Colombian Carne Asada
Grilled beef marinated in citrus, garlic, and cumin with Colombian flair. Tender, charred, and bursting with flavor in under an hour.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Servings
- 4
- Calories
- 408
- Protein
- 48g
Ingredients
- ½ cup fresh lime juice
- ½ cup fresh orange juice
- 6 whole garlic cloves, peeled
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 pounds beef sirloin or flank steak
Instructions
- 1
Mince the garlic until the pieces are smaller than a grain of rice—about the size of pencil-tip dots—so they distribute evenly in the marinade.
- 2
Pour the lime juice, orange juice, minced garlic, cumin, olive oil, salt, and pepper into a large bowl and stir vigorously for 30 seconds until well combined.
- 3
Pat the beef dry with paper towels, then place it in a large zip-lock bag or shallow dish and pour the entire marinade over it, turning the meat to coat all sides.
- 4
Seal the bag or cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 8 hours—longer marinating time means more tender, flavorful beef.
- 5
Remove the beef from the refrigerator 15 minutes before grilling so it reaches closer to room temperature and cooks more evenly.
- 6
Preheat the grill to medium-high heat (you should be able to hold your hand 6 inches above the grates for only 3–4 seconds before it feels too hot).
- 7
Remove the beef from the marinade, letting excess drip back into the bowl, and place the meat directly on the hot grill grates.
- 8
Grill for 5–7 minutes without moving the meat, until the underside develops dark brown char marks and releases easily when you lift the edge with tongs.
- 9
Flip the meat and grill the second side for 5–7 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 130°F on a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part (for medium-rare).
- 10
Transfer the beef to a cutting board and let it rest undisturbed for 5–10 minutes so the juices redistribute throughout the meat and it stays juicy when sliced.
- 11
Slice the beef against the grain (perpendicular to the direction the muscle fibers run) into 0.5-inch-thick strips, using a sharp knife and steady downward pressure.
Tools you’ll need
- large bowl
- zip-lock bag or shallow dish
- charcoal or gas grill
- grill tongs
- meat thermometer
- cutting board
- sharp carving knife
- paper towels
Cook smarter
Get matched recipes for what’s in your fridge
CookSnap is a free iOS app that finds real recipes from the ingredients you already have. No more grocery-list aspirations.
