Ay yi yi, this recipe is Muy Bueno! Making the best Carne Asada tacos ever, in no time flat AND having spare time to celebrate Cinco de Mayo with your friends and family… What can be better? Not much in my book except maybe a super cold cerveza!
The term Carne Asada translates to “grilled meat”.
Hold on to your sombrero because this ex Cali girl has been searching high and low for a scrumcious Carne Asada recipe and I found it! Cinco de Mayo has always been celebrated in our home since I grew up with it as part of the California scene. It’s approached with gusto as our family anticipates tacos, guacamole, enchiladas, margaritas and the like. We are a family of celebrators and most “food” holidays aren’t missed.
If you can’t tell, I adore Mexican food and truly enjoy preparing it. Living in Middle Tennessee doesn’t exactly bring to mind cervezas and street tacos (but Uncle Julio’s restaurant does make me swoon). We have some amazing restaurants mind you, but nothing like I remember from being a spoiled southern California gal. Mexican food was delicious, authentic and plentiful then we moved and I found a vast difference in others preparation of the unique flavors I was accustomed to.
I’ve tried many Carne Asada recipes and they’ve ranged from “meh” to “ok” but this particular Instant Pot recipe hit the nail on the head. ¡Ay Caramba! It’s good!! Plus I get to use my favorite kitchen cooker the Instant Pot. I think what really set this recipe apart from the others is that the Instant Pot took a tough cut of meat like skirt steak and turned it into a flavorful cut of meat reminiscent of a filet mignon texture. Super soft and fall apart good!
Keep in mind this IS an INSTANT POT recipe so there’s no grill on the meat, but if you’re like me (no time in my day as a busy homesteader with lots of livestock to care for) then that’s a small price to pay for a quick taste of my favorite flavors!
So let’s just dive in shall we? Here’s the recipe I used and if you scroll down past the recipe you will see the video of how I made it and the taco shells. ¡Buen Apetito!
A melt in your mouth recipe that brings all the flavors of a Mexican Carne Asada taco to you!
- 2 pounds skirt steak sliced into 1/4" pieces
- 1/2 cup spanish onion finely chopped
- 1/2 cup pico de gallo
- 1/4 cup lime juice fresh squeezed
- 1/4 cup lemon juice fresh squeezed
- 1/4 cup orange juice fresh squeezed
- 2 tbs soy sauce or tamari
- 2 tbs avocado oil
- 2 tbs apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbs chile powder
- 6 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/4 cup spanish onions for topping chopped
- fresh cilantro for topping chopped
- 1 pkg corn tortillas
- Extras sour cream, guacamole, green onions, grated cheddar cheese
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In a medium mixing bowl, combine all the fresh juices, apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, chopped garlic, salt, chile powder, cumin and cayenne powder. {And yes, CHILE powder... "Chili" powder has other ingredients. "Chile" powder is only ground chile peppers}.
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Place sliced steak into bowl and let marinate, refrigerate for 3 hours. To easily slice the steak: partially freeze the steak and then slice 1/4 thick with a sharp knife.
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Turn your Instant Pot on to Sauté mode. Add the avocado oil and 1/2 cup of onions and sauté for 2 minutes being sure to stir a few times.
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Turn off your Instant Pot.
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Add the steak *Marinade and all* to your Instant Pot, close the lid and set to Meat/Stew mode. Adjust the time to 6 minutes.
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Once the time is up, let the pressure release NATURALLY for 15 minutes. Then you can release any remaining pressure. Remove the lid and transfer the steak and onions to a bowl.
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Mix your chopped cilantro with the other 1/4 cup of onions for topping your tacos.
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Heat your corn tortillas (see video), then add the finished steak and onion cilantro combination along with your pico de gallo, some guacamole, cheese and sour cream or whatever floats your boat. Enjoy!
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I reserve the juices and freeze for later to use as a taco soup base!
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If you REALLY need that grilled flavor, after marinating your steak, you could set your Instant Pot to "saute", add a splash of oil and put the meat in for a bit of caramelzation first, remove from the pot and then proceed with the recipe.
What’s your favorite Cinco de Mayo food?
**edited 10/18 to include Pinterest graphic. Feel free to share!
My favorite Cinco De Mayo food is margaritas. 😁 Oh, wait….that’s a beverage. Okay then, I’d have to say Carnitas or Carne Asada, with plenty of chips, salsa and guacamole on the side.
I’m right there with you Cindy!!
Best. Carne Asada. Ever. I can’t stress this enough!! It’s pure love wrapped in a corn tortilla. Pure. Unadulterated. Love. 🌮🌮🌮
UPDATE: I made it myself this time. The hardest part was squeezing the citrus for juice… super simple to follow, not a lot of hassle and the ingredients are almost always readily available. I marinated over night, the flavor is incredible, but be prepared… it falls apart like a $2 lawn chair! But with a much tastier outcome. Next time I may try it in the cast iron skillet for a little extra crunch! 😉
I’m a big fan of Trader Joe’s Chile Lime Seasoning Blend (and I had it on hand), it was amazing! Really amplified them citrus. I would recommend it if you’re able to get your hands on it. Either way, it’s the most amazing Carne Asada on the planet!
