perfect for quick lunches or dinners. Actually it’s the perfect dinner on Halloween when you need to get the kids to eat before rushing out the door to trick or treat.
These burgers are so easy they don’t even require a recipe, just quick instructions. And here they are!
Ingredients:
Frozen beef patties – thawed in fridge or microwave
Frozen Garlic Bread Slices or Texas Toast
Cheddar Cheese slices
Condiments – Ketchup, Mustard, Mayo, Lettuce, Tomato, Onions, etc.
Procedure:
Fry thawed burgers in frying pan over medium-high heat
Cook until desired doneness – don’t over cook as they will become tough and dry
Meanwhile place frozen garlic bread in a separate frying pan or panini maker and cook on high
Remove from pan when done and set aside – be careful not to burn your bread – you want it cooked with a bit of crunch on the outside but not over cooked
When burgers are just about cooked place a slice of cheese on top of each patty
Place another slice of cheese on one slice of bread
Place hot burger on top of cheese and cover with another slice of bread
Serve hot with condiments – if desired you can place a couple of strips of cooked crisp bacon on top of the patty
Just before cooking put the meat on bamboo or metal skewers alternating meat with the veggies
Ingredients:
