Carne asada

Cheap cuts of beef are great value

If you’re buying a sirloin or fillet of beef for a barbecue party with friends or family, you either have too much money for your own good or you’re a fool.

I love my choice steak as much as the next meat-eater but I’d never procure it for a grilling party. Barbecuing is lovely but it’s a hugely unreliable cooking medium. Leave your steak on a tad too long while getting another beer and there’s twenty quid down the drain – or, as it were, into the flames. And even if it gets cooked perfectly, will it be as appreciated as it would be indoors, on china and linen?

Joking aside, barbecue is about convivial nosh rather than fine dining, so it makes far more sense to slap more of a cheaper type of food onto the rack. And so skirt steak, flank steak aka bavette and rump steak cut across the rump joint will serve extremely well with a right approach. Meaning: well marinated.

What is the purpose of a marinade?

You will immediately answer that it imparts flavour, seasons the meat (or vegetables as it happens, or tofu) and gives it a distinct fragrance and taste. And that’s very true, but it’s not its only role – marinating tenderises meat.

Of course no mixture will turn brisket into fillet steak, or lamb shoulder into cutlets, but the surface texture of tougher cuts will break down a little with the help of some tenderising concoction.

How do marinades work?

The key ingredient of any marinade is acid: it works towards breaking down muscle fibres and connective tissue, making the meat tenderer. We could say it starts the cooking process which is why more delicate cuts should never be marinated for too long or the meat becomes mushy. And if you think of fish and shellfish ceviche, it is actually almost ‘cooked’ in the citrus juice that is used for the marinating.

Fermented dairy like yoghurt or buttermilk has a similar effect on meat tissue, hence it is often used in marinades, especially in Middle Eastern cuisines.

And on the other side of the world they long discovered that some fruit enzymes break down meat very efficiently. Papaya and pineapple are commonly used in the Caribbean cuisine, and pears or kiwi in South Korea, for instance.

My marinade for carne asada

Since the dish is quite simply ‘grilled meat’, there will be as many different marinade recipes for it as many recipe authors. I have consulted various Tex and Mex recipes and reached mine by applying various combinations of spices and liquids to an assortment of beef cuts. It has the acid element in the form of lime juice and cider vinegar, and it has the Mexican flavours of cumin, garlic, chillies and coriander.

You can finely chop the garlic, coriander and chillies then whisk in the rest of the ingredients, or blitz the lot in a blender or food processor.

As the steak cut for this recipe is wide and thin, a shallow dish is the best for the marinating. Keep it covered in the fridge, and turn the meat over a few times if you remember. Several hours or overnight will give you nicely seasoned, tenderised piece of meat.

Carne asada means barbecue

Carne asada means simply ‘grilled meat’. But in Mexican culture it may refer to the social gathering which involves a barbecue. And while the meat might be the principal dish, the sides, condiments and sauces are not less important. The marinated, barbecued meat is sliced thinly, and served in tacos, burritos or salads.

So this recipe is ideal for a summertime barbie, and you can serve it with avocado and lime wedges, as directed below, but it will be no sin to dish it out with buns, pittas, potato salad or whatever your traditional barbecue spread might be.

How to cook carne asada on a barbecue

If your meat is a flank, bavette, skirt or rump steak, about an inch thin, slap it onto a well-heated rack and leave undisturbed for about 3 minutes. Turn it over and press it down a little with a meat slice or tongs as it will try to lift up at the edges.

Two to three minutes on this side and it needs to come off for a good long while, to rest. Try and slice it across the grain though it is sometimes hard to work out the fibre alignment in those cheaper cuts.

How to cook carne asada in the oven grill

NB: you can cook it in a frying pan or a griddle on the hob but it will need a very well-ventilated kitchen.

It’s less messy to use the oven grill and heat up a griddle or a cast iron pan in there until smoking hot. Scrape most of the marinade off the meat – it’s served its purpose now and will only smoke to good heavens if left on – and slap the meat onto the pan. Keep it in mid-oven: if too close to the grill it might char beautifully but the smoke amount will outweigh the good outcome.

Also with this method the meat will need to rest for at least ten minutes, the longer the better and the more tender.

More barbecue recipes

Authentic steak fajitas with tender bavette aka skirt steak, peppers, and onions, marinated in a spicy Tex-Mex mix then served sizzling in warm tortillas. Fajitas were originally the Mexican vaqueros (cowboys) fodder at the Texas cattle ranches.

Grilled to perfection, these succulent and juicy veal T-bone steaks are seasoned with aromatic dry rub and served with tasty red pepper kebabs, a crowd-pleasing recipe ideal for summer gatherings.

Grilled chicken burgers, juicy, crispy and tasty thanks to two secret ingredients: Parmesan and a little pork. The healthier answer to your burger craving!

More Mexican recipes

Fresh and easy guacamole recipe made with ripe Hass avocados, lime and chilli for an authentic Mexican flavour. The best and the basic condiment to serve alongside fajitas, tacos, nachos or enchiladas.

Mexican street sweetcorn salad, esquites, with sweetcorn off the cob cooked in the frying pan, mixed with a salty, herby, spicy, cheesy dressing, is the second best thing after a holiday to Cancun!

Quick pickled jalapeno peppers, crunchy and sweet and hot. The best pickled jalapenos are homemade, and these are ready within about an hour. Make sure you wear gloves!