This morning I’m enjoying Carne Asada mixed with egg whites…heavenly!! Later, I’ll freeze the remaining juice for Taco Soup. This recipe is the gift that keeps on giving!! Thanks, Niki Dee!! 😘
I’m so happy that it came out well for you! It’s SO addicting! Thanks for reminding me never to buy a cheap lawn chair…
Does the marinade go into tje instant pot for the cook as well?
Great question! I didn’t quite make that clear did I? Yes indeed, after you saute the onion, put in the steak – marinade and all and continue on with step 5 of the recipe. Thanks for asking and hope you enjoy!
I wish you would have updated the recipe instructions. I didn’t see this until after I dumped the marinade after adding the meat to the instant pot. Hope it still turns out ok.
Oh Ron I am So very sorry. New blogger lesson learned. You are right and your wish has been my command! Thanks to you this oversight has been cleared up and the recipe now indicates to add “marinade and all”. Thanks for your prompting and for trying the recipe.
I made this and used it for Super Nachos. Amazing! Will use again and again!
I’m so happy you enjoyed it!
Where does the pico de gallo go? In with the meat to cook? Or is it a topping?
Have you ever frozen this and then cooked it? Like put it all in freezer bag, freeze. Then cook in instant pot or crock pot from frozen?
Thanks for asking. The pick de gallo is indeed a topping. Interesting idea about freezing. I haven’t done it but I love the idea! If you experiment with freezing please be sure to come back and let us know the results! Whenever I mention to my family I’m making this recipe they EXPECT to eat it the same day 🤣
How much Chile powder?
1 Tablespoon. Hope you enjoy the recipe!
Would love to double this! Do you have an idea on the correct proportions and cooking time?
Thanks for your question Austin,
If you go to the recipe on 5 Dog Farm you will find that you can adjust the servings by clicking the up or down arrow. The ingredient amounts will change according to the servings you choose.
Before you even get started cooking, you’ll want to make sure that the recipe you intend to double, in this case Carne Asada, can fit in your pressure cooker. Do NOT go over your IP’s max fill line.
Pressure cooking cooks each piece of food equally. That means that each piece of beef (be it 12 pieces or 35) will require the same cooking time. So the general rule of thumb is to not increase the pressure cooking time.
Again be sure to NotOverfill – Overfilling may clog the Pressure Release Valve and develop excess pressure and Do not fill the unit over 2/3 full.
With those safety measures in mind, I wish you much luck and tasty eating! Niki
This recipe does not make true carne asada; it actually turns out more like a pot roast. Ditch the whole instapot or crock pot method and barbecue the meat, it is far more authentic and will give you the proper char flavor profile.
I’m sorry this recipe didn’t suit you needs or taste but it sound like you have a very special one you love and that’s GREAT!
In response to your second comment:
In the blogging world there are those of us that choose to moderate our blogs. What this means is, before a comment can be posted it must be read by the administrator of the blog then either; approved/trashed/spammed. I choose this method because this is a family oriented blog and I don’t want advertisements for inappropriate products or websites, expletives or other non family friendly content posted. There are even commenters who are abusive to the blogger and in this turbulent world, hate is a terrible commodity.
Your posts were held in moderation until I viewed them and approved them which was today. You see, I blog for enjoyment and at my leisure. There are 3 generations of us setting up a 60 acre farm from raw land, meaning we are creating all the infrastructure from power to water, from housing to livestock buildings – all being designed and brought to life by my family and myself. I am the only full timer on the farm so my days run from 7:30 am to approximately 8 – 10pm depending on the farm workload.
I believe in family first and phones second. So, when it is busy here at the farm (as it has been) the needs of family and farm are first. There was a break in my day today so I checked my emails (yup, I don’t check emails daily and probably never will). Today is the day I saw and approved your comment. Good news is there are tens of thousands of bloggers on the internet and I’m sure you will find just the right one to enjoy. Best wishes to you and thanks for giving this little blog a try.
This site is rigged to only post positive ratings. I left a critique of the cooking method for this recipe and it was not posted. I guess the host can’t handle it.
Juan
Please see my response to your upset above.
In case this response is missed I will attach to the second of two comments, this being the second comment:
In the blogging world there are those of us that choose to moderate our blogs. What this means is, before a comment can be posted it must be read by the administrator of the blog then either; approved/trashed/spammed. I choose this method because this is a family oriented blog and I don’t want advertisements for inappropriate products or websites, expletives or other non family friendly content posted. There are even commenters who are abusive to the blogger and in this turbulent world, hate is a terrible commodity.
Your posts were held in moderation until I viewed them and approved them which was today. You see, I blog for enjoyment and at my leisure. There are 3 generations of us setting up a 60 acre farm from raw land, meaning we are creating all the infrastructure from power to water, from housing to livestock buildings – all being designed and brought to life by my family and myself. I am the only full timer on the farm so my days run from 7:30 am to approximately 8 – 10pm depending on the farm workload.
