Carne Asada-Style Flank Tacos
Back to Carne Asada-Style Flank Steak
Last updated
- Prep
- 20 min
- Bath
- 3 hours
- Total
- 3 hr 30 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
Main Coursebeeftacos
Ingredients
- 2 lb plain true flank steak in flat pieces within the guide’s thickness limits
- Salt and black pepper
- 3 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small garlic clove, finely grated
- 1/2 tsp ground chipotle chili
- 1/4 tsp ground cumin
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, plus more for serving
- 1 tbsp neutral oil for searing
- 12 small corn tortillas
- 1/2 small white onion, finely diced
Method
Prepare
- Confirm the flank cut, thickness, and starting conditions below. Keep each piece whole, season only with salt and pepper, and seal separately.
- Keep the lime, oils, garlic, and chili outside the bags; this recipe does not marinate the raw beef.
Cook
- Set the water bath to 131°F.
- Use true boneless flank steak in flat, intact pieces 1–1 1/8 inches thick, with two broad faces. Skirt, flap, bavette sold without a confirmed cut identity, and thin raw strips are excluded. This is carne asada-style steak with citrus added after cooking. Use plain, fully thawed, intact meat without injection, mechanical tenderizing, added solution, curing, brining, or marinade. Season with salt and pepper only. Keep oil, sauce, citrus, wine, and other finishing ingredients outside the pouch. Verify a 41°F starting temperature with a thermometer. Seal each piece separately without folding, rolling, tying, or overlap. Measure the thickest point after trimming; do not pound the meat. Fully submerge each sealed pouch in a verified, preheated circulating bath, leaving water space around every bag. Start timing at immersion and complete the full listed time without interruption. The listed time is the complete bath time, including heating. Do not add another heating interval or replace the timed method with a single center reading. Use clean utensils, discard all pouch liquid, and keep cooked food away from raw food, its juices, and used equipment. Dry the intact steaks and sear briefly in a very hot oiled skillet or on a hot grill. Slice thinly across the grain and dress with freshly made lime, cilantro, garlic, and chili sauce. Serve immediately without simmering the slices. These methods cover immediate service only. Frozen starts, chilling, storage, reheating, and holding need separate methods. Colder or unknown starts, thicker pieces, acidic raw-meat marinades, stuffed, folded, or stacked meat need another method. A long sear can firm the center beyond the selected result.
- Cook for 3 hours for each plain, intact true flank steak is 1–1 1/8 inches thick, flat with two broad faces, starting at a verified 41°F.
- Near serving time, whisk the lime juice, olive oil, garlic, chipotle, cumin, and cilantro in a clean bowl. Taste and season.
- Warm the tortillas and prepare the onion and extra cilantro.
Finish
- After the complete timed method, discard the pouch liquid and pat the whole steaks dry.
- Sear briefly in a very hot skillet with the neutral oil, turning to brown both faces without a prolonged cook.
Serve
- Slice thinly across the grain with a clean knife, then toss lightly with the fresh dressing.
- Fill the warm tortillas, add onion and cilantro, and serve immediately.
Want another texture or thickness?
The complete guide has all reviewed settings, safety context, and finishing options.