🇲🇽Week 3 – Carne Asada Tacos: Adapting and Learning Through Cooking

This week, I dove into Mexican cuisine with the classic Carne asada Tacos. Some people might ask what Carne asada is, Carne asada literally means “grilled meat“ in Spanish. It’s usually made with flank or skirt steak marinated in a blend of citrus, garlic, and spices,  then grilled to perfection over an open flame. But it’s more than just a dish. In Mexican culture, carne asada is an event, it’s the food you cook for birthdays, backyard gatherings, and Sunday family meals. It’s meant to be shared, enjoyed, and celebrated.

I chose this dish because it’s packed with flavor and tradition, and I’ve always wanted to try making it from scratch. My main source of inspiration was a YouTube video from Villa Cocina, which walked through the process clearly and thoroughly. You can find the video here and the recipe on their website here.

Preparation Process

I started by gathering and prepping my ingredients.

1/3 cup olive oil 

1/4 cup soy sauce.

2 TBSP balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup orange juice

1/3 cup lime juice

4 garlic cloves, grated

1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

1 1/2 tsp chipotle powder

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp cumin, ground

1 tsp Mexican dry oregano, a good substitute is marjoram, 

The ingredients above are to create the marinade, and once all put in a medium bowl, whisk it together. The marinade was a flavourful mix of citrus, spices, and garlic, a combination meant to tenderize the meat and infuse it with deep, zesty flavour.

I let my steaks marinate for about 3 hours in the fridge.

Change of Plans: From BBQ to Pan Frying

Originally, I planned to barbecue the steak, which is the traditional method and gives carne asada its signature char. Unfortunately, my BBQ wasn’t working. I had to pivot and pan-fry the steaks instead. Although this meant I didn’t get that smoky grilled flavor, I was still happy with the result. I added some butter to the pan, and lots of the marinade to baste and fry the steaks. The meat turned out slightly overcooked, medium-well instead of the ideal medium, but it was still tender and delicious.

 

I then assembled my tacos using corn tortillas, added some simple toppings such as cilantro, cheese, hot sauce and on one taco sourcream. Typically cabbage and onions would be added as well, but I am not a fan of raw onions or cabbage. The tacos were packed with flavour, and even with the last-minute cooking change, they were a big success.

The Churro That Got Away

Originally, I planned to make churros as a sweet ending to this week’s meal. Unfortunately, I realized I didn’t have the necessary tools, no piping bag and no deep fryer. I still want to try them in the future, maybe once I get an air fryer or piping tip, but for now, I had to pass.This gave me the reminder that not everything goes perfectly when cooking, and that’s okay, it’s all part of the learning experience!

Reflection

One of the big lessons this week was adaptability. Things didn’t go as planned, but I was able to adjust and still create a dish I was proud of. I also continued learning from visual media, I wanted to use YouTube over tiktok this week due to easily being able to rewind, typically longer videos and it was nice that the Villa Cocina also added their recipe to the description so I could easily see the ingredient list. Watching someone prepare a dish step-by-step helps me feel more confident in the kitchen, especially for something as technique-sensitive as properly searing steak or assembling a taco.

Things I Learnt

• Why marinate meat?
  Marinating allows the acids and enzymes in the marinade to break down tough muscle fibers, making the meat more tender. It also adds layers of flavor that penetrate deeper than seasoning alone.

• Cooking temperature matters
  Understanding meat temperature is key. For carne asada, medium (135–145°F or 57–63°C) is often ideal to keep it juicy. A thermometer is helpful, but visual cues and touch (like pressing the center of the steak for firmness) also work with practice.

• Visual learning works for me
  This week reinforced how effective YouTube is for my learning. Watching helped me visualize timing, slicing, and even how to gauge doneness.

Even without a BBQ, this week was a success. I’m learning that cooking is as much about the process as the product, and sometimes, rolling with the punches leads to delicious discoveries. Next week I move to India🇮🇳 and still have not decided on a dish from there yet, so if any of you have any suggestions let me know!