Carne Asada Steak Tacos with Spanglish Asadero Seasoning
Carne Asada Steak Tacos with Spanglish Asadero Seasoning
The mistake most people make with carne asada steak tacos is using the seasoning like a surface coating, shake it on, put the meat on the grill, wonder why the flavor’s thin. That’s not how this works.
The grill is the upgrade here; the rest of our taco recipes stay indoor-friendly for weeknights.
Spanglish Asadero Carne Asada Seasoning is the foundation here. It’s built around citrus, chili, and garlic in a balance that seasons through the meat, not just over it. No overnight soak. No long marinade window. Coat the skirt steak, let it sit at room temperature for 15 minutes while your grill comes up to heat, and prep is done. The seasoning does the work you’d normally spend an hour on.
Skirt steak is the right cut. Thin, high-surface-area, it responds to high heat the way you want, chars fast, crisps at the edges, slices clean. Set the grill to 425–450°F. Get real char: 3–4 minutes per side over direct heat until you see color and crust forming. Move to indirect heat, lid down, until the internal temp hits 125°F for medium-rare. Then rest it, the full 15 minutes. Slice against the grain. Skipping the rest means cutting the juices loose before they’ve had a chance to redistribute.
The build is intentional. White onion, cilantro, crumbled cotija, lime. Each element has a role: the onion cuts the richness, the cilantro lifts it, the cotija holds up to the char with a sharp, salty note, and the lime closes the whole thing. Nothing competes. The steak stays the focus.
This recipe serves 4. Under 30 minutes of active work, the rest is resting time. It scales cleanly.
Flavor First.
CARNE ASADA STEAK TACOS
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat grill for direct heat (425–450°F) and indirect heat area.
- Brush skirt steak on both sides with olive oil. Season generously with Spanglish Asadero Carne Asada Seasoning. Let steak sit at room temperature 15 minutes.
- Place steak over direct heat. Grill 3–4 minutes until browned with good char. Flip and grill 3–4 minutes on the other side.
- Move steak to indirect heat area. Close grill lid and cook until internal temperature reaches 125°F (medium-rare).
- Remove steak from grill. Rest 15 minutes before slicing thinly against the grain.
- Warm tortillas on the grill or in a skillet until soft and lightly charred.
- Serve sliced steak in warm tortillas topped with finely chopped white onion, chopped cilantro, crumbled cotija cheese, and a squeeze of lime.
Nutrition
Notes
- Season generously and use the full amount — The recipe calls for 3 tablespoons of Spanglish Asadero Carne Asada Seasoning. This seasoning works by penetrating the meat, not sitting on the surface. Under-season here and you get under-flavored throughout, not just a thin crust.
- Pat the steak dry before it hits the seasoning — Surface moisture creates steam on the grill. Steam means no crust, no char. Paper towels, 30 seconds, done.
- Get the grill to temperature before the steak goes on — 425–450°F before the food hits the grates. A grill that’s not fully preheated means the first side steams instead of sears. You lose the color and the crust that holds the flavor in.
- Pull at 125°F and rest the full 15 minutes — Skirt steak moves fast over high heat. Check the internal temp early — it can jump from 115 to 135°F in under a minute. Pull at 125°F and let carry-over do the rest. Cut into it too soon and the juices run off the board.
- Slice against the grain, thin — Skirt steak’s grain runs across the narrow width of the cut. Slicing with it gives you long, chewy fibers. Against the grain, sliced thin, you get tender bites that work in a taco without fighting back.
- Warm tortillas directly on the grill — 30–60 seconds per side over direct heat until soft with light char marks. Cold tortillas break. Warm ones complete the bite.
- Serve the sliced carne asada in warm corn tortillas — the char on the tortilla matters as much as the char on the steak. Pile on white onion, cilantro, cotija, and a squeeze of lime. Let people build their own; the interaction between the seasoned beef, the sharp onion, and the salty cotija is the point.
- For a full plate, Mexican rice and black beans add texture and volume without more than 10 extra minutes of prep. Grilled jalapeños or a quick pico de gallo work as a side or an added topping.
- For a group, set it out family-style — tortillas in a cloth-wrapped stack, toppings in small bowls, steak sliced on a board. Everything holds, people serve themselves, and the steak isn’t sitting in a pan getting cold.
- Store sliced steak in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Keep the toppings — onion, cilantro, cotija, lime — stored separately. They don’t hold up next to the meat.
- To reheat: a skillet over medium heat with a splash of water or broth, covered, 2–3 minutes. Keeps the steak from drying out without fading the seasoning the way high microwave power does. If you’re using a microwave, medium power, covered, 60–90 seconds max.
- Tortillas are best made fresh. Reheat pre-cooked ones in a dry skillet or directly over a gas flame for 20–30 seconds per side.
- The sliced steak also works cold — thin over rice or in a quick bowl. Worth considering before you reach for the microwave.
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a different seasoning if I don’t have Spanglish Asadero Carne Asada Seasoning?
Yes, the substitution in the ingredients list covers it: 1 tsp chili powder, ½ tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp cumin, ¼ tsp oregano, ¼ tsp salt, ¼ tsp black pepper, a pinch of cayenne, and fresh lime juice. It replicates the core profile. Spanglish Asadero has depth from their specific blend that the DIY version won’t fully match, but it works.
What internal temperature should carne asada reach?
Pull skirt steak at 125°F for medium-rare, that’s the sweet spot for this cut. The 15-minute rest brings it up a few degrees from carry-over. Well-done skirt steak gets tough fast; 125°F gives you the tender, juicy slice that works in a taco.
Can I cook this on a stovetop grill pan if I don’t have an outdoor grill?
Yes, a cast iron grill pan over high heat gives you char and grill marks. Get it screaming hot before the steak goes on; you want to hear it the moment it hits the pan. Use the same internal temperature targets. Ventilate the kitchen.
Can I prep the steak ahead of time?
Season and prep up to a day ahead. Keep it covered in the fridge and pull it out 15 minutes before grilling so it can come to room temperature. Don’t slice ahead, once sliced, the steak loses moisture faster.
Corn or flour tortillas?
Corn for the traditional approach. They hold up to grill char and have a flavor that pairs cleanly with carne asada. Flour if you want something softer with more structure. Either works; the steak is the variable that matters.
More like this: Grilling Recipes · Summer Grilling Recipes · Kinder’s Recipes
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