An easy preparation for the best Tacos al Carbon, made at home and indoors! Featuring full-flavored flank steak marinated in a simple cilantro-lime marinade. The beef cooks quickly on the stovetop and the dish comes together fast! Making this the perfect weeknight dinner!
Slice the beef, wrap it in flour tortillas, and serve it with a medley of favorite fajita toppings like guacamole, pico de gallo, shredded cheese, and sour cream. Want more beefy Tex-Mex Recipes for your at-home menu? Tex-Mex Beef Enchiladas, Beef Empanadas, and Steak Quesadillas belong on your dinnertime radar!
In addition to a new family-favorite Tex-Mex Recipe, we’ll also cover:
- The evolution of a Tex-Mex favorite and how Tacos al Carbon came to be.
- Tacos al Carbon — what it means and how it’s served.
- How to make the absolute best rendition in your very own home — no grill and no charcoal necessary!
THE EVOLUTION OF A TEX-MEX FAVORITE
Ninfa Rodriguez Laurenzo (a native of Rio Grande Valley in South Texas) is responsible for the beloved dish, Tacos al Carbon, which she proudly began serving at her famous Tex-Mex restaurant Ninfa’s.
As some might have guessed, Tacos al Carbon is an evolution of the sizzling spectacle you can hear coming a mile away — fajitas. And, both dishes are about as Tex-Mex as it gets in origin.
The history of fajitas has been traced back to the 1930s in the ranchlands of South and West Texas. Ranch owners would give throwaway cuts to the Mexican ranchhands and cowboys as part of their pay — throwaway cuts like skirt steak. The Mexican cowboys would cook the skirt steak over coals and this is where the beef fajita tradition began.
WHAT ARE TACOS AL CARBON?
Tacos al Carbon are essentially assembled fajita tacos, and they have the same main components: fajita beef (or chicken), tortillas, with a Mexican salad of pico de gallo and shredded lettuce served on the side. They are usually rolled with flour tortillas, and if you’re really lucky, come equipped with its very own side of queso on the plate.
The difference is that Tacos al Carbon comes plated as assembled tacos, whereas fajitas come over a bed of cooked onions and peppers, and land on the table in a sizzling cast-iron platter with tortillas on the side.
WHAT DOES TACOS AL CARBON MEAN?
Tacos al Carbon translates to “grilled taco” or “meat over charcoals,” which makes perfect sense if we recall its fajita origins of skirt steak over an open flame.
However, this is not necessarily the case for Tacos al Carbon…anymore. Often, Mexican restaurants are preparing the beef over commercial flat tops, and their patrons are none the wiser.
For the home cook, by far the simplest preparation method is to cook/sear the beef in a cast iron skillet.
TACOS AL CARBON INGREDIENTS
- The Steak — Yes, fajitas are typically made with skirt steak, but for your homemade rendition, you should go with flank steak. It’s not as tough as skirt steak but still boasts that great big beefy flavor we know and love. Plus, it’s way easier to fit in a cast iron pan. You’ll want your flank steaks to be no more than 3/4″ thick for this recipe, so go for thinner cuts of beef over the great big, thick ones!
- Flour Tortillas — Tacos al Carbon comes standard with flour tortillas, but if you have a gluten allergy, you can (of course) sub in corn tortillas.
- The Marinade — The steak served at Mexican and Tex-Mex restaurants is usually marinated before cooking, and it’s a step well worth taking. A simple marinade of lime juice, cilantro, garlic, and oil is perfect for getting the most flavor out of your steak.
- Sides and Toppings — Tacos al Carbon traditionally comes with a side of Spanish Rice and Charro Beans. Some restaurants serve it with a bonus side of queso and guacamole, but almost all will include the standard Mexican side salad of shredded lettuce and pico de gallo.
HOW TO MAKE TACOS AL CARBON
- Make the marinade and marinate the flank steak.
- Pat beef dry and season.
- Ready a skillet over medium-high to high heat and add oil.
- Sear the beef for 6-7 minutes on the first side, flip and sear 4-5 minutes more. Set aside to rest.
- Slice the beef as thin as possible, cutting against the grain.
- Serve Tacos al Carbon rolled in flour tortillas with desired toppings and sides!
A WORD ON FLANK STEAK
The thickness of your flank steak matters. If it is thicker than 3/4″, it will very likely be rare if you use the indicated cook times in this recipe. Thinner flank steaks are best for quick cooking on the stovetop, but if you cannot find one, there is a fix.
