1-Step One: Prepare Your Marinade Start by gathering all your marinade ingredients and a large glass baking dish. Glass or ceramic containers work best because they won’t react with the acidic citrus juices. Using a glass dish also makes it easy to see when all ingredients are properly combined and the meat is fully coated. In your large glass baking dish, whisk together the minced jalapeño, minced garlic cloves, chopped cilantro, orange juice, lime juice, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, ground cumin, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Continue whisking until all ingredients are thoroughly combined and the mixture looks uniform. You’ll notice the marinade has a vibrant green color from the cilantro with beautiful golden undertones from the olive oil and citrus. For an even quicker preparation, consider blending all marinade ingredients in a food processor. This method creates a smoother consistency and distributes the flavors more evenly throughout the meat.

2-Step Two: Marinate Your Steak Add your skirt steak to the baking dish in a single layer, making sure each piece lies flat. Turn the steak carefully to coat all surfaces with the marinade. The citrus juices and vinegar will begin breaking down the meat fibers immediately, so every second counts toward building flavor and tenderness. Cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap or a lid and place it in your refrigerator. The minimum marinating time is 1 hour, but anywhere between 2 to 4 hours yields excellent results. Never exceed 8 hours of marinating time, as the acid will eventually break down the meat texture too much, resulting in mushy Carne Asada.

3-Step Three: Prepare Your Grill About 20 minutes before you’re ready to cook, remove the steak from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature. This step helps the meat cook more evenly. Cold meat straight from the refrigerator will seize up when it hits the hot grill, resulting in tougher texture. Preheat your outdoor grill to medium-high heat, targeting around 400-450°F. If you’re using a charcoal grill, arrange the coals to create a two-zone fire with one hot side for searing and one cooler side for finishing. This setup gives you more control over the cooking process and prevents burning. Clean your grill grates thoroughly and lightly oil them to prevent sticking. A clean, well-oiled grate also creates better grill marks and that gorgeous charred appearance that makes Carne Asada so visually appealing.

4-Step Four: Grill to Perfection Remove your steak from the marinade and let any excess drip off. Discard the used marinade immediately as it has been in contact with raw meat and could cause foodborne illness if reused. Pat the steak lightly with paper towels to remove excess moisture, which helps achieve better searing. Place the steak directly on the hot grill grates. For medium-rare results with an internal temperature of 130°F, grill for 7 to 10 minutes per side. For medium doneness reaching 140°F internally, extend the cooking time to 10 to 12 minutes per side. The exact timing depends on your grill’s heat intensity and the steak’s thickness. Listen for that satisfying sizzle when the meat hits the grates. You should see beautiful grill marks forming and smell that irresistible combination of citrus, garlic, and charred beef. Avoid the temptation to move the meat around too much, as this prevents proper caramelization.

5-Step Five: Rest and Slice Once your Carne Asada reaches the desired internal temperature, remove it from the grill and transfer it to a cutting board. Let the steak rest for a full 5 minutes before slicing. This resting period allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat rather than running out onto the cutting board. After resting, slice the steak thinly across the grain. This technique is crucial for tenderness, as cutting against the grain shortens the muscle fibers and makes each bite easier to chew. Look for the direction of the muscle fibers running through the meat and cut perpendicular to them.