Carne Asada Crock Pot

Carne Asada Crock Pot with flank steak has bold Mexican flavors to make tacos or serve over rice. Homemade shredded beef with a marinade and our steak dry rub is our family’s favorite Sunday meal.

This is an easy carne asada recipe. Delicious with a dry rub that you can make spicy or keep mild. It comes out tender to slice and serve this steak inside tacos or alone as a low carb keto dinner idea. One of many Crockpot recipes we make at least once a week.

Yes you could use a variety of different pieces of beef to make this but made with Slow Cooker Flank Steak is the most common. With out yearly buy of a cow each year we get a few. First we made air fryer flank steak that was delicious. To get it really really tender though you need low and slow. Sooooo we moved on to this one and what killer tacos they made I tell you. Tuesdays will likely scream for this, way better than ground beef for sure.

Ingredient Notes

What cut of meat should you buy for carne asada? This popular Mexican dish typically made with grilled and marinated beef. Cuts that are flavorful and tender are; Skirt Steak, Flank Steak, Sirloin Steak, or Ribeye Steak. Regardless of the cut you choose, it’s important to slice the meat thinly against the grain after grilling to ensure tenderness

1. Cumin is a bold spice that works well with Mexican meals like this one for a pop of wow
2. Smoked Paprika or regular version for this works but smoked really intensifies those flavors.
3. Garlic minced is best out of the bottle or you can chop up from fresh cloves for from scratch all the way
4. Oregano we like but could be omitted
5. Red pepper flakes, more or less depending on your heat desire, chili powder can be substituted
6. Salt and pepper are basics and should be available when serving as well as used during the cooking process to taste
7. Olive oil to brown meat is needed, you could use avocado oil instead if need be.
8. Orange juice or lime juiced for citrus element is a must

You can use the best fajita marinade here or use our newest creation for bold flavors below. The best I think is a combination of a dry rub with a little bit of liquid which in this case is olive oil and fresh lime juice. That really boosts all of the goodness in the meat and the citrus will naturally tenderize your meat.

From there you would want to gather whatever you’re serving this with or in. Small tortillas for tacos maybe or just over a bed of white rice. This is great to make for a large crowd Street Taco recipe style. Make the meat and let it sit on warm to marinate as people eat all day long.

Does citrus help tenderize meat?

Yep! Not only does it add great flavor but it will naturally break down the fibers in the meat you’re cooking so it cuts easier. Lemon or lime works, orange too I suppose but I tend to use the first two most often especially with Mexican recipes like this one.

How much liquid do you need to cook flank steak in slow cooker?

Worried there isn’t enough liquid to cook this, don’t be. As it cooks, just as if you cooked it in a pan there will be juices let out on it’s own. Those will mix with the seasonings on the outside so it will simmer and steam in all those wonderful flavors for hours and hours. All you need is a bit of olive oil and 1 lime squeezed!

You could make this faster with these same ingredients but the timing for Instant Pot steak. Sometimes people freak out and don’t want to try it because the “rule” is that you need at least 1 cup of liquid but believe me when it is done there will be fluid at the bottom of the pot. You can discard this or better yet use a bit of cornstarch slurry on the stovetop to thicken it into an onion gravy.

Follow the directions here and then make a sort of toppings bar for taco night with your family or guests. You can include so many fun things for this. I mean the list goes on and on but here are just some that come to mind;

What do you serve with carne asada?

• Avocado slices or guacamole for sure
• Qdoba Salsa verde
• Diced raw onions
• Chopped cabbage or lettuce
• Halved cherry tomatoes
• Sour cream

We do the same thing when making our Instant Pot chili verde too, that recipe is made with pork and should be tried too.

How to save leftovers

You want to keep it moist so include as much sauce as you can in your container. Do not put it into the fridge to save until it is room temperature. From hot to cold may cause bacteria to grow so give it a good 30 minutes to cool off first. Airtight containers or freezer bags are the best to use.

Only slice what you will eat immediately and leave the rest of the piece whole, it will stay more moist that way as it cools. When reheating use a pan on the stovetop with all the liquid you saved. Warm on medium heat, could add a bit of soy sauce for moisture if needed.

You can print recipe below to keep it in your recipe box or just come back time and time again when you need instructions, we love “seeing you”. A low in saturated fat and gluten free meal that everyone in your home will surely love and ask for more.