🇲🇽 Mexican Cuisine · Main Dishes

Carne Asada

Prep

15 mins

Cook

10 mins

Serves

4

Difficulty

Easy

Skirt steak marinated in citrus, garlic, and spices, grilled over high heat and sliced thin for tacos or burritos.

Ingredients

  • 700g white fish fillets
  • 400g bolillo rolls
  • 1 tbsp rehydrated dried chilies
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/4 cup lard
  • 200g ripe tomatoes
  • a handful of fresh epazote, chopped
  • Mexican crema, to taste
  • 400ml chicken stock
  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika

Instructions

  1. 1

    Pat the pork shoulder dry, season generously with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika, and let it sit for a few minutes to absorb the flavors.

  2. 2

    Heat olive oil in a wide pan or heavy pot over medium-high heat and sear the pork shoulder until browned on all sides, then remove and set aside.

  3. 3

    In the same pan, gently cook the rehydrated dried chilies and minced garlic over medium heat until softened and fragrant, about 4-5 minutes.

  4. 4

    Stir in the ground cinnamon and avocado, cooking for a few more minutes so the spices bloom and coat the vegetables.

  5. 5

    Return the pork shoulder to the pan, pour in the beef stock, and bring everything to a gentle simmer.

  6. 6

    Cover and cook over low heat until the pork shoulder is tender and cooked through, roughly 10 mins.

  7. 7

    Stir in the toasted pumpkin seeds, taste, and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.

  8. 8

    Scatter over the oregano and serve hot alongside corn tortillas.

Tips

Avoid crowding the pan when searing the pork shoulder; work in batches so it browns instead of steaming.

For deeper flavor, marinate the pork shoulder for at least an hour — or overnight — before cooking.