Taco Mixta De Asada Recipe

Prepare and marinate the steak

Trim excess fat from the steak and slice thinly across the grain into 1/8–1/4-inch strips. In a bowl combine lime juice, olive oil, soy sauce, minced garlic, cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, salt and pepper. Add the sliced steak and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours (not recommended overnight because lime will start to cure the meat).

Cook the steak (asada)

Heat a cast-iron skillet or heavy griddle over high heat until very hot (2–4 minutes). Add a tablespoon of oil if pan is dry. Remove steak from marinade and pat lightly with a paper towel to remove excess liquid. Working in batches, sear the strips 1–2 minutes per side until nicely charred and medium-rare to medium (internal temp ~130–140°F / 54–60°C). Transfer to a plate and let rest 5 minutes. Slice any larger pieces into bite-sized strips.

Braise the pork

Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C). In a heavy ovenproof pot or Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons lard or oil over medium-high heat. Season pork cubes with 1 teaspoon salt. Brown pork in batches until deeply golden on all sides, about 6–8 minutes per batch. Remove browned pork and set aside. Add quartered onion and smashed garlic to the pot and cook 2 minutes until fragrant.

Slow-cook to confit

Return pork to the pot. Add orange juice, bay leaf and 1/2 cup water (or broth) to barely come up the sides of the meat (liquid should not completely cover). Bring to a simmer on the stovetop, then cover and transfer to the oven. Cook 2 to 2.5 hours until pork is very tender and shreds easily with a fork.

Crisp the carnitas

Remove pork from the braising liquid and shred with two forks, discarding bay leaf and large pieces of fat or onion. To get crisp edges (traditional carnitas texture), spread shredded pork in a single layer on a baking sheet and drizzle with 1–2 tablespoons of the reserved fat or a little oil. Broil or bake at 450°F (230°C) for 8–12 minutes, stirring once, until edges are caramelized and crisp. Alternatively, sear in a hot skillet in batches until crisped.

Make roasted tomatillo/tomato salsa

If using tomatillos or roma tomatoes, roast them: place halved tomatillos/tomatoes and 1 garlic clove on a hot skillet or baking sheet under broiler and roast until charred, 6–10 minutes, turning once. Let cool slightly, then chop and transfer to a bowl. Add finely chopped white onion, minced jalapeño (if using), chopped cilantro, lime juice and salt to taste. Mix and adjust seasoning. Chill briefly or serve at room temperature.

Prep additional toppings

Slice the avocado, crumble the cotija or queso fresco, and place extra chopped cilantro and onion in small bowls for assembly. Keep lime wedges ready.

Warm tortillas

Heat a dry cast-iron skillet or comal over medium-high heat. Lightly brush each corn tortilla with a little vegetable oil (or use dry) and warm 20–30 seconds per side until pliable and slightly toasted. Keep wrapped in a clean kitchen towel to stay warm.

Assemble tacos mixta de asada

Lay a warm tortilla on a plate. Add about 1–2 tablespoons of shredded carnitas and 1–2 tablespoons of sliced asada (adjust ratio to taste). Top with a spoonful of tomatillo/tomato salsa, a sprinkle of chopped onion and cilantro, a few slices of avocado if desired, and a pinch of crumbled cotija. Squeeze a lime wedge over each taco. Repeat to make 10–12 tacos total (about 12 tortillas).

Serve

Arrange tacos on a platter with extra salsa, lime wedges and hot sauce on the side. Serve immediately while meats are warm and tortillas pliable.