Classic Carne Asada (Gluten Free)
Classic Carne Asada (Gluten Free) is all about tender, flavorful beef marinated in a vibrant blend of fresh citrus and spices. There’s no single “correct” combination of ingredients, so feel free to make it your own. While carne asada is often sliced and tucked into tacos or fajitas, it’s just as delicious served on its own as a satisfying steak dinner, fork and knife optional! This version delivers a bright, citrusy pop balanced with layers of delicious spice, making every bite full of flavor.
Jump to RecipeIngredients
Organize the ingredients – skirt steak, orange juice, lemon juice, lime juice, cilantro, gluten free soy sauce, garlic, chili powder, ground cumin, paprika, smoked paprika, black pepper, cayenne, dried oregano, and olive oil.
Making the Marinade
Place orange juice, lemon juice, lime juice, cilantro, soy sauce, garlic, chili powder, cumin, paprika, black pepper, smoked paprika, cayenne, and oregano in a large glass or ceramic bowl*. (Large enough to fit the steak.) Mix ingredients to combine. Then slowly whisk in olive oil until well combined. Before placing the steak into the marinade remove 1/2 cup of the marinade and either keep it in the measuring cup or place in a small bowl and cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.
*Do not use a metal bowl because the acid in citrus juice reacts with metals and can impart a bitter, metallic taste to the food!!
Prepping the Steak: To Tenderize or Not to Tenderize?
If you prefer to tenderize your skirt steak, go for it! Cover the steak with plastic wrap and gently pound it with the smooth side of a meat mallet or a rolling pin until it’s about ¼ inch thick. Then, use a fork to pierce the steak all over on both sides.
Personally, I usually skip these steps. Most of the skirt steak I buy is already tender enough (and, honestly, sometimes I’m just feeling lazy! 😉). But every once in a while, I come across a tougher-than-expected cut. Case in point: a batch of skirt steak I once bought at Costco that was surprisingly tough.
The bottom line? Tenderizing is entirely up to you. If your skirt steak looks and feels tender, you can skip the extra steps. If you’re concerned it might be tough, a little tenderizing may be worth the effort.
Whether you decide to tenderize or not, it’s best to cut the steak into 5”-6” pieces for more manageable grilling (See above photo.) Place steak in the marinade in the large bowl, cover, and marinate in the refrigerator for 2-8 hours.
Grilling the Steak
Remove steak and 1/2 cup reserved marinade from the refrigerator one hour prior to grilling the steak. When ready to cook the meat, preheat grill to medium-high heat and lightly oil or spray the grates. Discard the remaining marinade that the steak was in. Cook steak for 4 minutes on the first side and 3 minutes on the other side for medium-rare. Total cook time 7 minutes. Cooking times may vary due to the thickness of the skirt steak and the flame on your grill. If unsure about cooking times, it’s best to use a thermometer. You’ll want to remove the steak when internal temperature is 128 degrees for medium rare and remember the steak will continue to cook a couple of degrees when removed from the grill.
Final Steps
Remove steak from grill and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing across the grain. Slice across the grain into 1/4-1/2″ slices.
Classic Carne Asada (Gluten Free)
Place on a serving platter and pour the reserved, unused marinade over top. Serve immediately. Garnish with jalapeño slices and lime and orange wedges. If desired serve with avocado, chopped tomatoes, and extra cilantro.
Classic Carne Asada (Gluten Free)
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs. skirt steak (hangar or flank steak could also be used), if using skirt steak cut into 5”-6” pieces for more manageable grilling
- 2/3 cup orange juice freshly squeezed (i bought fresh squeezed OJ at the market)
- 1/4 cup lemon juice freshly squeezed (1-2 lemons)
- 3 tablespoons lime juice freshly squeezed (1-2 limes)
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro mostly leaves, rough chopped
- 1/4 cup gluten free soy sauce I use San-J
- 2 cloves garlic minced, pressed or grated
- 1/2 tablespoon chili powder
- 1/2 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1/2 tablespoon ground paprika
- 1/2 tablespoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika combined with a pinch of cayenne or 1/2 teaspoon finely chopped canned chipotle pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- Garnish with jalapeños, lemon, lime, and/or orange wedges or slices.
Instructions
Marinating the Steak
- Mix together orange juice, lemon juice, lime juice, cilantro, soy sauce, garlic, chili powder, cumin, paprika, black pepper, smoked paprika, cayenne and oregano in a large glass or ceramic bowl. (Large enough to fit the steak.) Do not use a metal bowl because the acid in citrus juice reacts with metals and can impart a bitter, metallic taste to the food!
- Then slowly whisk in olive oil until well combined. Before placing the steak into the marinade remove 1/2 cup of the marinade and either keep it in the measuring cup or place in a small bowl and cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.
Prepping the Steak: To Tenderize or Not to Tenderize?
- If you prefer to tenderize your skirt steak, go for it! Cover the steak with plastic wrap and gently pound it with the smooth side of a meat mallet or a rolling pin until it’s about ¼ inch thick. Then, use a fork to pierce the steak all over on both sides.Personally, I usually skip these steps. Most of the skirt steak I buy is already tender enough (and, honestly, sometimes I’m just feeling lazy! 😉). But every once in a while, I come across a tougher-than-expected cut. Case in point: a batch of skirt steak I once bought at Costco that was surprisingly tough.The bottom line? Tenderizing is entirely up to you. If your skirt steak looks and feels tender, you can skip the extra steps. If you’re concerned it might be tough, a little tenderizing may be worth the effort.Whether you decide to tenderize or not, it's best to cut the steak into 5”-6” pieces for more manageable grilling. Place steak in the marinade in the large bowl, cover, and marinate in the refrigerator for 2-8 hours.
Cooking the Steak
- Take steak and 1/2 cup of reserved marinade out of the refrigerator one hour prior to grilling the steak. When ready to cook, preheat grill to medium-high heat and lightly oil or spray the grates.
- Remove steak from the marinade and place onto the grill. Discard the remaining marinade the steak was in.
- Cook steak for 4 minutes on the first side and 3 minutes on the other side for medium-rare. Total cook time 7 minutes. Cooking times may vary due to the thickness of the skirt steak and the flame on your grill. If unsure about cooking times, it's best to use a thermometer. You'll want to remove the steak when internal temperature is 128 degrees for medium rare and remember the steak will continue to cook a couple of degrees when removed from the grill.
- Remove steak from grill and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing across the grain.
- Place on a serving platter and pour the reserved, unused marinade over top. Serve immediately. Garnish with jalapeño slices and lime and orange wedges. If desired serve with avocado, chopped tomatoes, and extra cilantro.
Notes
Recipe is from Allrecipes.com with modifications made by me.
If you like this recipe, you may also like these other GFchow recipes. Love Me Tender London Broil, Shawarma-Spiced Grilled Lamb, and Grilled Flank Steak and Scallions with Soy-Mirin Sauce.
GLUTEN FREE DISCLAIMER
The recipes you find here are considered by me to be gluten free. However, it is up to you to make sure the ingredients you use are gluten free. Whenever possible, I will list specific brands of ingredients that I use, but always be sure to check the labels yourself to verify the item is gluten free.
