Air-Fried Carne Asada: Quick, Easy, And Delicious

Cooking carne asada in an air fryer is a quick and easy way to make a juicy and flavoursome dish. The process involves preparing a marinade, marinating the steak, and then cooking it in the air fryer. The steak can be served with French fries, in a quesadilla, or in tacos.

Marinating the steak

Place your flank or skirt steak in a resealable plastic bag or a shallow dish. Pour the marinade over the steak, ensuring it is well-coated. Seal the bag or cover the dish and place it in the refrigerator. Leave the steak to marinate for at least 30 minutes, but no more than 2 hours. This will allow the flavours to penetrate the meat.

After the steak has marinated, remove it from the bag or dish and let any excess marinade drip off. It is now ready to be placed in the air fryer. Preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius) for 3-5 minutes. This will ensure the steak cooks evenly.

Place the steak in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Depending on the size of your basket, you may need to cook the steak in two batches. Set the air fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and cook for 8 minutes, or until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit. Do not overcook the steak, as it will become tough.

Once the steak is cooked to your desired temperature, remove it from the air fryer basket and place it on a cutting board. Cover loosely with foil and let the carne asada rest for a minimum of 3 minutes. Finally, slice the steak thinly against the grain for maximum tenderness.

Preheating the air fryer

Once the air fryer is preheated, you can place the carne asada in the basket. Make sure to remove the steak from the marinade first and let any excess marinade drip off. Place the steak in the basket in a single layer, ensuring that it is not overcrowded. Depending on the size of your air fryer basket, you may need to cook the carne asada in two batches.

The preheating step is crucial to achieving the best results when cooking carne asada in an air fryer. By preheating the air fryer, you create a consistent cooking environment for the steak, ensuring that it cooks evenly on all sides. This helps to prevent overcooking or undercooking, resulting in a perfectly cooked and juicy carne asada.

Additionally, preheating the air fryer helps to reduce the overall cooking time. Since the air fryer is already at the desired temperature, the steak will start cooking immediately once it is placed in the basket. This saves time and energy, making the cooking process more efficient.

Cooking the carne asada

Preheat your air fryer to 400°F (200°C) for 3-5 minutes. Remove the steak from the marinade and let any excess marinade drip off. Place the steak in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Depending on the size of your basket, you may need to cook the steak in two batches.

Cook the steak for 8 minutes, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 145°F. Do not overcook, as the meat will become tough. Remove the steak from the air fryer basket, place it on a cutting board, and cover loosely with foil. Let the carne asada rest for a minimum of 3 minutes, then slice it thinly against the grain for maximum tenderness.

You can serve your carne asada with French fries, corn or flour tortillas, or use it as a filling for quesadillas. Top with fresh ingredients such as chopped onions, cilantro, avocado, and a squeeze of lime.

Resting the carne asada

Once your carne asada is cooked, it's important to let it rest. Place the steak on a cutting board and cover it loosely with foil. Leave it to rest for at least three minutes. This will ensure the meat is tender and juicy.

Resting the meat is an important step in the cooking process. It allows the juices to redistribute throughout the steak, ensuring it stays moist and flavourful. If you cut into the steak too soon, those delicious juices will end up on your cutting board instead of in your mouth!

The resting time also gives you a chance to prepare any sides or toppings you might want to serve with your carne asada. For example, you could use this time to warm up some soft corn or flour tortillas in the air fryer. You could also chop up some fresh toppings like onions, cilantro, avocado, and lime.

If you're making carne asada fries, you can use the resting time to cook your French fries in the air fryer until they're crispy and golden. Then, simply layer the fries with your sliced carne asada and top with shredded cheese, guacamole, sour cream, and pico de gallo.

Serving suggestions

There are a number of ways to serve carne asada cooked in an air fryer. One option is to make carne asada fries. To do this, cook frozen or homemade French fries in the air fryer until crispy and golden. Then, layer the fries with sliced carne asada and top with shredded cheese, guacamole, sour cream, and pico de gallo.

Another option is to make carne asada tacos. To do this, let the steak rest, then slice it thinly against the grain. Warm soft corn or flour tortillas in the air fryer for a minute or two, then fill them with the sliced carne asada. Top with fresh ingredients such as chopped onions, cilantro, avocado, and a squeeze of lime.

You could also use leftover carne asada to make a quesadilla. Preheat the air fryer to 350 degrees F, lay the leftover carne asada in the air fryer basket, and cook for 3 to 5 minutes until heated through.

Finally, you could simply serve the carne asada as a steak. Place the steak in the air fryer basket in a single layer, ensuring that any excess marinade has dripped off. Set the air fryer to 400°F and cook for 8 minutes, or until the meat has reached an internal temperature of 145°F. Remove from the air fryer basket, place on a cutting board, cover loosely with foil, and let the carne asada rest for a minimum of 3 minutes. Slice against the grain for maximum tenderness.

Frequently asked questions