Carne asada, grilled meat, is all about flavor, flavor, and more flavor. To capture that authentic Mexican savoriness, you must have the perfect marinade and we’ve made it for you. Our keto carne asada marinade creates savory and tender pieces of beef without all the high carb ingredients used in typical marinades. After the marinade saturates and tenderizes the steak, we add another layer of taste by charring it. Carne asada is the tastiest meat that you’ll take off the grill this summer and you won’t believe how easy it is to make! I crave this meat all summer long and grill it up weekly.
Meat for Carne Asada
Even though carne asada translates to “grilled meat” it is commonly thinly sliced beef. The cuts of beef are usually around ¼”- ½” thick. Most Mexican grocery stores sell thinly sliced beef ready to marinade for carne asada but if you can’t find precut beef, it just takes one extra step to slice your own. I prefer slicing the beef before marinating and grilling. That way each slice delivers intense taste and a large surface area for charring. The cuts of steak typically used are flank steak, skirt steak, espaldilla or diesmillo. Espaldilla is boneless beef clod steak. Flat iron steak is a similar cut of meat as espaldilla and can be used for carne asada. Diesmillo is boneless beef chuck steak which is not as juicy or tender as espaldilla.
Keto Carne Asada Marinade
The marinade is what creates such a savory piece of meat. There are hundreds of ways to prepare authentic carne asada marinade as each cook has their own unique recipe. That being said, all of the carne asada recipes have key ingredients that make the steak so tender and flavorful: citrus, spices and oil. Citrus juices and tamari sauce tenderize and bring out a deep rich flavor in the meat. A spice blend of ground cumin, garlic powder, salt and crushed red pepper flakes season the steak to perfection.
How to Marinade Carne Asada
Blend all ingredients in a Zip lock bag or a glass casserole dish. Dip each slice of beef into the marinade making sure to cover the entire slice of beef. Soak the strips of meat in the refrigerator for 4-24 hours. I marinade one side of the meat for half the time then flip the meat in the zip lock bag or glass dish for the remaining time.
What to Serve with Carne Asada
The meat is so flavorful its usually eaten as is. I have been known to eat if right off the grill. Here are a other ideas of how to enjoy this tasty meat:
1. Make a side dish of cilantro lime cauliflower rice. Just add salt, cilantro and lime juice to cauliflower rice
2. Guacamole
3. Reverse taco- I wrap the carne asada around a grilled poblano pepper and shredded cabbage and eat it like a taco
4. Slice it into strips and use it for steak taco like our keto Mexican steak street tacos. Top it off with diced white onions, cilantro and a squirt of lime juice.
Keto Carne Asada
Ingredients
- 2-3 lb skirt steak or flank steak thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/3 cup tamari sauce or coconut aminos
- 1/3 white onion sliced
- 1.5 tsp minced garlic or 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 3 tbsp Golden Monkfruit Sweetener I use Lakanto
- 2 juice of limes or juice of 1 meyer lemon
- 1/2 tsp cumin ground
- 3/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 tsp kosher salt
Instructions
Carne Asada Marinade
- Place all ingredients into a mixing bow. Use the whisk attachment on a kitchen aide mixer or hand whisk to thoroughly mix all ingredients together
Marinate Meat
- Lay sliced steak into a glass dish or in a gallon size ziploc bag.
- Pour marinade over meat. Flip the steaks in the marinade to make sure fully coated.
- If using a glass dish cover with plastic wrap. For the ziploc bag, remove as much air as possible.
- Place meat with marinade in the refrigerator for at least 4 hrs but no longer than 24 hrs. I flip the meat in the marinade halfway through.
Grill Meat
- Remove meat from ziploc bag or glass container
- Discard remaining marinade
- add salt for desired taste
- Grill steak to your taste preference, about 3-5 minute per side
- Let the meat rest for 5-10 minutes
- Nutritional information: