Carne asada street tacos are just one of the many culinary gifts from Mexico. We have several local tacquerias here that I would label authentic and I call myself lucky.
Learning to Love Tacos
Growing up in the heartland of America in the 60’s, Italian was the only known ethnic food, but that changed. A friend in the Navy returned from San Diego enamored with tacos and regaled us with tales of Mexican foods. Soon after Taco Bell opened locally, then other Tex-Mex restaurants and finally, 20 years later, real tacquerias. Life has never been the same!
Making Carne Asada Tacos
Flank steak is the traditional meat of choice, but today I’m using prime rib. It’s a better cut of beef, eliminates the need to marinate and I happen to have a large portion of leftovers. Turn it into that well-seasoned taco filling quickly and easily.
Make the pico de gallo in advance and refrigerate until ready to use Print
Pico de Gallo
Tomato, onion, jalapeno, cilantro marinated in fresh lime juice
Ingredients
- 2 roma tomatoes – seeded and diced
- 1/2 yellow onion – diced
- 2 small jalapenos – seeded and minced
- 1/3 cup cilantro – chopped
- 2 fresh limes – juiced
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients in a bowl, mix together and refrigerate in an air-tight container until ready to use
Slice and chop the prime rib.
Pan sear it in the spices until it’s medium well done with some crispy edges.
Lightly and quickly toast the tortillas in a skillet brushed in olive oil, set aside and keep warm, or, wrap the tortillas as a bunch in aluminum foil and warm in the oven.
Carne Asada Street Tacos
Juicy, well-seasoned, chopped prime rib on warm soft corn street tacos with pico de gallo.
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 15
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
Ingredients
- 12 oz prime rib
- 16 soft corn street tacos
- Olive oil
- 1–1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 clove garlic – minced
- 2 fresh limes – one halved, one quartered
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Pico de Gallo
- Tapatio salsa picante – on the side
Pico de Gallo
- 1 roma tomato – diced
- 1/4 yellow onion – diced – equal volume to the tomato
- 1 small jalapeno – seeded and diced
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro – to taste
- Freshly squeezed juice of 1/2 lime
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Slice and chop your prime rib and set aside
- Mix all the spices together in a small bowl and set aside
- Prepare your tortillas by toasting in a non-stick pan with a few drops of oil in batches until lightly browned on medium heat. Set them aside in a covered warm pan until ready to serve – or – wrap them all in aluminum foil and warm in the oven @ 350 for 15-20 minutes
- Pour a splash of olive oil into a saute pan and heat until shimmering
- Add the beef and the spices
- Stir until well combined
- Cook on medium high heat, turning with a spatula until it reaches medium well with some crispy edges
- Squeeze juice of the remaining half lime on the meat
- Assemble the tacos and plate with the pico de gallo and lime wedges
- Serve the pico de gallo, on the side with quartered limes and your favorite hot sauce
And just one more thing…
These go down particularly well with a Victoria, affectionately called a “Vickie” south of the border.
Made this for the 4th time tonight. It’s a family favorite. Rally enjoy your recipes