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Skirt steak is my choice also but it's not really used as a carne asada filling. So, others gave good choices for that purpose. Fajitas (especially beef) rule in Texas. Carne guisada is a different story too.
Flank is a good cut because it it very flavorful. But it can be tough if not prepared in a certain way.
Did you marinate it first? I find a light marinade of soy sauce, garlic, onion powder, oregano and oil marinade not only adds flavor, but the soy sauce will tenderize it a bit.
Also, how did you cook it? I've found a medium to medium/rare is optimal. And it's important to serve it cut thinly at an angle, across the grain. This will also help make it less tough on the chew.
If you can find it, another good cut is what is known as "tri-tip." Treat it the same way as the flank.
This. If you're flank steak is tough then you aren't preparing it properly. Mainly cutting across the grain, if you cut with grain it will be chewy.
Here in CA the carne asada is usually flank, skirt or "flap meat" (whatever that is).
This. If you're flank steak is tough then you aren't preparing it properly. Mainly cutting across the grain, if you cut with grain it will be chewy.
Here in CA the carne asada is usually flank, skirt or "flap meat" (whatever that is).
Flap meat is from the bottom sirloin - the extension of the short-loin tail (where porterhouse & T-bones come from
its near the tri tip,,,,
it is one of the best meats to marinate- all the upscale butcher shops and restaurants in new England use bottom sirloin flap meat for marinated beef tips.....steakhouse tips
they may also be described as sirloin tips ...which is confusing,,because some places call steaks from the knuckle a sirloin tip steak and being from the knuckle ( its round steak so its leaner and
tougher)
below is what flap meat looks like and yes, it would be excellent for carne asada
also you can buy this for 6.99-7.99lb
this (in my opinion and I've cut ten of thousands of pounds of this) is better than flank, skirt, tri tip, ball tip,
also another steak that would be awesome for carne asada would be the flat iron steak...again at 6.99-7.99lb
Flap meat is from the bottom sirloin - the extension of the short-loin tail (where porterhouse & T-bones come from
its near the tri tip,,,,
it is one of the best meats to marinate- all the upscale butcher shops and restaurants in new England use bottom sirloin flap meat for marinated beef tips.....steakhouse tips
they may also be described as sirloin tips ...which is confusing,,because some places call steaks from the knuckle a sirloin tip steak and being from the knuckle ( its round steak so its leaner and
tougher)
below is what flap meat looks like and yes, it would be excellent for carne asada
also you can buy this for 6.99-7.99lb
this (in my opinion and I've cut ten of thousands of pounds of this) is better than flank, skirt, tri tip, ball tip,
also another steak that would be awesome for carne asada would be the flat iron steak...again at 6.99-7.99lb
I grew up Boston so I know all about steak tips. Every backyard bbq had some marinated tips on the grill. Delicious and tender when done right and med rare. I've been in L.A. for 10 years and nobody knows what steak tips are here and I've never seen them in a grocery store here. The flap meat that I see in L.A. is always cut in thin slices like skirt steak and I usually see it in mexican supermarkets. It's possible that it's a language issue and it is really skirt not flap?
On a side note, tri tip is hugely popular here in L.A. and I don't think I ever knew about tri tip when I lived in New England
I grew up Boston so I know all about steak tips. Every backyard bbq had some marinated tips on the grill. Delicious and tender when done right and med rare. I've been in L.A. for 10 years and nobody knows what steak tips are here and I've never seen them in a grocery store here. The flap meat that I see in L.A. is always cut in thin slices like skirt steak and I usually see it in mexican supermarkets. It's possible that it's a language issue and it is really skirt not flap?
On a side note, tri tip is hugely popular here in L.A. and I don't think I ever knew about tri tip when I lived in New England
tri tips gained popularity out west for fahita meat
new England sells more flap meat than any other part of the country
the steaks tips caught on like you said..
its not a big thing in maine yet but in mass. and parts of new Hampshire they are the best selling meat item
and no....skirt and flap are totally different muscle ..
bottom sirloin flap meat " is the correct description if you ask a butcher shop ...emphasize the P
they will think you are saying flatT if they don't know what flap meat is (a flat is from the bottom round, formerly called the gooseneck)
In many places in the Midwest, skirt steak is used for fajitas. Not flank and certainly not Strip steak.
In the Southwest, most of the carne asada that I have had seems to be chuck steak or round steak. I have not been served any meat that has been well marbled in most family Mexican restaurants.
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Flank steak is perfect for carne asada, but you have to treat it right: pound thin and score before cooking, then cut THINLY against the grain before serving. And don't overcook it.
Flap steak is awesome/perfect too, but you also want to butterfly it/slice it paper thin (or have your butcher do so).
Skirt steak is great too, but treat it like flank (thin, don't overcook, slice properly).
All of these are tough cuts of meat, so it's about how you prep, cook, and cut them in order to get the texture you're after. Bottom line: The flank steak is not the problem, it's the preparer.
Flank steak is perfect for carne asada, but you have to treat it right: pound thin and score before cooking, then cut THINLY against the grain before serving. And don't overcook it.
Flap steak is awesome/perfect too, but you also want to butterfly it/slice it paper thin (or have your butcher do so).
Skirt steak is great too, but treat it like flank (thin, don't overcook, slice properly).
All of these are tough cuts of meat, so it's about how you prep, cook, and cut them in order to get the texture you're after. Bottom line: The flank steak is not the problem, it's the preparer.
tough cuts are generally the ones with all the flavor. It's definitely worth taking the time to learn to prepare them. I'll take well prepared flank, skirt or flap/tips over a filet/sirloin/strip any day of the week
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