The Food Lab: How to Make the Best Carne Asada

Regardless of the exact flavors I ended up using in my recipe, we can all agree on a few things here. Great carne asada should taste, first, of the beef. It should be buttery, rich, and juicy, with a charred, smoky flavor. It should be tender enough to fill a taco or burrito, but substantial enough to be served as a steak. Finally, the marinade should have a good balance of flavors, with no single ingredient overwhelming any other.