Slow Cooker Carne Asada

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!

Slow Cooker Carne Asada

Of course, Bill’s memories from high school Spanish probably cued him in. Carne = Meat. So he wasn’t 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 Harvarti. 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.

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!

Used in This Recipe:

• 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)

Complete This Meal:

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:

• Beer Margaritas
• Peach Margaritas
• White Wine Sangria
• Fiesta Salad
• Hearts of Palm, Artichoke, Avocado and Butter Lettuce Salad
• Cheesy Rice Casserole
• Tres Leches Cake
• Mini Margarita Cheesecakes
• Key Lime Pound Cake
• More Recipes for Entertaining

Yield: 6 servings

Slow Cooker Carne Asada

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The slow cooker version of the classic Latin recipe. Adapted from Gourmet Slow Cooker via My Southwest Kitchen

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 8 hours

Total Time 8 hours 5 minutes

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

Instructions

1. Place flank steak into the slow cooker.
2. Whisk together the olive oil, orange juice, garlic, lime juice, honey, cilantro, salt, chili powder, and cumin. Pour marinade over the meat.
3. Cover and set the slow cooker to low. Cook for 8 hours.
4. Remove the meat from the slow cooker and shred. Place the meat back in the slow cooker and coat with the juices.
5. Serve on tortillas and garnish with lime wedges, sliced radishes, and avocado chunks.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 310 Total Fat: 18g Saturated Fat: 4g Trans Fat: 0g Unsaturated Fat: 14g Cholesterol: 24mg Sodium: 389mg Carbohydrates: 27g Net Carbohydrates: 0g Fiber: 4g Sugar: 4g Sugar Alcohols: 0g Protein: 11g