Carne Asada

Carne asada is marinated and grilled beef, commonly a skirt or flank steak. It is a common menu item in Mexican restaurants and is usually served with grilled onions and some sort of rice. This recipe used a skirt steak which has a very rich, beefy flavor and cooks quickly. It should never be cooked beyond medium rare. This recipe is also good for fajitas.

1 skirt steak, trimmed of excess fat

Olive oil for brushing

Salt

Fresh ground black pepper

Prepare the marinade (recipe follows). Place the steak in the marinade, zip the bag almost closed, expel as much air as possible, and zip the bag fully closed. Kneed the meat to ensure it is covered with marinade. Refrigerate the meat for 2 to 3 hours. Prepare the grill for direct cooking over a very hot fire. Remove the meat and discard the marinade. Brush the meat with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the meat directly over the fire for 3 to 4 minutes per side.

Slice the meat thinly across the grain.

Marinade

1/4 cup olive oil

Juice of 2 limes

Juice of 1 orange

2 tablespoons distilled vinegar

4 cloves garlic, crushed

1/2 teaspoon salt

Combine all ingredients in a zip-top plastic bag, zip the bag closed, and shake to thoroughly combine the ingredients.