If your flank steak is between 1 to 1 1/4″ thick, do this:
- Before searing the steak, preheat your oven to 375°F degrees.
- Cook the steak as indicated in the recipe card.
- Then, transfer it to a baking sheet and bake for 7-10 more minutes, depending on how “done” you like your beef.
6 MORE TEX-MEX DINNERS YOU’LL LOVE
- Tex-Mex Beef Enchiladas are the best enchiladas you’ll ever taste and feature a flavorful enchilada gravy, a taco-seasoned ground beef, and melty cheese!
- Chicken Tacos served fajita-style, wrapped in tortillas, piled high with flavorful strips of juicy chicken and your favorite taco toppings are a quick and easy dinner idea!
- Ranchero Chicken is a healthy take on a Mexican classic. Perfectly baked chicken topped with Ranchero Sauce and Monterey Jack cheese. Slice it up and serve it with tortillas and sliced avocados.
- King Ranch Casserole may be a Texas-born casserole, but it’s most definitely earned its ranking amongst Mexican food favorites. A stacked enchilada casserole featuring shredded chicken, corn tortillas, hearty vegetables, cheese, and a creamy Tex-Mex sauce to bring it all together. This recipe feeds a crowd and is guaranteed to be a new dinnertime favorite!
- Steak Quesadillas are an easy, crowd-pleasing dinner loaded with flavor thanks to quick-cooking, taco-seasoned steak strips, melty Monterrey Jack cheese, and sauteed onions and peppers.
A quick and easy preparation for the best Tacos al Carbon at home (and indoors)! Featuring flavorful, pan-seared flank steak and flour tortillas.
- 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (about 4-6 limes)
- 1 tablespoon + 1 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt, separated
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 3 teaspoons black pepper, separated
- 1 cup + 4 tablespoons canola or avocado oil, separated
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- 4 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
- 2 pounds flank steak (no more than 3/4" thick -- see note below)
- 12 flour tortillas
- Topping Ideas: Queso, shredded cheese, guacamole, pico de gallo, shredded lettuce, or sour cream
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Add the lime juice, 1 tablespoon Kosher salt, sugar, and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper to a small mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Slowly drizzle in 1 cup of oil, whisking all the while. Then, add the cilantro and garlic and stir to combine.
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Transfer the marinade to a zip-top bag and add the flank steak. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to overnight.
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Remove the beef from the bag and pat dry with a paper towel. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of oil and sprinkle with 1 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Rub all over to adhere, and set aside until ready to use.
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Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil to a large, skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium-high to high heat. Once the oil has come to temperature, sear the steak for 6-7 minutes on the first side, turn, and sear for 4-5 minutes more.
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Allow to rest 10 minutes. Then, slice the beef as thin as possible (cutting against the grain), roll in flour tortillas, and top as desired.
Recipe Video
The thickness of the flank steak matters. If it is thicker than 3/4", it will very likely be rare if you use the indicated cook times. Thinner flank steaks work best for this recipe, but if you cannot find one, there is a fix:
If the flank steak is between 1 to 1 1/4" thick (before searing the steak) preheat the oven to 375°F degrees. Cook the flank steak as indicated in the recipe card. Then, transfer it to a baking sheet and bake for 7-10 minutes, depending on how "done" you like your beef.
Sources: Austin Chronicle | Fajita History, The Kitchn | What’s the Difference Between Skirt and Flank Steak?
This meat looks so tender and juicy, my mouth is watering just looking at it! I can’t wait to give this recipe a try! ๐
I’ve never met a taco I didn’t love and this one looks exceptionally drool worthy! I will be making this very soon!
This looks absolutely delish— I am starving and these images made me want tacos like an insane lady lol. They are on my list to make in the next few days!
Those grilled meat look absolutely mouthwatering. When my hubby is willing to fire up the grill, I know what I’ll be making LOL. ๐
your photos are making my mouth water! Thank you so much for the little history lesson on where fajitas originated! (Ranch owners would give throwaway cuts to the Mexican ranchhands and cowboys as part of their pay)
This recipe is definitely a must try. With all the drool worthy pictures here. I better go gather my ingredients and give this a try. Love the alternative of searing it in a cast iron skillet.
That beef looks incredibly flavorful and delicious! Next time I`m having tacos, I will try this version. Can`t wait!
I love the simplicity of these! They look filling but not too heavy, and quick and easy to make. Definitely putting these on our taco rotation!
