This air fryer carne asada will surely change the way you make your carne asada! You will fall in love with the taste of it! It is extremely delicious, if you haven't tried it yet, now is the time to do so!
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IS CARNE ASADA HARD TO MAKE?
The answer to that question is pretty simple, no. It isn't hard to make it at all. All you need is some great marinade and some beef cuts. If you are having trouble deciding which steak to use, skirt steak is typically used to make carne asada.
However, flank steak (like the one used for this recipe), sirloin flap meat, or even trimmed brisket sliced into 1-inch thick cuts and thin strips are all good options. The important thing to remember is that the meat portion you use should be tasty, but not necessarily tender because the marinade will take care of that.
Plus, since this recipe is cooked in an air fryer, it becomes easier! This air fryer carne asada also cooks in just minutes! If you are planning to have guests over or want to throw a carne asada festival, consider allotting up to 1 pound of meat per guest to feed everyone. They will surely love this recipe!
BEST MARINADE FOR CARNE ASADA
Look no further because this is the best marinade for your carne asada. With this marinade, you will have juicy and tender steak. You are going to want it again and again. In addition to that, the marinade used in this recipe can also be used with different types of meat and not just only beef cuts.
Marinating your steak is advised since it gives your meat more flavor and suppleness. Lime juice, garlic, onion, and black pepper make a great marinade for carne asada. Other fruit juices, particularly fresh orange juice, which is a natural tenderizer, also perform well.
TIPS FOR THE BEST CARNE ASADA
If you want the best carne asada, follow these tips below:
- SLICING THE MEAT
Always cut meat against the grain while slicing it. In a flank steak and a skirt steak, the grain runs through the meat pretty clearly. It appears to be like lines. Always cut perpendicular to these lines, not parallel to them.
The grain gives the flesh a natural breaking point. If you cut against them, each piece will have a lot of breaking points, which will protect it from being rubbery.
- MARINATING
When soaking your meat cuts into the marinade, make sure to let it stay there for at least 8 hours. This will make the meat more flavorful and be more tender. You can also marinate it for 24 hours. Also remember not to marinate at room temp, always put it inside the fridge. The longer you marinate, the tastier it gets!
- STORING
If ever you have some carne asada leftovers, which I highly doubt, you can store them in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days. Be sure you transfer them in an air tight container – Ziploc or a Tupperware.
- REHEATING
You can reheat them in a pan with a bit of olive oil on the stove. Add the slices and cook, stirring occasionally, until the temperature reaches 140°F. Alternatively, reheat them at 350°F in an air fryer. Check them every 3 minutes or so until they've reached 140°F.
IS THE AIR FRYER A GREAT WAY TO COOK CARNE ASADA?
The air fryer is a great alternative to grilling your carne asada. Cooking this steak in the air fryer gives the meat a very nice texture. You wouldn't even know the difference. It also cooks a bit faster than with a grill. Not to mention, cooking in an air fryer is less complicated and just effortless.
WHAT ARE THE INGREDIENTS TO MAKE AIR FRYER CARNE ASADA?
To make this mouth-watering dish, you are going to need the following:
- Flank Steak
- Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice
- Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice
- Olive Oil
- Soy Sauce
- Finely Chopped Cilantro
- Brown Sugar
- Minced Garlic
- Ancho Chilies Powder
- Cumin Powder
- Dried Mexican Oregano
- Salt
- Black Pepper
HOW TO MAKE AN AIR FRYER CARNE ASADA
Now that you have gathered all of your ingredients for this air fryer carne asada recipe, it is time to make this yummy recipe. Follow the instructions below for the best results!
STEP ONE: PREPARE MARINADE
Grab all the ingredients needed to make the marinade. Put all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix them together.
Whisk until all the seasonings are fully blended together.
STEP TWO: PREPARE FLANK STEAK
If your flank steak is big and doesn't fit the air fryer basket, cut them into portions that will make them fit inside the air fryer. After that, transfer them to a shallow baking tray or you could also place them inside a big Ziploc.
Then, pour in the marinade that you made earlier.
Cover the shallow baking tray with some cling wrap and allow the flank steak to soak and marinate for at least 8 to 24 hours in the fridge.
STEP THREE: AIR FRY CARNE ASADA
Before cooking your steak, preheat your air fryer to 400F if applicable on the one you are using. Take out your flank steak from the fridge and place it inside the air fryer basket. Shake any excess marinade off when transferring to the basket.
Set the cooking time on your air fryer to 8 minutes for a rare cook on your carne asada. And 10 minutes for a medium rare cook on the steak.
STEP FOUR: SERVE
Once it is done cooking, remove it from the basket and allow the carne asada to cool for about 5 minutes or so before slicing it up.
When it's ready, slice into strips and serve immediately. This air fryer carne asada can be served with rice and beans, as tacos, or burritos. Enjoy!
AIR FRYER CARNE ASADA RECIPE CARD
Now that you know all about carne asada it is time to print the recipe or save the recipe. You can print off the complete ingredients and instructions for air fryer carne asada via the recipe card below.
If you don’t have time to print it off right now, no worries! Just save the pin to your Pinterest account by clicking the pin button located in the recipe card below.
If you make this recipe and LOVE it…please come back and leave a 5-star rating. It would mean so much to me!
Air Fryer Carne Asada is very yummy and easy to make! It is everything you want in a meat – juicy and tender!
- 1½ lbs. Flank Steak can use skirt steak too
- ½ cup Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice juice of 1 large orange
- ½ cup Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice juice of 3-4 limes
- ¼ cup Olive Oil
- 2 tablespoons Soy Sauce
- ½ cup Cilantro finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons Brown Sugar
- 1 tablespoon Garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon Ancho Chilies Powder
- 1 teaspoon Cumin Powder
- 1 teaspoon Dried Mexican Oregano
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Black Pepper
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In a bowl, combine all the ingredients under “Marinade”. Whisk well.
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Cut the flank steak into two to fit in the air fryer.
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Place the flank steak in a shallow baking tray. You can also place it in a zip top bag.
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Pour the prepared marinade over the steak and let it marinate for at least 8 hours up to 24 hours.
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If your make and model allow, preheat your air fryer to 400F.
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Shake off the marinade from the steaks and place them in the air fryer basket.
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Air fry for 8 minutes for a rare steak and 10 minutes for medium rare.
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Let the steak rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
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Slice against the grain and serve immediately.
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It is great on tacos or burrito or serve with rice and beans.
Recipe Video
Because flank steak or skirt steak is a tougher cut of meat, it is advisable to cook it rare or medium rare. Medium or well-done will make the steak very chewy.
If you liked this delicious recipe, be sure to check these other great recipes out:
- Weight Watchers Beef Enchilada Casserole
- Air Fryer Boneless Pork Chops
- Weight Watchers Mexican Chopped Salad
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A delicious, easy to make flank steak recipe.