The Best Carne Asada Tacos You’ll Ever Make (Restaurant-Quality) | Epicurious 101

Quick Overview

Chef Saúl Montiel creates restaurant-quality Carne Asada Tacos by using flap steak, marinating it for at least two hours with ingredients like orange juice and beer (Modelo Negra) for tenderness and flavor, grilling quickly over high heat, and then slicing the meat against the grain before assembling with fresh toppings like creamy avocado salsa, Chile de Árbol salsa, onions, and cilantro.

Key Points: Chef Saúl Montiel recommends using flap steak (the bottom part of the sirloin) for carne asada due to its tenderness and juiciness, perfect for grilling. The marinade is crucial for flavor and tenderness, featuring orange juice (for tenderizing and sweetness), beer (Modelo Negra suggested for caramel notes), Worcestershire sauce, lime juice, garlic, jalapeños, green onions, and cilantro. The meat should marinate for a minimum of two hours; marinating longer risks the acid overpowering the meat's natural flavor. When grilling, the cast iron griddle must be very hot, and the meat should cook for only 3 to 4 minutes per side, ensuring a good sear and smoke flavor. After grilling, the meat must rest for 8 to 10 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute, ensuring the final product is moist and tender. The grilled meat is chopped against the grain using a heavy cleaver to maximize tenderness for the tacos. The tacos are assembled on warm corn tortillas, topped with the chopped carne asada, Chile de Árbol Salsa, Creamy Avocado Salsa, raw diced white onions, cilantro, and served with grilled cebollitas cambray and lime wedges.

Context: Chef Saúl Montiel, owner/chef of La Única Tacos y Tequila, provides a tutorial on making authentic, restaurant-quality Carne Asada Tacos. The video covers the selection of the best cut of beef, creating a complex marinade that balances sweet, savory, and spicy notes, the proper high-heat grilling technique, and the final assembly with traditional toppings.

Detailed Analysis

Chef Saúl Montiel demonstrates how to make excellent Carne Asada Tacos, beginning with the selection of flap steak, which he notes is more tender and juicier than flank steak, making it ideal for grilling. He emphasizes the importance of the marinade to achieve great flavor and tenderness. The marinade ingredients include orange juice (to tenderize and add sweetness), Modelo Negra beer (for a caramel note), Worcestershire sauce, lime juice, salt, pepper, minced garlic, sliced jalapeños, chopped green onions, and fresh cilantro. The meat should marinate for at least two hours, but no longer than three, to prevent the acid from overpowering the beef flavor. Before grilling, Montiel stresses the critical step of patting the excess moisture off the marinated meat to ensure a proper sear and achieve the necessary char and smoke flavor. He grills the thin slices on a very hot cast iron griddle for 3 to 4 minutes per side, listening for a strong sizzle. After grilling, the meat rests for 8 to 10 minutes, allowing the juices to redistribute for maximum moisture. He then chops the rested carne asada against the grain using a heavy cleaver to ensure tenderness. Finally, the tacos are assembled on warm corn tortillas, layered with meat, Chile de Árbol Salsa, Creamy Avocado Salsa, diced white onion, and cilantro, served alongside grilled cebollitas cambray and lime wedges.