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Slow Cooker Carne Asada

Name: Slow Cooker Carne Asada
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 8 h
Total time: 8 h 5 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: American, Tex-Mex
Ingredients: 1 (2.5-3) pound flank steak, I recommend Certified Angus Beef ® Brand; 1/4 cup olive oil; 1/4 cup orange juice; 2 cloves minced garlic; 2 tablespoons lime juice; 1 tablespoon honey; 1 teaspoon chopped cilantro; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 teaspoon chili powder; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; Flour or corn tortillas; Garnishes: Cilantro, lime wedges, sliced radishes, avocado chunks

posted by Liz Berg on April 6, 2017 (updated 2/12/22)

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This Slow Cooker Carne Asada Recipe is slow-cooked in a magical mixture of lime, orange, garlic, and spices before shredding and served taco style!

The picky hubby panics a bit when I spout off our entree for the night and he doesn’t recognize the name. This Carne Asada had him puzzled for an instant, but once he took his first bite, this Latin dish was a smash hit!

Why You’ll Love this Carne Asada

It’s made in a slow cooker, so lots of hands-off cooking.
The beef is super tender and flavorful!
Serving them as tacos means you can make a taco bar with all your favorite toppings! Don’t forget some Guacamole!

Of course, Bill’s memories from high school Spanish probably cued him in. Carne = Meat. So he wasn’t too worried. Plus serving this as a carne asada tacos recipe in tortilla shells made it much more mainstream, and after one bite, he was SOLD!

There was the time, more than a decade ago, when I first made Penne with Havarti. His eyes widened as he fretted, “You’re not feeding me fish are you???” He’s come a long way since then! The literal translation of carne asada is “grilled beef, ” but this slow cooker version is perfect for the winter or a busy day.

How to Serve This Carne Asada Recipe

Like with tacos, carne asada wouldn’t be the same without the garnishes! Typically served with radishes, avocados and lime, the hubby wouldn’t have any of that.

I had some shredded cheese and salsa in the fridge as I anticipated that these “funky” toppings wouldn’t be his style. We both loved this flavorful carne asada tacos recipe our own way.
Flour or corn tortillas both work well with carne asada. Pick your favorite.
Warm your tortillas to make them even softer and more pliable.
Use flank steak or skirt steak for the most authentic carne asada recipe.
This carne asada marinade is top-notch. Instead of marinating and grilling, like in a more traditional recipe, the flank steak spends 8 hours in the slow cooker with a flavorful concoction.
Orange juice, lime juice, garlic, honey, cilantro, chili powder, and cumin infuse into the flank steak during the cooking process.

Slow Cooker Carne Asada in a flour tortilla on a square white plate with a bamboo handle fork

More Slow Cooker Recipes You’ll Love:

This {Slow Cooker} Italian Red Wine Roast Beef from Barefeet in the Kitchen is pure comfort food as is this Slow Cooker Beef Stew from Big Bear’s Wife. If you’re looking for more Tex-Mex inspired recipes, Slow Cooker Chile Colorado Style Beef from Noble Pig and my Pork Carnitas are perfect. This Slow Cooker Coffee Braised Brisket is my favorite brisket recipe and super easy, too!

Helpful Tools:

Cuisinart 6-Quart Crock-Pot
Kuhn Rikon 10-Inch French Wire Whisk
Pyrex 2-Cup Glass Measuring Cup (I use to whisk up salad dressings and marinades)

What to Serve with Carne Asada Tacos:

When making a Tex-Mex or Latin entree like carne asada, having a few good side dishes and desserts will help round out the meal. Here are a few of my suggestions from the blog:

The Recipe: