Elevated Carne Asada with Grilled Guacamole

Elevated Carne Asada with Grilled Guacamole

 

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 lb (1 kg/32 oz) Wagyu skirt steak
  • 3 to 6 whole dried chilis* (guajillo or ancho)
  • 1 tbsp. achiote or annatto**
  • 2 to 8 cloves garlic
  • 1 cup (237 ml/ 2 to 3 oranges) Seville orange juice
  • 1 lime, juiced
  • 3 tbsp. oil***
  • 2 tbsp. brown sugar
  • ½ cup (40 g) cilantro, lightly packed
  • 1 tbsp. ground cumin
  • Salt to taste

Grilled Guacamole

  • 2 avocados
  • 1 lime zested and juiced
  • 1 small jalapeno, minced
  • ½ small white onion, diced
  • 1 small roma tomato, diced
  • Salt to taste

DIRECTIONS

  • Begin by preparing the marinade. In a blender, add the whole dried chillies, stems and seeds removed, with the achiote, garlic, orange juice, lime juice, oil, sugar, and cumin. Blitz until these ingredients make a smooth paste, sample and add salt to taste. Reserve about 1/3 of the marinade for dressing and dip later. Pour the marinade over your beef, in a nonreactive container like a zip-bag or glass bowl. Marinate for 1 hour or more, but no longer than 8 hours.
  • When you are ready to cook, preheat your barbecue to high, around 500°F (260°C) by igniting all burners.
  • For the guacamole, cut the avocados and lime in half, place them cut side down over direct heat, along with the jalapeno and whole roma tomato.
  • Grill the skirt steak over direct heat while cooking the guacamole ingredients. Discard the marinade unless you forgot to reserve some. If you forgot to reserve some marinade, bring it to a simmer for at least 5 minutes.
  • When the avocado and lime have grill marks, and the jalapeno and tomato are blistered, remove them from the barbecue. Keep an eye on the meat, flipping frequently until well charred and cooked to no more than 130°F (54°C).
  • Rest the steak while you pull together the guacamole. Scoop out the avocado, add the juice of the grilled lime, minced jalapeno, diced onion and tomato. Taste and add salt as needed.
  • Thinly slice the carne asada against the grain and serve, alongside the grilled guacamole, in your favorite fashion. You can go easy to eat with flour or corn tortillas, or serve family style with rice and beans, drizzled with your reserved marinade.

*Whole dried chilies are wonderful at adding flavor to everything, elevate your dish by lightly toasting in a frying pan until fragrant before adding to your dish.
**Achiote or annatto provides an earthy and peppery flavor that can run into slightly bitter. Generally, this traditional Mexican seasoning provides colour, and you won’t taste it unless a large amount is used.
***Oil; vegetable and corn are authentic, but you can sub your favorite like a high-quality olive oil 

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