Carne Asada with Citrus Marinade
Skirt steak marinated in fresh orange, lime, and lemon juice with garlic, jalapeño, and cilantro, then grilled hard and fast until charred outside and rosy pink inside. The marinade does all the work. You just show up with tongs.
Tasted & written by Rachel
Prep
15 min
Cook
15 min
Total
30 min
Serves
6
The Key
Slice against the grain. Skirt steak has long, visible muscle fibers running in one direction. Cut perpendicular to those fibers in thin slices — 1/4 inch or less. Cut with the grain and every bite will be a fight. Cut against it and the steak almost falls apart on the fork.
Jake called last weekend to argue about whether carne asada counts as barbecue. I told him it counts as better than barbecue. He hung up.
The thing about carne asada is that it's barely a recipe — it's a marinade and a hot grill and the discipline to leave the meat alone for ten minutes after it comes off. Most people skip the rest. Most people's carne asada is dry.
The citrus marinade here — orange, lime, lemon, a full jalapeño — does something to skirt steak that no amount of seasoning rub can replicate. The acid works the fibers while the oil carries all that garlic and cilantro flavor deep into the grain. Two hours minimum. Overnight if you can manage it.
I made this three times last month. Twice for David's running club. Once for just us, standing at the counter with tortillas and a bowl of pico, Noah in his high chair eating the avocado off the top of his taco and nothing else.
The grill needs to be properly hot — not medium, not warming up, but that aggressive sizzle the second the meat hits the grate. You'll know. If it's quiet, pull the steak off and wait.
Seven to ten minutes per side. One flip. Then the hard part: five minutes on the cutting board doing absolutely nothing. Every time I skip the rest I regret it. The juices run everywhere and the slices taste like they lost something.
Slice thin. Against the grain. This is the single thing that separates good carne asada from a jaw workout, and I've watched otherwise competent cooks get it wrong. The grain on skirt steak runs the long way — cut perpendicular to it, about a quarter inch thick, and each slice will practically melt.
Mise en place
Ingredients
- 2 pounds skirt steaktrimmed of excess fat
- 1 jalapeño, seeded and mincedseeded and minced
- 4 cloves garlic, mincedminced
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, choppedchopped
- juice of 1 orangejuiced
- juice of 1 limejuiced
- juice of 1 lemonjuiced
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For serving
- 12 corn tortillas, warmedOptional
- 2 limes, cut into wedgescut into wedgesOptional
- extra cilantro for garnishOptional
- 4 radishes, thinly slicedthinly slicedOptional
The Method
Instructions
- 01
Whisk together the jalapeño, garlic, cilantro, orange juice, lime juice, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, cumin, salt, and pepper in a large glass baking dish until combined.
Done when:Marinade is emulsified and slightly cloudy from the citrus and oil — no oil slick sitting on top.
- 02
Add the skirt steak in a single layer, turning to coat with the marinade. Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to overnight.
Done when:Steak is fully submerged or coated on all sides. The meat will darken slightly from the acid after 2+ hours — that's what you want.
- 03
Remove steak from the refrigerator 30 minutes before grilling. Preheat an outdoor grill to medium-high heat.
Done when:Grill grates are hot enough that a drop of water sizzles and evaporates immediately. Steak has lost its refrigerator chill.
- 04
Lift the steak from the marinade, letting excess drip off. Discard the marinade. Place steak directly on the hot grill grates.
Done when:You hear an aggressive sizzle the moment the meat hits the grate. If it's quiet, your grill isn't hot enough — pull it off and wait.
- 05
Grill for 7 to 10 minutes per side, turning once, for medium-rare (130-135°F internal).
Done when:Deep char marks on both sides, the steak resists slightly when pressed in the center but still gives. Instant-read thermometer reads 130-135°F for medium-rare.
- 06
Transfer steak to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes. Do not skip this.
Done when:Juices have redistributed — when you press the steak lightly, liquid doesn't pool on the surface immediately.
- 07
Slice thinly against the grain. Serve immediately with warm tortillas, lime wedges, cilantro, and sliced radishes.
