Nicaraguan Style Carne Asada

Nothing beats a tender, juicy Nicaraguan-style Carne Asada. My family’s recipe starts with a marinated skirt steak with a hint of citrus and topped with a fresh, herb chimichurri sauce. This Carne Asada recipe is mouthwatering and oh, so flavorful.

What Type of Meat is Best for Carne Asada?

This is the most important question. While Carne Asada has many variations depending on the Latin American country, my Nicaraguan inspired recipe uses a nicely marbled piece of skirt steak. I recommend buying a cut of skirt steak that has a decent sized fat cap. Because, as I always say, “FAT = FLAVOR!”

Other meat options that can be used for this recipe are:

• Flank Steak
• Skirt Steak (my preferred choice)
• Sirloin Cap (picanha)

Citrus Marinade

My family’s recipe of Carne Asada is influenced by my Nicaraguan abuelita. Growing up, her backyard featured dozens of fresh sour orange trees. The trees bloomed so often that there was always some sort of fresh squeezed orange juice or tart treat.

Sour oranges are also used in many of our marinades. My abuelita swears that sour oranges are natural tenderizers for red meat and pork.

This Nicaraguan Style Carne Asada is marinated in various seasonings and aromatics. Here’s an overview of what you’ll need:

• Fresh squeezed orange or sour orange juice
• Olive oil
• Minced garlic
• Thinly sliced onions
• Dried oregano
• Cumin

Preparing a Juicy Carne Asada

The two necessary components to ensuring a delicious Nicaraguan Carne Asada are the cut of meat (which we discussed should be nicely marbled) and a flavorful marinade. But, there is a third component and it’s the big deal breaker.

Third and most important is how the meat is cooked.

I recommend searing or grilling your Carne Asada to retain it’s incredible texture and flavor. As you grill or sear the meat, that hefty fat cap that I mentioned begins to melt down and render the meat, leaving it with a crisp char and succulent, juicy interior.

Fresh Herb Chimichurri

Alright, you selected the ideal cut of meat, perfectly marinated it and cooked it to perfection. Now what? Well, nothing complements a deliciously, juicy Carne Asada more than a Homemade Chimichurri made with fresh herbs and aromatics.

Chimichurri is a classic and very popular Argentinian condiment for Churrasco or in this case, Carne Asada. My family loves incorporating a bit of freshness into our red meat recipes, so creating a Nicaraguan version of Chimichurri was a MUST! Here’s what you’ll need to make this tasty topping:

• Olive oil
• Red wine vinegar
• Fresh parsley, chopped
• Fresh cilantro, chopped
• Red pepper flakes
• Minced garlic
• Flakey sea salt

Complementary Side Dishes for Carne Asada

A traditional Nicaraguan Carne Asada needs a good side dish. The options are vast. From a comforting rice recipe like Gallo Pinto to a crisp cabbage slaw, here are some of my favorite complementary sides that elevate the flavors of a juicy Carne Asada:

Nicaraguan Style Carne Asada

Nothing beats a tender, juicy Nicaraguan-style Carne Asada marinated with a hint of citrus and topped with a fresh, herb chimichurri sauce. This recipe is mouthwatering and oh, so flavorful.

5 from 4 votes

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Prep Time 4 hours hrs

Cook Time 8 minutes mins

Total Time 4 hours hrs 8 minutes mins

Course Main Entree

Cuisine Nicaraguan Cuisine

Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

  

Carne Asada/Churrasco

• 2 pounds of skirt steak or flank steak
• Flakey salt and black pepper season to taste

Citrus Marinade

• 1 cup of fresh squeezed sour orange juice or regular orange juice
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons of minced garlic
• 1 cup thinly sliced onions
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon of cumin

Fresh Herb Chimichurri

• 1/2 cup of olive oil
• 1/3 cup of red wine vingear
• 1 cup of chopped fresh parsley rough estimate
• 1 cup of chopped fresh cilantro rough estimate
• 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon of minced garlic
• Flakey salt season to taste

Instructions

 

• Prepare the marinade and pour into a gallon bag.
• Add your meat and let it marinate for 4 hours or overnight in the fridge.
• While the meat marinates, prepare the chimichurri by finely chopping the herbs, adding to the oil and vinegar and tossing in the aromatics. The chimichurri should resemble a loose oil-based condiment not a paste.
• When ready to grill, season the Carne Asada with flakey salt and black pepper to taste, then cook on high heat for 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until preferred doneness. I recommended cooking to medium or medium well.
• Once cooked, rest the meat for 10 minutes and slice against the grain. This will keep your Carne Asada tender and juicy.
• Drizzle chimichurri and enjoy!

Video

Notes

A traditional chimichurri is prepared by finely chopping fresh herbs. Do NOT use a food processor. It will drastically alter the texture of the chimichurri. 

Keyword Carne Asada, Grilling