Hey, there! Welcome back the blog and to Part Two of my epic quest to determine which taco reigns supreme. Old Chef Gordo is real partial to Taco Tuesdays (I mean, have you checked my Facebook page??) and this year’s Taco Off has been a delectable, delicious challenge.

Can you really define taco greatness? I don’t know, but we’re certainly going to try! So get yourself some Gordo’s white Mexican cheese dip and some chips before you read this week’s Taco Off recipe for Carne Asada tacos. Trust me, you’ll need the snack – just reading this recipe will make your mouth water!

Gordo’s TACO OFF: Carne Asada Recipe

 

Carne asada, served hot with a twist of lime and some pico de gallo or, even better, some Gordo’s salsa, is the perfect springtime taco. Light on its feet, this beef taco will make your tastebuds sparkle. (Best served on a sunny day, outside, with a cold cerveza and a few friends.)

Carne asada, “grilled meat”, recipes hail from … Latin America. Seriously, that’s as specific as we can get! Sometimes a recipe is just such a good idea that it evolves far and wide. Nobody quite knows where or when carne asada got its start. Regardless, with a little prep, we can enjoy it today.

There are a few different schools of thought on how to prepare carne asada, so we’ll share two recipes – one made with a marinade and one without. (There are so many different ways to make carne asada, that we could have a Taco Off with just this taco’s various variations.)

Just like prep for carne asada, there are die-hard schools of thought on the cut of beef to use. Whichever part of the cow you choose to use, you won’t go wrong with a cheap cut of beef. In our recipes, we suggest trying both the flap meat – a cut from the loin of the beef and the most traditional choice for carne asada – and flank steak.

Gordo’s No Marinade Carne Asada

 

  • 2 pound cut of flap meat
  • 2 tablespoons powdered garlic
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon cracked black pepper

 

Mix the three spices together. Set aside. On a very hot grill, put the flap meat fat side down to start cooking. As the meat begins to cook, sprinkle a light dusting of the spices over the flap meat. After two minutes, flip the meat. Cook for two more minutes, then remove from heat.

Let the meat rest for five to 10 minutes, then slice. Serve on tortillas, top with onion and cilantro. Serve with Gordo’s White Mexican Cheese Dip or Gordo’s Salsa. Just before eating, squeeze some fresh lime onto the meat.

Gordo’s Marinated Carne Asada

  • 2 pounds flank steak
  • Juice, freshly squeezed, from 1 medium orange
  • Juice, freshly squeezed, from ½ a medium lime
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon chile powder
  • 1 tablespoon cracked black pepper
  • 6 cloves of garlic, pressed or crushed
  • 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

Mix all the marinade ingredients into a plastic bag. Add the flank steak. Give the bag a gentle shake to cover the meat, then place in a container and put in the fridge. Be sure that the meat is covered by the marinade. Let the flank steak marinate for 5 hours, no more.

Cook on a very hot grill, a few minutes a side, turning as needed to prevent the meat from overcooking and drying out.

Let the meat rest for five to 10 minutes, then slice. Serve on tortillas, top with onion and cilantro. Serve with Gordo’s White Mexican Cheese Dip or Gordo’s Salsa. Just before eating, squeeze some fresh lime onto the meat.

There you have it! Gordo’s Carne Asada, two ways. Make one, make ‘em both – just give these carne asada tacos a try. Are the better than last week’s carnitas tacos? Will the win the TACO OFF? Or will they fall short of next week’s seitan tacos? Check back in to find out!

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