Carne Asada is an icon of Mexican cuisine with a colorful history, with more than 500 years of culinary refinement resulting in the modern iteration of this tasty dish.
Today, Carne Asada is also one of America’s favorite Mexican dishes and can be found in abundance in virtually every corner of the country. This rich, smoky steak dish only requires a small number of elements to create at home, with very little effort required.
Of course, the most important ingredient is the Carne Asada seasoning, which forms the marinade that brings it all together. If you’re ready to cook meat the Sonoran way, read on to find out everything that goes into Carne Asada seasoning.
1. The Flavor Elements
Before breaking down the ingredients for your Carne Asada recipe, it is important to understand the essence of perfect Carne Asada. This is a barbeque dish, one that should always evoke the sunny afternoons of a Mexican fiesta.
As such, the best Carne Asada will always have a very strong palette of flavors, with multiple, sharp notes competing for your attention.
It should always be deep and smoky, which can be partly achieved through the cooking process. But that’s not all. Carne Asada should have a sting of spice that cuts through everything, as well as a zesty element that evokes a taste of the summer.
2. Carne Asada Seasoning Essentials
For your Carne Asada seasoning, there are some essentials that you cannot do without. We decided to follow our favorite at-home recipe for easy Carne Asada for this – make sure to check it out first. Here’s what you need for perfect Carne Asada:
- Garlic cloves
- Onion or onion powder
- Cumin
- Mexican oregano
- Lime juice (from fresh limes)
- Water
- Chilli pepper
With these simple elements, you have everything you need to make authentic Carne Asada seasoning.
3. Spice Up Your Seasoning
Of course, these ingredients alone might not be enough for your demanding palette. If you really want to kick your seasoning up several notches, consider these flavor hacks:
- Ancho chile peppers
- White wine vinegar
- Cilantro
- Orange juice
- Soy sauce
- Kiwi
- Beer
- Saké (Japanese rice wine)
These can put a unique spin on traditional Carne Asada and bring out various elements of this dish, according to your own tastes.
4. Marinade That Meat!
Once you have your seasoning, it’s time to marinade that meat. You should always fry or bake your chili peppers and garlic before you marinade, as this will bring out the flavor factor.
Once you have done this, you can put your meat in a Ziploc bag and then pour the seasoning into the bag. Rub the seasoning all over the meat, ensuring every inch is coated.
After this, the trick is to leave the bag in the refrigerator for a long time, ideally more than four hours. This will ensure that the steak absorbs the rich flavor of the Carne Asada seasoning.
Find the Right Culinary Tools for Your Kitchen
As we can see, it is not too tricky to get Carne Asada seasoning right. What’s more, the beauty of this dish lies in its explosion of competing flavors, all of which come together in an unforgettable way.
When you have the right ingredients, the only other thing you need is the right tools for the job.
For this, we have also got you covered. Make sure to consult our expert kitchen product reviews to find the tools that will level up your cooking, no matter the dish.