Carne Asada with Lime Crema
Fall has arrived here in the PNW and cooler days are leading to crisp evenings. Nothing sounds better to me than warm aromas filling the house, a fire in the fireplace while watching the golden and red leaves falling from the trees. This time of year is when I usually dust off the crockpot and fire it up for slow and low cooking; braising meats so they become pull apart tender.
Studying in Guadalajara, Mexico during college taught me several things about Mexican culture; their love and appreciation of family, a deep rooted affection for their culture and one of my biggest takeaways was the role of food within the two. The abundance of truly delicious, yet simple foods created by using whole ingredients was apparent everywhere from within the home, to the markets, to celebrations. A country rich in in the tradition of heritage, music, art, and food.
Today, I’m bringing you Carne Asada, a traditional Mexican main dish, it can be served with rice or in tortillas, such as I have done in this recipe. Carne Asada Tacos are probably one of all-time favorite things. Generally, the meat is grilled, however in this dish, I slow braise it in my slow cooker and then finish them under the broiler for that little bit of char, that gives is an extra goodness (plus fills the house with delicious aromas throughout the day, as an added bonus). The optional toppings bring the whole dish to life, I highly recommend adding them as accompaniment.
I got the inspiration for this dish from a favorite recipe of mine from Half Baked Harvest. I loved the idea of slow braising the meat to make it super tender. Cuts, such as flank steak which are generally very successful with quick high heat cooking, can also yield delicious results when you slow braise them over many hours.
Let’s get started
In the bowl of your slow cooker, combine the steak, garlic, chili powder, onion powder, paprika, a pinch of salt, olive oil, lime juice, and zest. Rub the seasonings into the steak. Add the onion and the beer. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.
Preheat the broiler to high. Remove the steak from the sauce to a baking sheet. Let rest 10 minutes. Slice the steak across the grain every 2-3 inches. Lightly shred. Add 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid, then drizzle on the honey. Transfer to the broiler. Broil for 2-5 minutes, until the streak caramelizes. Watch carefully as it has a tendency to burn. Toss with additional cooking liquid, if desired.
To make the sauce. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix until combined. Adjust seasoning as needed.
Fill the carne asada into the charred tortillas. Top as desired with crema, cilantro, lettuce, avocado, onion, jalapeños, cheese, and additional sauce and/or your favorite salsa. Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 2 pounds flank steak or skirt steak
- 4 cloves garlic thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon chipotle chili powder, or chopped dried chipotle chili
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- kosher salt
- 1/2 yellow onion, sliced
- 2 tablespoons avocado or other neutral cooking oil
- zest and juice of 1 lime
- 1⁄2 cup Mexican beer (or water)
- 1 tablespoon honey
- warmed corn or flour tortillas (I recommend giving your tortillas a little char over an open flame, if that's available to you. Simply lay the tortillas over your gas grill for a few seconds on each side)
- diced avocado, cotija or feta cheese, diced onion, jalapeños, pickled red onion, shredded lettuce for serving
- zest and juice of 1-2 limes (to thin out the crema and add flavor)
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- 1 green onion, white and green parts, finely chopped
- 1/2 tsp honey
- kosher salt, to taste
Instructions
- In the bowl of your slow cooker, combine the steak, garlic, chili powder, onion powder, paprika, pinch of salt, olive oil, lime juice and zest. Rub the seasonings into the steak. Add the onion and the beer. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.
- Preheat the broiler to high. Remove the steak from the sauce to a baking sheet. Let rest 10 minutes. Slice the steak across the grain every 2-3 inches. Lightly shred. Add 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid, then drizzle on the honey. Transfer to the broiler. Broil for 2-5 minutes, until the streak caramelizes. Watch carefully as it has a tendency to burn. Toss with additional cooking liquid, if desired.
- To make the sauce. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix until combined. Adjust seasoning as needed.
- Fill the carne asada into the charred tortillas. Top as desired with crema, cilantro, lettuce, avocado, onion, jalapenos, cheese, and additional sauce and/or your favorite salsa. Enjoy!