Short Ribs Carne Asada

Closeup of Carne Asada after cooking in cast iron pan

4.80 from 5 votes

I used boneless short ribs to make an awesome batch of Carne Asada -- then served it up in a quesadilla with Pico de Gallo and cheese -- yum!!

Prep Time1

Cook Time10

Total Time1 10

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican

Servings:

Calories: 448kcal

Author: Mexican Please

Ingredients

1 lb. boneless short ribs
4 flour tortillas, burrito-sized
cheese (I used Jack)
olive oil
salt

For the marinade:

juice of 1 lime
juice of 1 orange
4 peeled garlic cloves
8-10 sprigs cilantro (optional)
2 de-stemmed jalapenos
2 tablespoons Mexican oregano
1 teaspoon cumin
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 cup olive oil
freshly cracked black pepper

For the Pico de Gallo (optional):

4 plum tomatoes
1 small onion
2 jalapenos
20-25 sprigs cilantro
juice of 2 limes
1/2 teaspoon salt (plus more to taste)

Instructions

Give the boneless short ribs a sprinkling of salt on both sides.
For the marinade, add the listed ingredients to a blender and combine well.
Create a single layer of the meat in a casserole dish. Cover with the marinade and be sure to get some underneath as well. Cover with plastic and marinate in the fridge for an hour or so.
For the Pico de Gallo (optional), start by giving the tomatoes, jalapeno, and cilantro a good rinse. Peel the onion and de-stem the tomatoes and jalapenos. I usually twist off and discard the bottom, thicker portions of the cilantro stems, but keep the upper portion of the stems that hold the leaves together.
Finely chop the tomatoes, onion, and jalapeno into 1/4" sized chunks. Finely dice the cilantro. For a milder version you can start by using only 1 of the jalapenos and adding more incrementally if you want more heat. Combine everything in a mixing bowl along with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and the juice of two limes. Mix together well and taste for seasoning. Add additional salt and lime if necessary (I added more salt to this batch).
Preheat a grill or cast iron pan. I used cast iron at just over medium heat and added a glug of oil to it. Once the pan is piping hot, pat dry the meat and cook each piece for 2-3 minutes per side or to your desired temp. Medium rare will be 130-135F but I cooked this batch towards well done to crisp up the edges.
Let the cooked meat rest for a few minutes before slicing. I usually cover it in some foil. Cut against the grain into thin strips. I cut these strips even further into bite-sized pieces.
To make a quesadilla, warm up a tortilla in a large, dry skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped Carne Asada, some Pico de Gallo (but not too much liquid), and plenty of cheese to only half of the tortilla. Fold onto itself and cook each side until crispy and golden brown. Cut in half and serve immediately.

Notes

I usually pat dry the cuts of meat after marinating. Less moisture on the surface will help them char up quicker.

There is some leeway on the marinade, so if you don't have all the ingredients just go for it! Alternatively, you can use this Express Carne Asada that relies on pure chile powders.

Nutrition