Done when:Slices are about 1/4-inch thick, cut perpendicular to the long muscle fibers. The interior should be rosy pink.
Where it goes wrong
Common mistakes
- ✕Cutting with the grain — turns tender steak into chew toys. Look for the long parallel lines on the surface and slice perpendicular to them.
- ✕Grilling straight from the fridge — cold center means you'll overcook the outside chasing doneness in the middle.
- ✕Squeezing the steak with tongs on the grill — you're pressing out the juices you spent hours building.
- ✕Using bottled lime juice — it tastes like battery acid compared to fresh. The whole point of this recipe is the citrus.
Context
Compared to the usual
This is the Northern Mexico / Tex-Mex style of carne asada — citrus-marinated, grilled fast, sliced thin. In Sonora, where the dish arguably originates, the marinade is often simpler (just salt, maybe lime) and the beef quality does the talking. In Southern California taco shops, the marinade leans heavier on soy sauce and beer. Our version sits in the middle: a bright citrus marinade with enough garlic and jalapeño to carry flavor without masking the beef. Jake insists the Austin version with beer and Worcestershire is better. Jake is wrong.
Glossary
Techniques used
- Carne asada
- Literally 'grilled meat' in Spanish. In practice, it refers to marinated, grilled skirt or flank steak sliced thin and served with tortillas and toppings. The marinade and the cut are what make it carne asada, not just any grilled beef.
- Against the grain
- Cutting perpendicular to the direction of the muscle fibers. On skirt steak the grain is especially visible — long parallel lines running the length of the cut. Slicing against shortens those fibers so each bite is tender instead of chewy.
- Skirt steak
- A long, flat cut from the diaphragm muscle. More marbled and beefy-tasting than flank steak. It's the traditional cut for carne asada and fajitas because it soaks up marinades quickly and cooks fast over high heat.
- Medium-rare
- 130-135°F internal temperature. The center is warm and rosy pink, not cool or raw-looking. For marinated skirt steak, this is the target — anything beyond medium and the thin cut dries out fast.
Riffs
Variations
Beer marinade
Replace the citrus juices with 1/2 cup Mexican lager and 2 tablespoons lime juice. Add 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce. Earthier, less bright — Jake's version, and I'll admit it works on a charcoal grill.
Spicy chipotle
Add 2 chipotles in adobo (minced) to the marinade. Smoky and significantly hotter. Skip the jalapeño so it doesn't tip into painful.
Al pastor style
Add 2 tablespoons achiote paste and swap the lemon for pineapple juice. Not traditional carne asada anymore, but the citrus-achiote combination on skirt steak is genuinely great.
Q & A
Frequently asked
Can I use flank steak instead?
Yes. Flank is leaner and slightly tougher, so marinate overnight instead of 2 hours. Slice extra thin against the grain. The flavor will be milder than skirt.
Can I make this on a grill pan or cast iron?
Absolutely. Get the pan screaming hot — smoking, even. You won't get the same smoky char as an outdoor grill, but the sear will be excellent. Work in batches so you don't crowd the pan.
How do I know when to flip?
When the steak releases cleanly from the grate without sticking and has visible dark char marks. If it's stuck, give it another minute.
Is this spicy?
Mildly. One seeded jalapeño in the marinade gives warmth, not heat. Leave the seeds in if you want more kick, or skip the jalapeño entirely for zero heat.
Storage
Sliced carne asada keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 days. Best reheated in a hot skillet, not the microwave.
Reheating
Heat a cast iron skillet over high until smoking. Sear leftover slices for 30-60 seconds per side. You're re-crisping the exterior, not cooking it further.
Freezing
Freeze uncooked steak in the marinade for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge — the marinating continues as it thaws. Cooked slices freeze for up to 1 month but lose some texture.
Make ahead
Mix the marinade and add the steak up to 12 hours ahead. Keep refrigerated. The longer it sits (up to 12 hours), the more tender and flavorful the result.
Serve with
Warm corn tortillas, pico de gallo, sliced avocado, thinly sliced radishes, and a pile of lime wedges. For a plate meal, serve over cilantro-lime rice with charred scallions and black beans. A cold Mexican lager is non-negotiable.