These beef carnitas are the boss. They have an amazing flavor that can possibly knock your socks off if you are not very careful. They are marinated with a blend of seasoning, and grilled for 3 to 5 minutes to perfection. Try these amazing beef carnitas for your next gathering.
Jump to RecipeBEEF CARNITAS MARINADE INGREDIENTS
- Beef
- Lime for that amazing tangy flavor, and to help in tenderizing the meat
- Salt to flavor and tenderize the meat
- Cilantro
- Garlic
- Chili powder
- Cumin powder
- Freshly crushed black pepper
WHAT DO YOU NEED TO MAKE THESE BEEEF CARNITAS
- 1-gallon resealable plastic bag
- Sharp knife
- Chopping block
- Cast iron skillet or a flat top grill
BEEF CHUCK ROAST CARNITAS
For most of my grilling, I use chuck roast beef because it is a cheap cut of meat that is tender.
They key to making any cut of beef tender is the way how you cut it.
If you cut the beef against the grain where you would see the long-thing strands of muscles, you will end up with tender beef.
The goal is to have the beef in a form where when you cook it, you begin to see these thin strands falling apart.
A good way to test if you are cutting your beef correctly is by trying to pull the cut piece apart. If when you pull you see it coming apart into thin strands, then you have cut it correctly.
BEEF CARNITAS MARINADE
The key to having tender beef carnitas is the marinade.
Salt is a natural tenderizer. So if you want your beef carnitas to be tender, you need to put that salt in.
Lemon juice also acts as a tenderizer because of its acidity. Acidity helps break down the molecular structure of protein giving you tender beef.
The flavors from the cilantro, crushed garlic, chili powder, cumin, and lime is what makes this recipe so flavorful.
You can marinate these beef carnitas in the fridge for 2 to 4 hours, but if you want super tender stovetop carnitas or over the grill carnitas, you’ll want to marinate them for as long as you can. Overnight would be the best.
STOVETOP COOKING METHOD
Cooking these carnitas over the stovetop is easier than you can think.
The best cookware to use when cooking these carnitas is a cast iron skillet because it distributes the heat equally, and it acts sort of like a grill.
You’ll want to preheat the cast iron skillet until you begin to feel heat coming off of it when you hover your hand over it.
If the cast iron skillet is not hot when you place your beef over it, the carnitas will stick to the pan.
Grilling the carnitas over the cast iron skillet for 2 to 5 minutes should be sufficient. Any longer, and you will cause them beef to harden and become chewy.
Just at the last minute of grilling the carnitas over the stovetop, you’ll want to add in the butter and a squeeze of lime. This is going to give you that extra kick of tanginess, and make the carnitas super rich and silky.
One very important point to make is that you should never over crowed the pan. If you put too much beef in the pan where they have no breathing space, they will get steamed and not grilled.
If the pan gets overcrowded, three things can happen. First, you will lose on flavor, second, you will have tons of juice in the pan, and last your beef carnitas might not come out as tender as you’d like them to be.
You can use any skillet to cook your carnitas over, but a cast iron skillet is going to give you the best texture and flavor.
FLAT TOP GRILL COOKING METHOD
Yes, you can definitely grill your carnitas over a grill. In fact, this is my favorite method to do so.
I love using out flat top grill to cook beef carnitas over. They usually end up with the best texture and flavor. And the fact that the grill is so wide, makes it impossible for me to crowd my carnitas.
To cook these beef carnitas over the grill, just follow the same directions for cooking them over a cast iron skillet.
HOW DO YOU SERVE BEEF CARNITAS
You can serve them over taco shells, flat rice bread, or with tortilla chips. Serve them with guacamole or salsa Verde.
MORE DELICIOUS GLUTEN FREE RECIPES
Gluten Free Thanksgiving recipes
Mediterranean Rice Pilaf With Chicken – Gluten Free Recipe
How To Cook Brussel Sprouts In Cast Iron Pan
Gluten Free Dessert Recipes
Gluten Free Mediterranean Date Cookies – Maamoul Recipe
And…
Beef Carnitas That Will Knock Your Socks Off
Equipment
- 1-gallon resealable plastic bag
- Sharp knife
- Chopping block
- Cast iron skillet or a flat top grill
Ingredients
- 2.5 pounds beef
- Juice of 3 limes
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ bunch cilantro chopped, plus extra for garnish
- 5 cloves of garlic smashed and diced
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- ½ tablespoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon freshly crushed black pepper
- 2 tablespoons butter to coat beef during cooking
- 3 limes For squeezing over beef while cooking, and for serving.
Instructions
- Slice beef into thin strips about 2 to 3 inches in length and ½ inch in width. The inner thickness of the strips should be between 1/8 to a ¼ inch. You can always ask your butcher to slice them for you.
- Place the juice of 3 limes, salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin powder, garlic, and chopped cilantro into a 1-gallon resealable plastic bag, and mix well.
- Add the beef into the seasoning and mix to coat evenly.
- Seal the plastic bag making sure to remove most air out of the bag. This will allow the flavors to penetrate more quickly into the beef, and it will also allow it to get tenderized quicker. Place the bag in the fridge and allow the beef to marinate for 2 to 4 hours or overnight.
- Grill the marinated beef either in a cast iron skillet, or on a flat top grill over high heat for 3 to 5 minutes.
- At the last minute of grilling the beef, add 2 tablespoons butter and a squeeze of lime. Remove from heat, and serve.
- You can serve over taco shells along with some guacamole, or salsa verde. Garnish with some freshly chopped cilantro. Enjoy!
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