Tostadas de Carne Asada Rápidas
Tostadas de Carne Asada Rápidas·(tos-TAH-dahs deh CAR-neh ah-SAH-dah RAH-pee-dahs)
Domingo BBQ & Recalentado: Weekend Smoke on a Weeknight Timeline
Yank Sunday's foil-wrapped carne asada from the fridge and chop it rough, letting a smoking cast-iron skillet revive the weekend's smoke and charred beef on a Tuesday night. To build proper yellow corn tostada shells, rely on time and air; by leaving day-old tortillas on the counter to dry out before frying, you ensure a shatteringly crisp shell that won't turn to mush under the weight of wet salsa when smeared with warm beans and piled with leftover citrus-soaked steak. Hit it with lime and eat it standing up.
Before you start
Air-dry the tortillas overnight.
The most crucial step happens before you even start cooking: take the corn tortillas out of their bag and lay them flat in a single layer on the counter the night before. This indigenous technique, known as orear, draws out the internal moisture of the masa so they fry up shatteringly crisp rather than turning into soggy, greasy sponges.
Ingredients
- outside skirt steak or flank steak1 1/2 lb
- navel orange1 large
- limes2 med
- soy sauce2 tbsp
- vegetable oil1 tbsp
- vegetable oil1/2 cup
- garlic4 med clove
- fresh cilantro1/2 cup
- ground cumin1 tsp
- dried Mexican oregano1 tsp
- kosher salt1 tsp
- black pepper1/2 tsp
- white corn tortillas8 med
- refried pinto beans15 oz
- iceberg lettuce1 cup
- pico de gallo1 cup
- avocado1 med
- Cotija cheese1/2 cup
- Mexican crema1/4 cup
Method
- 01
Marinate the beef.
In a bowl, combine the orange juice, lime juice, soy sauce, one tablespoon of the oil, garlic, cilantro, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper, then submerge the steak and refrigerate for at least one hour.
- 02
Fry the air-dried tortillas.
Heat the remaining half-cup of oil in a skillet to 350°F and carefully slide in the dried tortillas one at a time, frying for about a minute per side until completely rigid and golden brown, then drain on paper towels.
- 03
Sear and slice the meat.
Pat the marinated steak completely dry and sear it in a smoking hot cast-iron skillet for four minutes per side until deeply charred, then let it rest before slicing thinly against the grain and chopping into bite-sized pieces.
- 04
Warm the beans.
Heat the canned refried beans in a small saucepan with a splash of water, stirring continuously over medium-low heat until they are warm, smooth, and easily spreadable.
- 05
Assemble the tostadas.
Spread a generous, warm layer of beans from edge to edge on each crispy shell to act as culinary glue, press in the chopped beef, and crown with lettuce, pico de gallo, avocado, crumbled cheese, and a liberal drizzle of crema.
Notes
The recalentado shortcut.
If you have leftover smoked steak from a Sunday barbecue, bypass the marinating and searing entirely; simply chop the cold meat and warm it in a hot skillet with a splash of water for a deeply authentic meal that takes under fifteen minutes.
The umami secret weapon.
Do not omit the soy sauce from the marinade; this cross-cultural staple is a quiet hallmark of modern Norteño cooking, bridging the gap between a standard piece of steak and a deeply savory, restaurant-caliber carne asada.
From Cook Tex-Mex.