Carne Asada Vampiro Taco Recipe
These carne asada vampiro tacos are a spicy, cheesy twist on a classic! Marinated flap steak is grilled to perfection, then wrapped in a crispy Oaxaca cheese quesadilla with serrano peppers. Topped with chipotle mayo, tomatillo avocado salsa, and fermented pico de gallo, these tacos are bold, flavorful, and perfect for any taco night!
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Ingredients
Marinade
- 1.5-2 lbs well-marbled flap meat
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- Zest from lime
- 2 tablespoons lime juice 1 lime
- 1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce
- 4 minced fermented garlic cloves
- 3 tablespoons minced white onion
Quesadilla
- 2 flour tortillas
- 1 tablespoon sliced serrano peppers
- 1 tablespoon sliced green onions
- 1/4 cup Oaxaca cheese
- 2 ounces carne asada
Chipotle Mayo
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1-2 chipotle peppers
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
Sauces and Salsas
- 1 tablespoon chipotle mayo
- 2 tablespoons tomatillo avocado salsa
- 2 tablespoons fermented pico de gallo
Instructions
Preparation
- Place the 1.5-2 lbs well-marbled flap meat onto a cutting board. Cut the meat into strips that are 2 inches wide and 3-inch-long. If the meat is thick, cut it horizontally to make it thinner. The thickest it should be is about ½ inch.
- Place in a sealable bag or container with a lid
- In a bowl, mix 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, 2 tablespoons avocado oil, lime zest and 2 tablespoons lime juice, 1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce, 4 minced fermented garlic cloves and 3 tablespoons minced white onion together.
- Pour marinade over the meat and use either your hands or a spoon to make sure that the marinade is covering all of the meat.
- Seal the container and put it in the refrigerator to marinate overnight.
Cooking the Carne Asada
- Remove marinated meat from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking.
- Preheat cast iron skillet over medium heat for 15-20 minutes before using.
- Once the skillet is hot, add 2 tablespoons avocado oil.
- Add strips of flap meat, making sure not to crowd the pan so that the meat chars instead of steams.
- Cook for five minutes on one side.
- Flip the meat over and cook for three minutes on the other side for medium-rare steak.
- Put on a plate or cutting board
- Allow the meat to rest for at least five minutes before cutting
- Cut the meat against the grain into strips then go back through and cut the meat with the grain into bite-sized chunks.
- Season with a sprinkle of salt and serve
Making the Quesadillas
- While the meat is resting, make the quesadillas.
- Use a paper towel to wipe out any excess oil from the pan. Alternatively, you can put a tortilla down to soak up some of the meat juice and oil then flip it over so that it isn’t as greasy on the outside.
- Place as many 2 flour tortillas as will fit in your pan, sprinkle 1 tablespoon sliced serrano peppers and 1 tablespoon sliced green onions, then sprinkle the 1/4 cup Oaxaca cheese.
- Add the second tortilla on top and allow to cook for about three minutes or until the cheese is melted and the tortilla is a little crisp.
- Flip and cook for about a minute on the other side.
Chipotle Mayonnaise
- Blend 1 cup mayonnaise , 1-2 chipotle peppers , and 2 tablespoons lime juice together in a food processor until smooth.
Assembling the Vampiro Tacos
- Place the quesadillas on a plate
- Add 1 tablespoon chipotle mayo onto the tortilla
- Add 2 ounces carne asada
- Add 2 tablespoons tomatillo avocado salsa
- Add 2 tablespoons fermented pico de gallo and enjoy!
Notes
Cutting Against the Grain:
Look at the flap meat and you’ll see the muscle fibers running through the steak. To go with the grain, you position your knife to run in the same direction as the muscle fibers. To cut against the grain, you place your knife perpendicular to the grain. Cutting against the grain will lead to tender, easy-to-chew meat. Cutting with the grain with produce chewier meat.
For this recipe, first, you cut against the grain into strips, then you cut those slices into bite-size chunks.
Nutrition
Calories: 870kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 46g | Fat: 71g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 29g | Monounsaturated Fat: 21g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 146mg | Sodium: 1704mg | Potassium: 642mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 115IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 59mg | Iron: 4mg
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 870kcal