Focus Tips
- Get the pan or grill properly hot before the steak goes down or you will lose browning.
- Rest the steak before slicing or the juices will run into the bowl.
- Keep the toppings distinct so the final bowl reads clean, not dumped together.
Medium Dinner
Carne Asada Bowls
Seared steak bowls with charred scallion rice, black beans, and precise fresh toppings.
Pull Out Before Starting
- oil
- salt
- pepper
- flank or skirt steak
- limes
- garlic
- scallions
- rice
- black beans
- cucumber
- Roma tomatoes
- jalapeno
- cilantro
- avocados
- large skillet or grill pan
- rice pot
- mixing bowls
Prep Before Cooking
- 1 1/2 lb flank or skirt steak
- Marinade: 2 garlic cloves, finely grated; zest of 1 lime; 2 tbsp lime juice; 1 tbsp oil; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup long-grain rice, rinsed
- 4 scallions, trimmed
- 2 cups cooked black beans
- Cucumber salsa: 1 cucumber, small dice; 2 Roma tomatoes, small dice; 1 jalapeno, finely minced; 2 tbsp cilantro, chopped; juice of 1 lime; salt
- 1 avocado, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup cilantro leaves for finishing
Technique Spotlight
Slicing steak cleanly for bowls
Target
Each steak slice should be thin, juicy, and cut clearly against the grain so it stays tender in the bowl.
Common Miss
Cutting with the grain or slicing before the steak rests makes it chewy and ragged.
- Look for the direction of the muscle fibers before you cook, then rotate the steak after resting so the knife crosses them.
- Use long strokes instead of pressing straight down, which tears the surface.
Method
How to make it
- Rub the steak with the marinade ingredients and let it stand while you prep the rest.
- Cook the rice until tender. Char the scallions in a dry hot pan, slice them thinly, and fold them into the rice with a pinch of salt.
- Warm the black beans with a splash of water and a little salt until loose and spoonable.
- Make the cucumber salsa by combining the diced cucumber, diced tomatoes, minced jalapeno, cilantro, lime juice, and salt.
- Sear the steak in a very hot pan or grill pan until browned and cooked to your preferred doneness, then rest 5 to 8 minutes.
- Slice the steak thinly against the grain and build the bowls with scallion rice, black beans, steak, cucumber salsa, avocado, and cilantro.