Start your dinner off right by starting it around lunch. This slow-cooker carne asada recipe is perfect for the days when you’re around the house, checking off your cleaning list or binging Netflix. You don’t need to fuss over it, but you get to be around to smell the steak becoming one with oranges, limes, herbs, spices and beer. A truly magical thing, as most slow-cooker recipes are.
Slow-Cooker Carne Asada Ingredients
- Olive oil
- Beef flank steak
- Onion
- Garlic
- Mexican beer
- Orange juice
- Lime juice
- Cider vinegar
- Soy sauce
- Chili powder
- Smoked paprika
- Salt
- Pepper
- Corn tortillas
- Optional toppings: pico de gallo, crumbled Cotija cheese, cubed avocado and fresh cilantro leaves
Directions
Step 1: Brown the steak
In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Brown the steak on each side to give it color and extra flavor. Transfer the steak to a 3- or 4-quart slow cooker.
Editor’s Tip: The best way to get perfectly browned meat is to pat the raw meat completely dry with a paper towel and then let it rest at room temperature for 40 to 45 minutes before putting it on the heat.
Step 2: Make the marinade
Leave the remaining oil in the skillet and add the onion and garlic. Stir until crispy and tender, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add the beer and cook for 30 seconds, stirring to loosen the browned bits from the pan. Add the orange juice, lime juice, vinegar, soy sauce and seasonings and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil.
Step 3: Slow-cook
Carefully pour the mixture over the steak in the slow cooker crock. Set the slow cooker to low and cook, covered, for four to five hours, until the meat is tender.
Step 4: Slice and serve
Once it has finished cooking, lift the steak with tongs and let the juices drip into the slow cooker for a few seconds. Place the steak on a cutting board and slice it across the grain into thin strips. Put the sliced steak back in the slow cooker so it can soak up the cooking juices.
Serve the carne asada in tortillas with your favorite toppings.
Editor’s Tip: When cutting steak, we recommend a cutting board that has groves around the perimeter to catch any juice run-off. It’ll help keep your countertops clean.
How to Store Leftover Carne Asada
Put the beef and onions in an airtight container and top with the remaining juices. It should last in the refrigerator for three to four days.
How to Freeze Slow-Cooker Carne Asada
To freeze slow-cooker carne asada, put the beef and onions in a freezer container and top with the cooking juices. Let it cool before freezing. It should last in the freezer for around three months.
When you’re ready to eat the carne asada, first thaw it in the refrigerator for eight hours or overnight. Then heat it through in a covered saucepan, stirring gently. If it seems dry, add a bit of broth.
Slow-Cooker Carne Asada Tips
What is the best cut of meat for carne asada?
The best cut of meat for carne asada is flank steak, but skirt steak is a comparable cut that you can use instead.
Can you make gluten-free carne asada?
Yes, carne asada can be made gluten-free with a few simple swaps! Instead of soy sauce, use a gluten-free soy sauce, also known as tamari. Replace the beer with gluten-free cider, ginger ale, root beer, Coke or beef stock. If you’re serving the carne asada with tortillas, make sure to use corn tortillas and not flour tortillas.
How do you serve carne asada?
The best way to serve carne asada is with tortillas and your favorite taco toppings. We like to pile on pico de gallo, crumbled Cotija cheese, cubed avocado and fresh cilantro leaves. Diced white onions or charred scallions, radishes, sauteed bell peppers, fire-roasted corn, jalapenos, guacamole, and a big squeeze of lime all go well with carne asada, too.
While carne asada makes great taco meat, it also works on burrito bowls, taco salads, cilantro lime rice, nachos, in a quesadilla and even on fries! Serve it with a Mexican beer or a red wine like grenache or malbec.
