Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Prep: Finely chop chipotle peppers to make 1 tbsp. In a large zip-top bag, combine chopped chipotle, adobo sauce, orange juice, vegetable oil, and Spanglish Asadero Carne Asada Seasoning.
- Add skirt steak to the bag. Seal, releasing air, and massage to coat evenly. Refrigerate 6 hours to overnight, turning occasionally.
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Arrange rack in middle position.
- Bake frozen French fries on a baking sheet according to package directions (usually 18–25 minutes) until crispy.
- Preheat outdoor grill (or grill pan) to medium direct heat. Remove steak from marinade and discard bag.
- Grill steak 4–5 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer to cutting board and rest 5 minutes.
- Transfer hot fries to a large ovenproof platter or baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with shredded Mexican blend cheese.
- Return fries to oven for 2 minutes until cheese melts.
- Thinly slice rested steak on a slight diagonal across the grain.
- Scatter sliced steak over the cheesy fries.
- Dollop pico de gallo, guacamole, and sour cream over the top. Sprinkle with crumbled queso fresco, pickled jalapeño slices, and chopped cilantro.
- Serve immediately with lime wedges.
Nutrition
Notes
- Marinate overnight — 6 hours is the floor; overnight gives the citrus and chili in the Spanglish Asadero blend time to work into the steak. A rushed marinade shows in the flavor.
- Pat the steak dry before the grill — pull it from the marinade, let it drain a few minutes on a rack, then pat with paper towels. Moisture on the surface kills the crust. Dry surface equals proper sear.
- Grill hot and don't move it — 400°F target. Lay the steak down and leave it 4–5 minutes before you flip. Moving it early tears the crust before it forms.
- Rest before you slice, then cut against the grain — 5 minutes on the cutting board, then slice thin on a slight diagonal across the grain. Skirt steak has a strong, visible grain; cutting with it gives you tough, stringy pieces.
- Get the fries fully crispy before assembly — once the guac and sour cream go on, there's no recovering from a soggy fry. Pull them when they're genuinely crispy, not just cooked through.
- Add cold toppings at the last second — pico, guac, and sour cream cool the fries fast. Build the plate and serve immediately.
- Carne asada loaded fries work as the main event at a backyard cookout — serve them on a big platter and let people build their own bites. Cold Mexican beer or a lime agua fresca cuts through the richness of the cheese and guacamole.
- If you want a full plate setup, add a side of cilantro-lime rice and warm tortillas. Any extra sliced steak goes straight into a tortilla with a spoonful of pico for a quick taco alongside the fries.
- The lime wedges are not optional. Squeeze them over the top right before eating — that hit of acid lifts the whole plate and balances the cheese and the fat in the guac.
- Store steak and fries separately when possible — fries stored with toppings go soggy fast. Keep sliced steak in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat fries in an oven or air fryer at 400°F for 5–8 minutes to restore crispiness. The steak reheats best in a hot skillet for 60–90 seconds per side. Don't overheat — skirt steak dries out fast.
- Rebuild the plate fresh: pico, guacamole, sour cream, and cilantro should always go on cold, right before serving.