So, can we take a quick second to appreciate the glory of carne asada?
To my non-Spanish speaking friends, the direct translation of "carne asada" is grilled meat.
Usually, it's a skirt, flank, or flap steak — marinated to perfection — grilled on an open fire that's JUST charred enough to give it a subtle smoky flavor.
It's bomb. Especially when you grill it with some onions, cebollitas, whole jalapeños, nopales, corn on the cob, tortillas, and other mouthwatering goodness.
One of the best parts is smelling the meat as it's cooked in its own juices. It's so powerful, you could be 5,382 miles away from the grill and you'd still be able to smell the deliciousness.
That “TSSSSSSSSSSSS” sound you hear as the meat grills is like music to your ears.
Carne asada is flavorful, it's mouthwatering, it's juicy, tender, delicious, heavenly, and above all, the GREATEST. Eat it in a taco, in a torta, or by itself. IT'S ALL GOOD!
But there's more to carne asada than just grilling meat.
It's what you had at family gatherings on Sunday afternoons.
It's what your family members bonded over while they drank Modelos and Bohemias.
It's what your tías ate while they spilled some hot chisme about some fulano or other.
It's what your cousins ate while talking about school, work, and life problems.
This is the dish of your childhood.
This is the dish that made you PROUD of who you are.
This is the dish that — quite simply — made you happy.
In this life, we gotta eat, and if we gotta eat, we might as well eat con gusto. So, remember: Beyond all its deliciousness, all its heavenly glory, all its tenderness...
