Sonoran-style grilled beef, thin-sliced skirt or flank cooked hard over mesquite until charred at the edges, then chopped and folded into tacos or a giant flour tortilla.

Carne asada is the heart of Sonoran ranch cooking, where families grilled thin-cut beef over mesquite for tacos, burros and weekend cookouts. Arizona inherited the tradition directly from northern Sonora, and the Valley's neighbourhood grills built their names on it. The best versions char the beef over open flame and serve it with the region's oversized flour tortillas, salsa and grilled onions.

Where to eat Carne asada in Phoenix

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Make it at home

Serves 41 hrEasy

Ingredients

  • 700g skirt or flank steak
  • Juice of 2 limes and 1 orange
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp salt, half tsp black pepper
  • Half a bunch of cilantro, chopped
  • Flour tortillas, salsa and grilled onions to serve

Method

  1. Mix the citrus juice, garlic, salt, pepper and cilantro and marinate the steak for 30 to 45 minutes, no longer or the acid toughens it.
  2. Heat a grill or cast-iron pan as hot as it will go, ideally over mesquite or charcoal.
  3. Pat the steak dry and grill 2 to 3 minutes per side for medium-rare, looking for a hard char.
  4. Rest the steak 5 minutes, then slice against the grain and chop into rough cubes.
  5. Warm flour tortillas on the grill until just blistered.
  6. Pile the chopped beef into tortillas with salsa and grilled onions.

Editor tip. Get the grill hot enough to char the edges fast; carne asada wants smoke and a hard sear, not a slow cook.