The Chef-Approved Method For Perfect Carne Asada Every Time

Carne asada is one of those things that is so good when done perfectly that you assume there must be some kind of secret at work. Whether in a taco or on a plate with some beans, one taste of a perfectly charred slice of tender carne asada is enough to make you swear off all the fancy porterhouses and filet mignons in the world. But isn't this just some basic cut of beef thrown on a grill? What's the magic here? There is no magic. In fact, the biggest tip for great carne asada comes down to not overthinking it. It doesn't need a long marinade, dry-aging, or any of that stuff. So to help us keep it simple Tasting Table reached out to an expert, private chef and media personality Ronaldo Linares, for his straightforward method for making perfect carne asada.

The first thing Linares recommended was to "make sure you get a high-quality steak." While options like flank steak can work for carne asada, the best option is skirt steak. To find a high-quality skirt steak, avoid the wider inside skirt and find the longer, more narrow outside skirt steak, which is the most tender cut. It's identifiable by also being thicker than an inside skirt, usually up to an inch. From there Linares says, "The preparation is easy, coat the steak with oil, season with your favorite seasoning blend, or go with the OG salt and pepper."

Once you evenly season your steak, Linares recommends letting it sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before you grill or sear. His big note is to "get that color," with really nice browning, and to do that he says, "Make sure you preheat your preferred cooking method and sear on both sides." That also means using the highest heat you can on your cooking setup. Skirt steak is thin and cooks quickly, so to get a great char without overcooking the center your grill or cast iron pan needs to be rip-roaring hot. At high heat, your carne asada should be cooked in as little as five minutes with occasional turns for that even sear.

But Linares isn't done once the carne asada comes off the heat. His advice is to "let the steak rest on a bed of white rice." As he explains, "The juices will mix with the rice, this is my all-time favorite way to eat a steak. There is something magical that happens when the steak juices mix with the rice, I might say is umami." It's a little extra trick that infuses your carne asada flavor into a whole meal and would make a perfect smoky pairing for a side of creamy pinto beans or grilled vegetables. Right cut of meat, the right temperature, and right side. Carne asada really isn't more complicated than that.