Carne asada is a Mexican/Latin American dish of marinated beef that has been grilled and sliced. It can be served on its own or as part of another dish, such as these carne asada tacos or tucked inside a burrito, for example

What is the difference between steak and carne asada?

Carne asada is defined by the fact that it is marinated in a classic combination of spices and often beer, before being grilled and sliced. Various cuts of beef can be used to prepare carne asada, so while carne asada can be made from steaks - not all steaks are carne asada.

Is carne asada the same as ground beef?

Carne asada is prepared from larger cuts of beef, often skirt or flank steak, that has been marinated, grilled, and then sliced. So no, ground beef and carne asada are quite different from one another.

What type of meat do you use for carne asada?

I personally love to use skirt steak or flank steak when I prepare carne asada - whether on the grill or in the slow cooker, like we're doing in this recipe. But you can also use tri-tip or flap steaks, if you can find them.

New! Slow Cooker Carne Asada Tacos with Cilantro-Lime Cream

Slow Cooker Carne Asada Tacos with Cilantro-Lime Cream

Print Recipe

Inspired by the smoky, charred flavors of a classic grilled carne asada, this is a great way to approximate the real deal, right in your slow cooker. No grill or stovetop searing required (no need to dirty that pan), and a very straight-forward mix of spice drawer staples comes together to flavor the meat perfectly. Plus, we’re just going to cook the meat in beer, rather than a multi-ingredient list of things. It’s not necessary! The beer does the job beautifully. If you’re like me and don’t have a grill, this is a great way to enjoy tender slices of delicious “carne asada.”

Author: Lauren McDuffie
Yield: 4 servings 1x

Ingredients

Units Scale

2 pounds flank steak (can also use sirloin, hanger, or tri-tip)
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons chili powder
12–ounces beer (preferably not a dark one; beef stock can be subbed)
Tortillas (corn or flour – whichever you like)
Finely shredded red or green cabbage
Fresh or pickled onions, for serving
Crumbled Cotija or feta cheese
Fresh limes, for serving

For the cilantro-lime cream:

8 ounces sour cream
Juice of 1/2 lime
Salt, to taste
1 cup cilantro
1/2 large garlic clove

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Instructions

Combine the garlic powder, smoked paprika, onion powder, salt, pepper, cumin, and chili powder in a bowl.
Rub this mix all over the steak and place in the slow cooker. Add the beer (or stock) and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours, or until nice and tender. Or, 4 hours on high should do the trick. Remove to a cutting board and allow the meat to rest for 10 minutes before slicing against the grain.
To serve your tacos, pile some of the spiced, sliced steak onto your tortillas and top with some fresh or pickled onions, cabbage, some Cotija or feta, and some of the cilantro-lime cream.
To make the cilantro-lime cream: Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth and combined. Taste and season with a pinch of salt, if you like. If you need to add a tablespoon of water to thin it out a bit, that’s just fine, too.

Keywords: Slow Cooker Carne Asada Tacos

Find it online: https://mykitchenlittle.com/2020/05/24/slow-cooker-carne-asada-tacos/