Carne Asada

Ingredients

• •750 g Flank steak
• •3 pcs Lime
• •1 teaspoon Salt
• •0.5 teaspoon Black pepper
• •6 cloves Garlic
• •60 g Cilantro
• •2 tablespoons Olive oil
• •0.5 tsp Pepper
• •1 medium Onion

Instructions

1. 1

   Remove 2 lb flank steak from refrigerator 1 hour before cooking. Pat completely dry with paper towels. Score the meat lightly in a crosshatch pattern.

   💡 Room temp steak cooks more evenly - cold steak stays raw in center while edges overcook.

2. 2

   Make the marinade: combine 1/4 cup lime juice, 1/4 cup orange juice, 4 minced garlic cloves, 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp each cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper.

   💡 The citrus actually tenderizes - but dont marinate more than 4 hours or meat becomes mushy.

3. 3

   Place steak in a zip-lock bag or dish, pour marinade over, and refrigerate for 2-4 hours. Flip halfway through.

   💡 Longer is not better - over-marinating with citrus turns meat mushy.

4. 4

   Remove steak from marinade, pat very dry. Let sit at room temperature 20 minutes while preparing toppings and heating grill.

   💡 Dry surface = better sear. Wet surface = steamed exterior.

5. 5

   Heat grill or cast iron skillet over high heat until smoking. Season steak generously with salt right before cooking.

   💡 Salt draws moisture, then reabsorbes - this is why salting early creates moist steak.

6. 6

   Sear steak 4-5 minutes per side for medium-rare (internal temp 130-135F). Rest 10 minutes before slicing.

   💡 Resting allows juices to redistribute - cutting too soon sends all the juice onto the cutting board.

7. 7

   Slice thinly against the grain (angle your knife perpendicular to the visible muscle fibers). Serve with warm tortillas, guacamole, salsa, and lime wedges.

   💡 The grain direction is critical - slicing with the grain makes steak tough.