Crockpot Carne Asada – The best recipe for crockpot carne asada made in the slow cooker. This marinated flank steak recipe is perfect for tacos.
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Carne Asada Crock Pot Ingredients
- flank steak
- olive oil
- white wine vinegar
- kosher salt
- pepper
- cumin
- garlic
- orange juice
- limes
- lemon
- jalapeno
- cilantro
How to make Slow Cooker Carne Asada
Detailed instructions and measurements are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of this page.
- Add your flank steak to a container that has an airtight lid.
- Add in your olive oil, white wine vinegar, kosher salt, black pepper, cumin, garlic, orange juice, lime juice, lemon juice, jalapeno, and cilantro.
- Seal with your lid and shake so that the flank steak is coated. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- Heat a large skillet over high heat. Remove the flank steak from the container (keeping the marinade) and sear on each side, about 45 seconds – 1 minute per side.
- Add the flank steak and all of the marinade to your slow cooker. Cook on low for 6 hours.
- Once done, shred with a fork (it should be falling apart at this point), and serve in tacos or on rice! If it isn’t falling apart tender, it needs more time!
Carne Asada Slow Cooker Tips
- If your meat is not falling apart tender, it needs more time. You may have used a thicker cut or tougher cut of meat. If it’s not falling apart tender, it’s not done yet.
- You can leave the seeds and ribs with your jalapeno or remove them depending on your heat preference.
- Searing is not required, but does add a good flavor to the final dish.
- Don’t sear it too long. You don’t want to cook it through, you just want a nice crust on the outside.
Slow Cooker Carne Asada Recipe FAQ
The most common cuts of meat used in carne asada are flank steak and skirt steak. I prefer flank steak because I find it to be more tender.
When made with this recipe, it should not be tough at all. it should be completely tender and fall apart.
It all depends on what you add! If you prefer one that isn’t spicy, be sure to remove the seeds and ribs from your jalapeno. If you want it spicy, leave them in.
It’s imperative to cook carne asada on low heat. In order for it to be tender and fall apart, it needs to be cooked low and slow.
When cooked on low, flank steak gets more tender the longer you cook it.
At some point, your steak will overcook in a slow cooker if it stays in too long. You can still keep it in there for around 8-10 hours though.
You’ll want to have 1/4lb of carne asada per person for tacos if you’re serving the tacos with fillings and toppings.
Ways to serve Crockpot Carne Asada
Crockpot Carne Asada is versatile and goes great in so many dishes. Some of my favorite ways to serve it are:
- in tacos or burritos
- filling for enchiladas
- in burrito bowls
- with rice and beans
- on top of nachos
alterations for picky eaters
- If your picky eater is sensitive to spice, omit the jalapeno entirely. You can adjust it by removing the seeds and ribs, but if they are particularly sensitive to it, I would omit it.
- Serve in tacos with their favorite cheese!
- Even for those who aren’t fans of cilantro, this is usually still a big hit. If you’re concerned, I would leave it out.
alterations to lower calories or ww points
- There really isn’t much to do in order to lower them.
- Don’t replace the flank steak with skirt steak. Skirt steak is higher in calories.
- Use fresh orange juice instead of packaged.
Crock Pot Carne Asada Storage
Place any leftover slow cooker flank steak in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
To reheat leftover flank steak, I recommend using a skillet over medium heat on the stove for best results. You could also place it in a microwave-safe dish, loosely covered with a paper towel. Be careful not to overcook the meat.
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Crockpot Carne Asada
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds flank steak
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 4 cloves garlic
- 3/4 cup orange juice
- juice from 2 limes
- juice from 1 lemon
- 1 jalapeno
- 1/4 cup cilantro
Instructions
- Add your flank steak to a container that has an airtight lid.
- Add in your olive oil, white wine vinegar, kosher salt, black pepper, cumin, garlic, orange juice, lime juice, lemon juice, jalapeno, and cilantro.
- Seal with your lid and shake so that the flank steak is coated. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- Heat a large skillet over high heat. Remove the flank steak from the container (keeping the marinade) and sear on each side, about 45 seconds – 1 minute per side.
- Add the flank steak and all of the marinade to your slow cooker. Cook on low for 4-6 hours. Cook until it's falling apart tender. If it isn't falling apart tender, it needs more time. Thicker cuts will require more time.
- Once done, shred with a fork (it should be falling apart at this point), and serve in tacos or on rice!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This was the absolute BEST recipe!! So so good. Thank you!!
Thank you Lauren! I’m so glad you liked it!
Do you have recommendations for how to marinate and freeze this? I have a baby coming and this would be the perfect thing to prep ahead and throw in the crockpot. Thanks!
Hi Caitlin! You can absolutely turn this into a freezer meal. I would assemble the marinade, place it in a freezer safe ziploc bag along with the flank steak. Remove as much air as possible and then seal it. I would lay it flat and place it immediately in the freezer. When you’re ready to make it, I would thaw it in the fridge overnight and then just proceed as normal with the recipe. Hope that helps and congrats on the baby!
Never had crockpot carne asada, this dish was fabulous! Thank you! I marinated the meat overnight.
Thank you so much! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
This is the best recipe ever!!!
Thank you! That’s so kind of you!
The flavor was terrific but my meat was really tough.
Hi Ally,
I’m really sorry to hear that. I’ve tested the recipe multiple times and have never had this issue. Often times it’s so tender it falls completely apart when pulling it from the crockpot. Did you follow the recipe instructions exactly or make any ingredient substitutions? Maybe a different cut of meat? I’d love to help troubleshoot this. Thanks!
Mine was a little tough too, so after I shredded it, I put it back in the juices in the slow cooker for a half hour. It was much more tender after that.
If you cook it long enough it is fork tender.