Latin American Carne Asada
Citrus-marinated flank steak grilled at maximum heat and sliced thin against the grain — served over spiced black beans with chimichurri. 58 grams of protein, 510 calories. The highest-protein grilled meat plate in the Latin American volume. The cut, the marinade, and the slicing technique each matter.
Flank steak: the highest protein-per-gram beef cut
Flank steak is one of the leanest beef cuts by mass — roughly 26g of protein per 100g cooked. The black beans add approximately 9g of plant protein on top. Combined, this plate hits 58g without oversized portions. You're not eating 500g of beef — you're eating 200g of a very lean, high-density cut.
Carne Asada and the Asado Tradition
Carne asada — literally "grilled meat" in Spanish — spans Mexico, Colombia, Venezuela, Argentina, and beyond, with variations in cut, marinade, and preparation. In Mexico, it typically refers to thin-cut beef grilled over charcoal and served as a main plate or taco filling. In Argentina and Uruguay, the word asado describes an entire tradition of slow-grilled beef, often without marinades — the cattle and the technique are the point.
This version draws on the Northern Mexican and Northern Latin American style: a citrus-forward marinade using orange and lime, cumin, and chipotle for smokiness. The citrus does real work — the acids break down collagen near the surface, improving both the sear and the texture of the final slice. Flank steak is the standard cut in this tradition because it's thin, flavourful, affordable, and takes marinade well. The critical variable is the cut: against the grain, very thin, at a 45-degree diagonal. Flank steak has long, coarse muscle fibres running lengthwise. Cutting against them shortens those fibres dramatically and is the difference between a tender slice and a chewy one.
Chimichurri is a South American herb sauce — parsley-based in Argentina, with coriander often added in Colombian and Ecuadorian versions. It's served alongside grilled meat across the continent. The acid (vinegar) and fat (olive oil) in chimichurri cut through the richness of the beef in the same way lemon works on fish. This version includes coriander because the flavour profile complements the citrus marinade.
Ingredients
- 800g flank steak (trimmed)
- 2 oranges (juice only)
- 2 limes (juice only)
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp chipotle powder
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp salt
- 400g canned black beans, drained
- 1 tsp ground cumin + ½ tsp garlic powder (for beans)
- 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley
- 1 bunch fresh coriander
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 red chili, finely chopped
- 3 tbsp olive oil (for chimichurri)
Timing
Instructions
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1Squeeze orange and lime juice into a bowl. Add minced garlic, cumin, paprika, oregano, chipotle powder, olive oil, and salt. Whisk to combine. Score the flank steak lightly across the grain — shallow cuts, about 5mm deep — to help the marinade penetrate the interior. Submerge the steak and marinate for at least 2 hours; overnight (up to 12 hours) is better for depth of flavour.
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2Make chimichurri while the steak marinates: finely chop parsley and coriander (combine them roughly 50/50 by volume). In a bowl, mix herbs with red wine vinegar, finely chopped red chili, olive oil, and a pinch of salt. Taste — it should be sharp, bright, and slightly spicy. Let it rest for at least 20 minutes before serving; the flavours marry significantly as it sits. Make a larger batch; it keeps 3 days refrigerated.
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3Heat canned black beans with 1 tsp cumin and ½ tsp garlic powder over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt. Add 2 tbsp water if they start to stick. Keep warm.
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4Remove steak from marinade and pat dry with paper towels — a wet steak steams rather than sears. Heat a cast-iron pan or grill to the highest temperature you can achieve. Sear the steak 5–6 minutes per side without moving for medium-rare (internal temperature 55–57°C). Flank steak is thin and cooks fast — don't leave it. For medium, 6–7 minutes per side.
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5This step is not optional: rest the steak on a cutting board for 8 minutes. Flank steak has significant juice that redistributes during resting — skipping this loses it all to the board. After resting, identify the direction of the grain (the long muscle fibres running lengthwise). Cut perpendicular to those fibres at a steep 45-degree diagonal angle, slicing very thin (about 5mm). This shortens the fibres and produces tender slices from a cut that would otherwise be tough.
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6Plate black beans as the base. Fan sliced steak over the top. Spoon chimichurri generously over the steak. Serve immediately — carne asada is a hot plate, not a resting dish.
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*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional values are estimates based on standard ingredient databases and may vary depending on specific brands, preparation methods, and portion sizes. This content is for informational purposes only.
