Carne Asada Tacos

After a few weeks off I'm back!! 

I love Tex-Mex. And I hate that I love Tex-Mex. More chips and salsa? Yes please!! Since I gave up chips for lent, this means no Mexican food for a couple more weeks. Ugh!! One of my favorites meals out are carne asada tacos. So, that’s what I decided my next cooking adventure would include. I made waaaay more than I needed to, but fortunately for you, I’m pretty creative with leftovers. There’s some pretty delish bonus recipes at the bottom. 

Carne Asada

1 1/2 lbs skirt steak (or about 4 oz per person)

1/2 cup white onion, chopped

1/4 bunch of cilantro

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup vinegar

Juice from 1 lime

1/2 tablespoon cumin

1/2 tablespoon paprika

1/2 tablespoon chili powder

1/2 tablespoon cayenne pepper

Blend all ingredients except skirt steak. Marinate steak with pureed mixture in a gallon sized ziplock bag, preferably overnight in refrigerator. 

Remove steak mixture from refrigerator, and let it come to room temperature while you the heat grill to 375-400 degrees. Cook meat for 3-5 minutes per side. I recommend cooking to medium rare or 130 degrees, as the internal temperature will rise 5-10 degrees after you take it off the grill. Let it rest for 10 minutes, then cut into 1/2 inch cubes.  

Serve with corn tortillas, avocado, cotija cheese (feta is a good alternative), cilantro, limes, and green or red sauce from below. 

Fair warning, while these are not authentic salsas, they do have some kick! You may want to cut the jalapeño usage in half, or use a milder pepper as a substitute if you can’t handle the heat (like serrano). 

Green Sauce (Salsa Verde)

3 tomatillos, peeled

1 jalapeño

2 cloves of garlic

1/4 cup white onion, chopped

1/4 bunch of cilantro, roughly chopped (stems are okay here)

Juice from 1 lime

Chicken stock, as needed

Salt & pepper

Roast tomatillos, jalapeño & garlic in a 425 oven until browned. Remove seeds from jalapeño. Puree roasted tomatillos, seeded jalapeno, roasted garlic, chopped onion, cilantro and lime juice into a blender or food processor (I use a NutriBullet in lieu of either, & it works wonderfully). Thin using chicken stock, until desired consistency is reached. I used about 1/2 cup. Season with salt & pepper.

Red Sauce (Salsa Rojo)

1/2 cup white onion, chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil

28 oz can whole peeled tomatoes

1 jalapeño roasted & seeded 

1 clove garlic

1/2 tablespoon cumin

1/2 tablespoon paprika

1/2 tablespoon chili powder

Salt & pepper

Heat olive oil in medium sauce pan. Saute onion for 3 minutes or until translucent. Add in remaining ingredients & mash the tomatoes with a wooden spoon. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Puree mixture in a blender or food processor. Season with salt & pepper.

You can substitute whatever type of canned tomatoes you have on hand, however I find the whole peeled tomatoes are usually of higher quality & taste better than their crushed or chopped cousins. 

Leftover Recipe #1: Top flat bread pizza crusts with marinara, carne asada meat, mozzarella, blue cheese, and a drizzle of Franks Red Hot Sauce. Bake at 425 until cheese is melted. We’ll call that one Black & Blue Flatbread.

Leftover Recipe #2: Mix carne asada meat, black beans, grated cheese, rice, red sauce together. Spoon mixture into large whole wheat tortilla. Roll into a burrito, then top with more red sauce & shredded cheese. Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted & bubbly, and inside is hot. Serve with sour cream or avocados.