Can you believe that I have never made tacos at home??? What is wrong with me?? These look so good, I think I will need to buy all of the ingredients for this tonight!!
Beautiful, mouth watering and delicious recipe – I am making this right away with the picanha rump that I have in the fridge – thank you so much for sharing this gorgeous recipe. Right timing for me – great inspo!
What a great taco recipe! The meat is so flavorful, and I love these tacos on soft flour tortillas. Can’t wait to make these again. Thanks for sharing!
The pics are so tempting that one would like to just grab and go. The meat looks perfectly cooked. Loved reading the difference between tacos and fajitas
I could eat tacos everyday, and these look soooo good!
My daughter loves tacos. Definitely making this but I may substitute meat with black beans since we are vegetarians. Do you think it will still taste the same or would you recommend some other alternative to meat in this recipe.
I love steak, fajitas, and tacos so these tacos al carbon sound like the perfect thing to me! I can not wait to try them!
Have heard really great things about this taco. Thanks for the detailed post and recipe.
This Tacos al Carbon recipe is making my mouth water. That steak looks perfectly tender, the marinade looks wonderful, and I love the idea of making thee tacos for our next Taco Tuesday!
We are Mexcian food lovers for sure. I know this would be a warm welcome next theme dinner night. The perfect taco for sure.
Oooh my stomach is growling looking at your pictures! That is some gorgeous beef! Somehow I’ve never had tacos al carbon, but you have most definitely inspired me to add it to my menu ASAP!
OMG, you have no idea how hungry your images made me! They look succulent and perfectly cooked, SO tempting! Thanks for sharing.
That meat looks cooked perfectly! It looks delicious and filling.
These tacos look beyond delicious, and I so agree about the cast iron skillet. I love the fajita history lesson too. Great recipe!
This sounds perfect for me! All of my dinners have been so boring lately. Bookmarking to make later!!
On the close up picture of this steak you can tell how juicy and delicious it is, it made my mouth water! Looks soooo good!!
Thank you, Kate!
Such a great go to recipe! Love the marinade on this and how versatile the options are for the first meal or leftovers.
Iโve never had Tacos al Carbon. I love the authenticity of this tex-mex dish! The meat looks tender and I appreciate all the tips.
I’m def a big time taco fan and these tacos al carbon look and sound delish!!! Thanks so much for sharing :).
These tacos are absolutely delight. I never made a tacos in the form of roll. I love the idea and I can’t wait to get my family with some tacos shortly.
We absolutely love this recipe, and it is a total hit at our home from midweek dinners to small group gatherings. We love you Kelly! <3
Never heard this before. Thanks for explaining the name of the dish and the tacos looks absolutely spectacular.
I could definitely dig right into this! I love using flank steak, it’s so flavorful when it’s cooked right, and it clearly is in these tacos!
This looks wonderful. I am hungry, and these images made me crave tacos pretty badly lol.. They are on my list to make in the next few days. I think I have everything I need at the house.
This tacos look so amazing! It is one of our favorite dish to eat in our home and I can actually this all day long. Delicious!
I have been intimidated by cooking steak for tacos because I worry it will be tough. I need to try this marinade and get over my fear. I love to order these at a restaurant!!
I love that you used flank steak because like you said, skirt steak can be tough. These tacos are just bursting with so much delicious and flavors! My mouth is watering and I’d love one right now ๐
These look like really delicious snacks. I love steak anything so this is a winner for me.
It is definitely one of the easiest taco recipes I’ve seen. And the tacos look absolutely amazing. And great insights on flank steak – very helpful!
You’re killing me with that side of queso! Seriously, if this was the last meal I ever ate, I would be in heaven!
It is always a good time for tacos ๐ Especially if they are as good as these tacos al carbon! Fantastic execution – looking forward to making these some time next week!
Oh these look absolutely incredible! I just had lunch and I’m like “Yes, I want 4 of these please!” I love how easy this recipe is!
Oh my gosh these looks so delicious! And easy too!
Wow, the simple marinade is so effective at making the meat juicy and super flavorful. The whole dish is just as lovely. ๐
Wow! These would be perfect for Cinco de Mayo! They look absolutely delicious!
This looks super delicious and mouth melting. I can have it as a snack or as a meal too. Yum
The steak was perfectly tender and perfect for tacos! Will definitely be making this again for Cinco De Mayo tonight ๐
The kids have been so active in the kitchen during quarantine. They have had fun picking out recipes and making them. They picked out your recipe and we made it today! It was a hit!