Carne asada

Sounds difficult doesn't it?  You have seen it on menus and thought this was some tradition that was tightly held in the family vault?  It only means grilled meat.   Traditional carne asada that I can buy here in Mexico is very thin, and can be called names like skirt steak outside of Mexico.  The steak is almost always seasoned with a dry rub, then grilled over hot coals.  The steaks are usually cooked well-done, not rare or medium-rare.  As you can guess, the steaks cook very fast so are easy to over-cook if you don't keep an eye on them.  Many carne asadas are cooked then chopped into bits for taco filling.  They can also be served as a small steak with some guacamole, grilled onions, pineapple or a variety of other sauces.  I had one yesterday for breakfast that was served with a fried egg and sauce on top. 

Dry seasonings: there are several dry steak seasonings on the market that are wonderful and perfectly acceptable to use. The ingredients to look for are essentially what you like as there are no set rules to seasoning carne asada. If you want to make your own, the seasonings should include salt (non-iodized), ground black pepper, ground cumin, chile powder, ground Mexican oregano and garlic powder. If you have garlic salt, then just omit the regular salt. Lightly sprinkle the seasonings on both sides of the beef and rub in. Grill until the meat is done the way you like it, then remove from the grill and let it rest for 5 minutes. Chop the meat into small pieces and place in a bowl to keep warm.

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