I believe in family first and phones second. So, when it is busy here at the farm (as it has been) the needs of family and farm are first. There was a break in my day today so I checked my emails (yup, I don’t check emails daily and probably never will). Today is the day I saw and approved your comment. Good news is there are tens of thousands of bloggers on the internet and I’m sure you will find just the right one to enjoy. Best wishes to you and thanks for giving this little blog a try.
Reply
Wow, Juan, that was kind of uncalled-for. I also moderate comments on my blog, and because I’m busy with many other things, I don’t always get right to reading them. I’m sure it’s the same for Niki. As for your first comment, I agree that cooking the meat over an open flame (grill) will give it a nice flavor, but for the purposes of an extremely busy homesteader, cooking in an Instant Pot (set and forget) makes a reasonable alternative. If you really must have the crispy bits, put in under a broiler for a few minutes. Or, cook it on a grill. Whatever floats your boat. 😊
Very well said….
I love the recipe! Super simple to follow and tastes great!
Been following you since the beginning and I appreciate you sharing your journey through homesteading!
Obviously your blog is starting to get pretty big if you’re getting haters 💁🏼♀️ But joking aside, keep the recipes coming, they make my stomach happy! Ha ok guess I had to end on another joke!
Glad you like the recipes. It’s fine not to as well! But there’s never a need to imply poor intentions regarding a blogger and their busy lifestyle. Like it – don’t like it… just be polite and patient.
Juan you are very rude… There are quite a few of us who have dual income households or are just very busy in life. Not everyone has the time to grill their meat. Yes it would add a great flavor ( so you aren’t wrong there), but this is a great easy way for a family or person(s) on the go to get great tasting food of any kind. Try thinking outside of the box, there is more than 1 correct way to do just about everything.
This was delicious!! I loved all the citrus. It added a nice brightness to the meat. I did use chili powder instead of chile powder because it’s all I had, but it was still wonderful! I’ll have to get some chile powder for the next time I make it. Thanks so much for sharing this!
Thanks for letting us know that either chili/chile powder worked! So happy you enjoyed it😀
I made this tonight! Yummy 😋 Please share your recipe for taco soup, I would love to give it a try.
Thank you Bonita! I will be sure to make a video for the soup!
I made enchiladas with the left over Carne Asada, and served it with fresh mango sticky rice. Oh my, yummy!
P
What a delicious combination!
What exact chilE powder did you use and where do you buy it? I’m not finding it at my stores. Thanks!
I purchase an organic brand found on Amazon. It’s called Simply Organic: https://amzn.to/2WiPZ3W
Thanks for asking. Enjoy!!
When I got my new Instant Pot I searched high and low for recipes to try, and I decided upon this one due to the high ratings. While I appreciate the enthusiasm and the work that went into creating this post, I just cannot recommend this recipe. Like someone else stated, it comes out like pot roast, and with an odd, too-citrusy flavor that is not very palatable. The meat was tender, but doesn’t resemble the taste or texture of any carne asada I’ve ever had, and I’ve lived in Los Angeles for over 25 years and eaten tons of it. To be fair, I suppose one wouldn’t expect meat made in an Instant Pot to taste like it was grilled, but to call this “carne asada” is a misnomer. My partner and I are trying to finish it since it was such an expensive dish to make (well over $30 for the meat and other ingredients for the marinade that I didn’t have on hand), but despite slowly warming the leftovers in the oven and searing them in a cast iron skillet to try to get more of a grilled meat experience, the taste and texture of the meat just isn’t right for carne asada, and honestly, the meat just does not taste very good. Sorry to leave a negative review, but this is my honest assessment.
I appreciate your candor and the thoughtful way you voiced your opinion. I agree that an Instant Pot is not the place to go for truly grilled anything. Recipes don’t always appeal to all tastes and I’m sad to hear that the flavors in this one left you unhappy. I truly hope you find a delicious grilled carne asada recipe and have much enjoyment from it! If you do find a grilled recipe you like, please feel free to come back and share. We are a foodie household and always love trying something new. Thank you for trying the recipe.
This sounded wonderful, and we LOVE carne asada, but it was way too citrusy and the meat was mush. I even tried sauteing it to crisp it up but that did not go well…turned into a big mushy mess. We ate some of it with ALOT of toppings…but threw most of it away. Sorry, I’ve liked the other recipes I’ve tried from your blog, but this was not a keeper.
I think it’s time for me to retest this recipe. Thank you SO much for telling me. I never want to put out a poor recipe and while I understand that we all have different tastes, I’m beginning to think this needs a critical eye (and taste). SO I’m going to put a note on the post asking for folks to hold off on trying this recipe while I tinker with it and then post an edit as I figure out what’s going on here. I really appreciate you input!
While this isn’t like traditional carne asada, my husband and I enjoyed this recipe mainly for the fact that it’s something different to throw into our rotation and it’s an easy weeknight dinner. I thought it was flavorful…not too citrusy for me but then again I love citrus. The meat was really tender. I would recommend others try it once…you never know unless you try! Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for your comment and trying the recipe. It’s true all tastes are different and just like you… I love citrus too!