Tacos Al Carbon - The Anthony Kitchen

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This Tacos al Carbon recipe was created for home cooks just like you, and it's guaranteed to satisfy every last one of your Mexican food cravings. The beef cooks quickly on the stovetop and comes slammed with flavor thanks to a quick an easy cilantro-lime marinade. Check out our simple list of fixings to morph your dinner table into a full-blown Mexican restaurant experience!

I've ordered this dish no less than 1,000 times, and know exactly what it is you're looking for when it comes to Tacos al Carbon. As a professional recipe developer and avid Tex-Mex lover, I considered it my mission to recreate the perfect rendition at home. And, guess what? Mission accomplished.

Tex-Mex is absolutely my specialty, so if you're looking for an easy weeknight dinner, you're in the right spot. In fact, you might want to add these beefy recipes for your dinner table: Tex-Mex Beef Enchiladas, Steak Quesadillas, and taco meat recipe. So. Good.

THE EVOLUTION OF A TEX-MEX FAVORITE

Ninfa Rodriguez Laurenzo (a native of Rio Grande Valley in South Texas) is responsible for the beloved dish, Tacos al Carbon, which she proudly began serving at her famous Tex-Mex restaurant Ninfa's in Houston, Texas.

As some might have guessed, Tacos al Carbon is an evolution of the sizzling spectacle you can hear coming a mile away -- fajitas. And, both dishes are about as Tex-Mex as it gets in origin.

The history of fajitas has been traced back to the 1930s in the ranchlands of South and West Texas. Ranch owners would give throwaway cuts, like skirt steak, to the Mexican ranch hands and cowboys as part of their pay. The Mexican cowboys would cook the skirt steak over coals, and this is where the beef fajita tradition began.

WHAT DOES TACOS AL CARBON MEAN?

Tacos al Carbon translates to "grilled taco" or "meat over charcoals," which makes perfect sense if we recall its fajita origins of skirt steak over an open flame.

However, this is not necessarily the case for Tacos al Carbon...anymore. Often, Mexican restaurants prepare the beef over commercial flat tops.

WHAT ARE TACOS AL CARBON?

Tacos al Carbon are essentially assembled fajita tacos, and they have the same main components:

• Fajita beef (or chicken)
• Tortillas
• Sauteed onions
• Mexican salad of pico de gallo and shredded lettuce

The difference is that Tacos al Carbon comes plated as assembled tacos, whereas fajitas come over a bed of cooked onions and peppers, and land on the table in a sizzling cast iron platter with tortillas on the side.

TACOS AL CARBON VS. CARNE ASADA?

While both dishes involve delicious grilled meat, Tacos al Carbon specifically focuses on the charcoal-grilled aspect, whereas Carne Asada's focus is the marinade and grilled components. Carne Asada literally means "grilled meat."

If you love Tacos al Carbon, check out our Steak Burritos as well!

TACOS AL CARBON INGREDIENTS

• The Steak | For this recipe, we recommend going with flank steak over skirt steak. It's less chewy, more tender, and still boasts that great big beefy flavor we know and love. Plus, it's way easier to fit in a cast iron pan. You'll want your flank steaks to be no more than ¾" thick.
• Flour Tortillas | Tacos al Carbon comes standard with flour tortillas, but if you have a gluten allergy, you can (of course) sub in corn tortillas.
• The Marinade | A simple marinade of lime juice, cilantro, garlic, and oil is perfect for getting the most flavor out of your steak.
• Sides and Toppings | Tacos al Carbon traditionally comes with a side of Spanish rice and charro beans. Some restaurants serve it with a bonus side of queso, but almost all will include the standard Mexican side salad of shredded lettuce and pico de gallo.

HOW TO MAKE TACOS AL CARBON

1. Prepare the marinade | Make the marinade and marinate the flank steak.

2. Prepare the beef | Pat beef dry and season.

3. Ready the skillet | Bring the cast iron skillet to medium-high to high heat and add oil.

4. Sear | Cook the beef 6-7 minutes on the first side, flip and sear 4-5 minutes more. Set aside to rest.

5. Slice | Cutting against the grain, slice the beef as thin as possible.

6. Serve | Enjoy Tacos al Carbon rolled in flour tortillas with desired toppings like guacamole, pico de gallo, shredded cheese, sour cream, and sides!

For even more big, beefy flavor try our carne guisada next!

HOT TIP FOR COOKING FLANK STEAK

The thickness of your flank steak matters. If it is thicker than ¾", it will very likely be rare if you use the indicated cook times in this recipe. Thinner flank steaks are best for quick cooking on the stovetop, but if you cannot find one, there is a fix.

If your flank steak is between 1-to-1-¼" thick, follow these steps:

1. Before searing the steak, preheat your oven to 375°F degrees.
2. Cook the steak as indicated in the recipe card.
3. Then, transfer it to a baking sheet and bake for 7-10 more minutes, depending on how "done" you like your beef.

Print Recipe 4.76 from 50 votes

Tacos al Carbon

A quick and easy preparation for the best Tacos al Carbon at home (and indoors)! Featuring flavorful, pan-seared flank steak and flour tortillas. Prep Time15 minutes minsCook Time8 minutes minsMarinate4 hours hrsTotal Time4 hours hrs 23 minutes mins Course: Main CourseCuisine: Mexican, Tex-MexKeyword: Tacos al Carbon Servings: 6 Calories: 431kcal Author: Kelly Anthony

Ingredients

• ½ cup freshly squeezed lime juice (about 4-6 limes)
• 1 tablespoon + 1 ½ teaspoon Kosher salt, separated
• 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
• 3 teaspoons black pepper, separated
• 1 cup + 4 tablespoons canola or avocado oil, separated
• ¼ cup chopped cilantro
• 4 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
• 2 pounds flank steak (no more than ¾" thick -- see note below)
• 12 flour tortillas
• Topping Ideas: Queso, shredded cheese, guacamole, pico de gallo, shredded lettuce, or sour cream

Instructions

• Add the lime juice, 1 tablespoon Kosher salt, sugar, and 1 ½ teaspoons pepper to a small mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Slowly drizzle in 1 cup of oil, whisking all the while. Then, add the cilantro and garlic and stir to combine.
• Transfer the marinade to a zip-top bag and add the flank steak. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to overnight.
• Remove the beef from the bag and pat dry with a paper towel. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of oil and sprinkle with 1 ½ teaspoon Kosher salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Rub all over to adhere, and set aside until ready to use.
• Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil to a large, skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium-high to high heat. Once the oil has come to temperature, sear the steak for 6-7 minutes on the first side, turn, and sear for 4-5 minutes more.
• Allow to rest 10 minutes. Then, slice the beef as thin as possible (cutting against the grain), roll in flour tortillas, and top as desired.

Notes

The thickness of the flank steak matters. If it is thicker than ¾", it will very likely be rare if you use the indicated cook times. Thinner flank steaks work best for this recipe, but if you cannot find one, there is a fix: If the flank steak is between 1 to 1 ¼" thick (before searing the steak) preheat the oven to 375°F degrees. Cook the flank steak as indicated in the recipe card. Then, transfer it to a baking sheet and bake for 7-10 minutes, depending on how "done" you like your beef.

Nutrition

Calories: 431kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 91mg | Sodium: 492mg | Potassium: 607mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Calcium: 95mg | Iron: 4.3mg

Sources: The Austin Chronicle | Fajitas History, The Kitchn | What's the Difference Between Skirt and Flank Steak?