TACOS!!! Who doesn't love em'? Well, actually I think it's more if you don't love them then what the hell is wrong with you. Growing up in Ireland there wasn't much Mexican cuisine readily available. Unless you can class some mincemeat (usually beef) with a jar of tomato sauce, a packet of "Mexican" seasoning, a little iceberg and some cheap grated cheese as Mexican cuisine. I certainly can't!! These steak tacos, done carne asada style are so damn good you will want them on the regular.
When I fell in love with tacos!
So when we moved to NY and realised that it was the Mexicans who kept every restaurant in NY operating. Doing a damn good job at it I might add. I fell in love with Mexican food as there were TONS of great eateries on every corner. My favourite taco at the time and one that still ranks pretty damn high on the list is the simple crispy fish taco. Some shredded cabbage - a taco staple, a little aioli and some pickled jalapeno and well you are onto a #winner.
The more we lived in NY and the more we ate out we got to taste some pretty exciting combinations. Things like lobster, octopus, royal trumpet mushrooms, beef heart & tongue ( not all together!) were some of the interesting proteins we found being used.
Where I ate great tacos in NYC
Places like Empellon, Tacombi, Salvation Taco and now Alta Calidad (owned and run by a great friend of mine in Brooklyn) are churning out quality, fresh and tasty Mexican food. It's no wonder I fell in love with the humble taco! Coupled with a spicy cucumber margarita, some guac and Mexican street corn make Mr & Mrs AnotherFoodBlogger happy campers. So, since leaving NY aside from the glorious bagels, cool hidden cocktail bars, the shopping (says the boss) tacos are one thing this household is certainly missing.
What is Carne Asada?
Getting straight to the point. For those of you who don't know, the definition of "carne asada" is grilled meat. The meat is marinated for a period of time typically in herbs, spices and some form of acidity. Then grilled, often basted and cut into strips. I find that cuts like hangar, skirt or flank work best in this type of preparation.
I hope you like my version of Carne Asada style steak tacos and I look forward to seeing your pics on insta so don't forget to tag me!
WINE PAIRING FOR STEAK TACOS
When it comes to these tacos that you can eat all day every day it's best to find a wine that invokes the same feeling. WELL, my boy Dan from winedirect.com.au came through with the goods again!! This wine is one of those. Retailing at (usually $35) $25 a bottle there is no reason why this wine shouldn't be in your cellar!
The Chalk Hill Alpha Crucis GT (grenache tempranillo) is a light to medium-bodied wine that works beautifully with grilled meats and the kick of spice from the marinade and sliced jalapenos. TONS of juicy red fruit - I felt like I was out strawberry picking!! Cherry sherbert, nice floral notes and smooth tannins make this wine one that you can drink both with and without food. Which in this case is VERY important as these steak tacos won't last long on your plate 😉 My personal opinion of the wine is it's right there now for the drinking so pick up a 6pck and drink them over the next year. Simple!
Happy Cooking & Happy Eating Friends!!
Ingredients
- 8 small corn tortillas
- 1 lime cut into wedges
- 1 cup shredded red cabbage
- 2 radishes cut into matchsticks
- 1 jalapeno seeds removed and sliced into circles
Steak
- 500 g hangar steak
- 1 lime juiced
- 1/2 orange juiced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp cider vinegar
- salt
- pepper
- handful coriander chopped
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1-2 tsp chili flakes more if you like it spicy
Lemon mayonnaise
- 8 tbsp mayonnaise
- 1 lemon juiced
Instructions
- Combine all steak ingredients together and leave to marinate for up to 4hrs *see tips*
- Combine lemon mayonnaise ingredients, taste and adjust more lemon or mayo as necessary.
- When ready to serve rub the majority of marinade from the steak and grill on bbq for approx 5 - 6 mins each side on direct heat or until internal temperature is 58-60c for medium rare.
- Leave steak rest for 5 – 10 mins before slicing.
- Whilst steak is resting warm your tortillas in a frying pan. This takes about 15 – 20 seconds on each side.
Serving
- Cut steak into 2cm slices.
- Place small smear of mayo on tortilla and top with cabbage.
- Place rested steak on top of cabbage and top with radish, jalapeno & drizzle of lemon mayo.
- Serve lime on the side and allow your guests to squeeze.
Notes
Essential Tools
- ziplock bag
- chopping board
- sharp knife
- mixing bowl x 2
- frying pan
- bbq/grill pan
Tips/Tricks
- i find leaving the steak marinade for longer than 4hrs that the acids break down the texture of the steak so for me 2hrs was the best
- you could substitute skirt steak instead of hangar if not available
- read my article on resting meat here
Nutrition
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