Carne asada interprets to “grilled meat,” however we’re skirting the Spanish custom a bit with my crock pot carne asada recipe! No grill, however I promise, all of the flavors you’re keen on are there: Smoky spices and vivid citrus, soaked into juicy shredded steak. Solely 5 minutes to prep and ideal for tacos!

Whereas I generally have the time to hover over a pot on the stovetop cooking my carne guisada, set-it-and-forget-it dinners are my favourite on weeknights. Actually, nothing compares to the comfort of the crock pot! After falling in love with gradual cooker beef barbacoa, I got down to make genuine carne asada within the crock pot. This recipe combines flank steak with orange and lime juice, seasonings, and savory herbs in a flavorful, genuine, citrusy dish. Better of all, it’s able to prepare dinner in minutes.
What to Know About Crock Pot Carne Asada
- Savory citrus marinade. Like pork carnitas, my crock pot carne asada is seasoned with contemporary orange juice and lime juice. The flavors are candy, tangy, and a bit of spicy.
- 5 minutes to prep. Sear the steak and blend up the marinade, then mix all the pieces within the gradual cooker. Come again hours later to tender meat that’s able to shred.
- Excellent for taco night time. I like making crock pot carne asada within the colder months, when it isn’t precisely grilling climate. The shredded steak is juicy and flavorful, and tastes superb tucked into tortillas or rolled up inside beef enchiladas.

The Greatest Reduce of Beef to Use
My favourite minimize of beef for carne asada is flank steak. I exploit it for my authentic carne asada and Mojo carne asada recipes. You can even make this recipe with skirt steak or sirloin steak.

Carne Asada Marinade
The crock pot transforms cheap flank steak into moist, flavorful shredded carne asada. And it solely takes a couple of simple elements! Scroll all the way down to the printable recipe card for the total checklist with quantities.
- Spices – Chili powder, paprika, and cumin. You may substitute the person spices with a mix, like fajita spice or taco seasoning, should you’d like.
- Orange Juice – It’s finest if that is freshly squeezed (you’ll must squeeze about two oranges for ½ cup of juice). Valencia oranges are nice for juicing. Should you don’t have contemporary oranges, nonetheless, store-bought orange juice works. Attempt to purchase the type that isn’t from focus.
- Lime Juice – Squeezed from one lime. So significantly better than bottled!
- Herbs – Garlic cloves and dried oregano. Substitute ½ teaspoon of garlic powder or 1 tablespoon of jarred minced garlic per clove if wanted. I additionally prefer to have cilantro available for a garnish when serving.
Recipe Suggestions
- Don’t skip the sear! Searing the meat is fast and locks within the juices earlier than gradual cooking, for a extra flavorful completed steak.
- Citrus is crucial. Not solely does it play a key function within the flavors, however the orange and lime juice additionally assist tenderize the meat.
- Flip up the warmth. Mix chipotle peppers or jalapeños with the sauce elements for a spicy model.

Straightforward Crock Pot Carne Asada Tacos
My household’s favourite approach to eat gradual cooker carne asada is in tacos! I’ll serve it heat from the crock with flour or corn tortillas, and toppings like bitter cream, cilantro coleslaw, and lime wedges. Carne asada can be nice in taco bowls. Listed below are extra topping concepts:
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Sear the steak. Warmth olive oil in a big skillet over medium-high warmth. Pat the flank steak dry and season it with salt and pepper. Sear the steak, about 2 minutes per facet. Switch the steak to your crockpot.
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Mix the sauce. Add chilli powder, paprika powder, cumin powder, orange juice, lime juice, garlic, and oregano to a small blender. Mix till nicely mixed.
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Mix and prepare dinner. Pour the sauce over the meat. Cowl and prepare dinner the flank steak on the LOW setting for 8 hours.
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Shred. As soon as the flank steak is cooked, take away it from the crock pot and shred it with two forks. Return it to the crock pot and toss the meat with the leftover juices.
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Serve. Serve the carne asada heat with tortillas, lime wedges, and chopped cilantro.
- As an alternative of flank steak, you should utilize skirt steak or high sirloin steak.
- Be sure you sear your meat earlier than cooking. Searing the meat locks in all of the juices and taste.
- Don’t skip citrus within the recipe. They tenderize the meat.
- For a spicy model, you should utilize chipotle chili or jalapeños. Mix them with the remainder of the elements within the blender.
Serving: 6ounces | Energy: 373kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 49g | Fats: 15g | Saturated Fats: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fats: 1g | Monounsaturated Fats: 7g | Ldl cholesterol: 136mg | Sodium: 1011mg | Potassium: 911mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 627IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 79mg | Iron: 4mg
Dietary data is an estimate and offered as courtesy. Values might range based on the elements and instruments used. Please use your most well-liked dietary calculator for extra detailed data.
Learn how to Make Crock Pot Carne Asada
With solely 5 minutes of hands-on time, that is the proper make-ahead dinner. I’ll generally sear the steak and whip up the marinade the night time earlier than, so all the pieces is able to dump-and-go within the morning.


- Sear the steak. Whereas the oil heats up in a skillet, pat the flank steak dry and season it with salt and pepper. Subsequent, sear the steak till it’s browned on all sides. Afterward, switch the seared steak to your crock pot.
- Mix the marinade. Mix the spices, orange juice, lime juice, garlic, and oregano in a blender. Pulse till you may have a easy sauce. Season that to style with salt and pepper.


- Mix and prepare dinner. Pour the sauce into the crockpot with the steak. Cowl and prepare dinner on Low for 8 hours.


- Shred and serve. When the meat is tender sufficient to shred, pull it aside utilizing two forks. Your crock pot carne asada is able to serve heat, tucked right into a tortilla topped with further lime and cilantro.

Storing and Reheating Leftovers
- Refrigerate. Retailer the carne asada in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 4 days.
- Reheat. Heat up the shredded steak in a saucepan on the range or within the microwave.
- Freeze. You may freeze the leftover carne asada hermetic for as much as 2 months. Thaw it within the fridge in a single day earlier than reheating.

