Carne Asada

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 - 2 lbs. skirt steak

• 1/2 of a 12 oz. Mexican beer

• 1/4 bunch cilantro, stems and all

• 1 small onion, quartered

• 4 cloves garlic

• 1 tbsp. red chili powder

• salt & pepper

Instructions

1. Puree the beer, cilantro, onion, garlic, red chili powder, salt, and pepper together in a blender. Prick the skirt steak all over with a fork (this helps tenderize the steak and will allow the marinade to penetrate into the meat). Place the steak in a gallon zip top bag and cover with half of the marinade. Seal the bag and work the marinade around the steak, making sure it is well covered. Reserve the other half of the marinade to baste the skirt steak while it cooks. Place in refrigerator for 4-5 hours before cooking.

2. When ready to cook the Carne Asada, build a two-zone fire. Place the steak on the hot side of the fire and cook medium to medium well. I know this may sound like blasphemy to cook a steak to this degree of doneness, but it will be the most tender when cooked to this temperature. (If it is underdone or overdone, it will be tough.)

3. Once the steak is cooked, let it rest for at least 10 minutes and slice against the grain.

4. Serve with your favorite sides and fresh tortillas. Enjoy!

Thank you to Arturo and Wrenn Pacheco for sharing your recipe and pictures. Arturo and Wrenn are custom grazers located in the Flint Hills of Kansas. Their grazing operation consists of grazing double stock steers and custom heifer development for their clients. Arturo has his PhD in ruminant nutrition and owns and operates his own nutrition consulting business, Pacheco Cattle Services. Wrenn is a professional photographer and operates Wrenn Bird Photography. Together they have two little cowboys, Leo and Ross. You can find more of their recipes at cookingwiththecowboy.com.

The following article has been translated into Spanish: