This tender, flavorful carne asada is the taco truck dupe you need

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One of my favorite memories from going to school in Northern California was hitting up the taco trucks between classes, or after a fun night out. I’ve since lived in Arizona, and on the U.S.-Mexico border in Texas, and nothing compares to those taco truck burritos.

It took me years of searching and experimenting to find a carne asada marinade that comes close to the flavor. It’s time consuming, but so worth it. I even have a little trick if you want some flavor without all the work.

This marinade is best when you’ve let the flap steak sit in this mixture for several hours. I’ve found the sweet spot is four, but you can also prep a day ahead if you want. If you’re in a time crunch but need a good flavor, skip the marinade, just use the Sazon, it’s plenty flavorful with way less work. Cook on high heat, ideally on a grill, for a few minutes on each side, you want the meat to brown or slightly char. Serving is up to you, it works for tacos, burritos, fries, fajitas — the options are endless!