Carne Asada (Grilled Marinated Beef)

Whisk the orange juice, lime juice, garlic, cilantro, cumin, oil, salt and pepper. Coat the steak in it, cover, and marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour — 2 to 4 is better.

💡 Don't marinate past 6 hours. The citrus acid keeps working and starts to 'cook' and toughen the surface of the meat, giving it a mealy texture once grilled.

Take the steak out 30 minutes before cooking so it comes to room temperature. Heat a grill or heavy cast-iron pan until it is properly, smokingly hot.

Shake off excess marinade and lay the steak on the hot grill. Sear 2–3 minutes a side for these thin cuts, without moving it, until deeply charred outside and still pink within. Grill the onion rings alongside.

💡 Leave it alone once it hits the grill. Flipping and fidgeting stops a hard crust forming — that char is where most of the flavour of carne asada lives.

Rest the steak on a board for 5 minutes, then slice it thinly against the grain. Chop into smaller pieces if you want it taco-ready.

💡 Against the grain is essential for skirt and flank — the muscle fibres are long and obvious. Cut with them and every bite is chewy; cut across and the same steak turns tender.

Warm the tortillas on the grill. Serve the sliced beef and grilled onion with tortillas, lime wedges, guacamole and salsa, and let everyone build their own tacos.