This was my dad’s favourite dish, and it’s become a family favourite now as well. Carne Asada uses skirt steak, a quite magical bit of meat that you may have to buy from a butcher as it’s not generally sold in the packaged meats sections of the supermarket.
Cut from the lower plate on top of the ribs, skirt is one of the cheapest and most flavourful cuts of beef, ‘though certainly not the most tender so Carne Asada is a perfect way to make the most of it. It’s a great recipe for parties (of dedicated carnivores) as you can easily feed 4 people for not much more than £5.
Ingredients:
- A cut of skirt steak (1 kilo for 4 people, depending on the accompaniments)
- 4 or more fresh red or jalepeno chilis
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- Juice of 2 or 3 limes
- 1/4 cup vinegar
- a good handful of fresh chopped or 3 tablespoons of dried oregano
- Salt and pepper to taste
Place the steak in a large casserole or lasagna pan, cover with the marinade and leave for 2 to 6 hours.
Carne Asada is best and most traditional on the barbeque and even in the winter is well worth dragging it out from the shed. Otherwise, fry it in a grill pan. It’s important that it’s served rare, as overcooking will make it tough. You can tell it’s rare by giving it a little push with the side of a fork or your finger – it will still be soft and slightly “wobbly”.
Slice the meat in long thin pieces across the grain and serve with flour torillas, guacamole, pico de gallo, mexican rice and beans. Serve cheese enchiladas as well t o make it go further.