Carne Asada Sweety Drop Peppers & Cilantro Mashers

  

We can all agree on a few things here: 

Great carne asada should taste, first, of the beef. It should be buttery, rich, and juicy, with a nice charred, smoky flavor. It should also be fork-tender, but also somewhat substantial. Finally, the marinade should have a good balance of flavors, with no single ingredient overwhelming any other. 

 

Carne asada literally translates to “grilled beef,” and, at its simplest, it can be no more than a steak, seasoned with salt and pepper, cooked over a hot fire. Yet colloquially, when we hear the term “carne asada,” we immediately think of the marinated meats chopped up and stuff into tacos or burritos. This recipe is neither of those – SO much better.

And, the question also begs, what exactly is in that amazing marinade we all love? 

Depending on the response, there are any number of different answers. 

Lime juice, garlic, and herbs are often used. Some recipes call for dried or fresh chiles. Still others go for a liquid fajita-style marinade with soy or Worcestershire sauce.

 

The best marinade has three goals: enhancing texture by allowing meat to retain juices better, improving surface browning, and tenderizing. For carne asada, it is necessary to have all three of these effects: salt, acid, fat (and then heat).

 

Then, what about the beef?

 

Skirt steak is the answer to the cut of meat. With the richest, most buttery flavor, has a really nice surface area–to–volume ratio that maximizes the flavor of the marinade, plenty of thin edges to crisp up and char, and, when cooked properly, a melt-in-your-mouth texture.

 

What’s next?

 

The color: RED.

Also known as “Sweety Drops,” these small, tear-shaped peppers originated in the Peruvian Amazon where it was brought back to the Gandules, Inc. headquarters in Peru. Here, the growing and cultivation process was perfected over a period of two years. Also known as Incan Red Drops, Petits Poivrons have a sugar-like sweetness and work well in salads, paired with cheese and charcuterie, pizza or pastas, or even in baked goods. This is a unique type of pepper that grows in the Highlands of Peru. Its exceptional taste is both sweet and sour. The pepper seed is a combination of a cherry pepper and jalapeño pepper.

 

Now, the perfect mashed potato – “masher,” actually. Aromatic, fresh cilantro and a hint of garlic in a creamy mash complement all the flavors, both sweet and savory, in a supple, tender, and exquisite oven-roasted carne asada.

 

Are you in heaven yet? After one simple bite, you will be!

 

(BTW, this is what we served for Thanksgiving Dinner back in November of 2022). It was the perfect holiday treat! Throw out the turkey with the bathwater. Make way for Carne Asada Sweety Drop Peppers & Cilantro Mashers! 

(It also goes really well with the Seven Layer Dip traditional appetizer we always serve 😉).

 

Carne Asada Sweety Drop Peppers & Cilantro Mashers

Carne Asada:
3 whole dried ancho chiles, de-stemmed and de-seeded
3 whole dried guajillo chiles, de-stemmed and de-seeded
2 whole chipotle peppers, canned in adobo
3/4 cup fresh orange juice (about 2 oranges)
2 Tbs. fresh juice (2-3 limes)
2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbs. soy sauce or gluten-free tamari
2 Tbs. Asian fish sauce (Red Boat)
2 Tbs. dark brown sugar
1 small bunch cilantro, leaves and tender stems only, divided
3 medium cloves garlic
1 Tbs. whole cumin seeds, toasted and ground
1 tsp. whole coriander seeds, toasted and ground
sea salt
2 lbs. skirt steak (2 to 3 whole skirt steaks), trimmed and cut

 

Place dried ancho and guajillo chiles on a microwave-safe plate and microwave until pliable and toasty-smelling, 10-20 seconds. 

 

Transfer to the jar of a blender and add chipotle peppers, orange juice, lime juice, olive oil, soy sauce (tamari), fish sauce, brown sugar, cilantro, garlic, cumin seed, and coriander seed.

 

Blend until a smooth sauce has formed, about 1 minute. 

 

Season to taste with salt. 

 

Transfer half of the salsa to a large bowl and the other half to a sealed container. 

 

Set aside the sealed container in the refrigerator.

 

Add an extra 2 tsp. of salt to the salsa in the bowl. Add steak to bowl and turn to coat. 

 

Transfer to a gallon-sized zipper-lock bag with the top folded over to prevent excess sauce and meat juices from contaminating the seal. Pour any excess marinade over the steaks. 

 

Squeeze all air out of the bag and seal.

 

Refrigerate for at least 3 hours or up to 12 hours.

 

Once ready to cook, preheat the oven to 500 degrees.

 

Remove the marinated steak from the fridge and bring to room temperature for 1 hour, while the oven is preheating.

 

Transfer to a parchment-lined baking dish and once the oven is super-hot (again, 1 hour), bake for 15-18 minutes, at 500 degrees.

Keeping the oven door SHUT – CLOSED – SEALED, turn off the oven heat and leave the carne in the oven for an additional 45-50 minutes. DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN DOOR.

 

After 45-50 minutes, remove the steak from the oven and let set for 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving over the mashers and with the peppers.

 

While all this is happening, prepare the Cilantro Mashers.

 

1 cup Sweety Drop Peppers (found in the olive bar at the market)

 

Cilantro Mashers:
3 cloves garlic 
1 Tbs. olive oil 
3 lbs. red potatoes, peeled 
5 Tbs. butter 
1 cup milk 
1/2 cup whipping cream 
sea salt and pepper, to taste 
6 Tbs. fresh cilantro, finely chopped

 

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. (This can be done before the steak, or if you are lucky enough to have a double oven, simultaneously).

 

Generously dress the garlic with olive oil and salt over the top of an aluminum foil square. 

 

Create a small package by wrapping the garlic completely in the foil and place in the oven for around 25 minutes.

Cool and remove the skin from each garlic clove. 

 

Peel the potatoes and cut them in half. Then boil for 25 minutes in salted water, or until tender. 

 

Drain the water from the pot and add the butter and milk. 

 

Use a potato masher to crush the potatoes and combine the garlic and butter into the mashed potatoes.

Incorporate the milk and cream, mixing well, along with the salt, pepper, and cilantro, until smooth and creamy.

 

Plate the potatoes, topped with the Carne Asada, and drizzle with the flavorful meat juices.

Sprinkle with Sweety Drop Peppers, fresh cilantro, and additional ground pepper, if desired.