Carne Asada Seasoning

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This Carne Asada Seasoning recipe is a simple way to add incredible flavors to all your favorite Mexican dishes at a fraction of the cost of store-bought.

If you want to make the most juicy and flavorful tacos, burritos, carne asada, or carne picada, you’ve come to the right place.

Carne Asada Seasoning Recipe

This Carne Asada seasoning blend has all the best Mexican spices, including chili powder, oregano, cumin, allspice, and coriander.

Stir in a bit of brown sugar for added sweetness, and red pepper flakes for a bit of kick, and you’ve got a darn good Mexican spice rub on your hands!

I love to make my own homemade seasoning blends. Making my taco seasoning to saves money and it’s fun to create your own unique flavors.

I usually double or triple the recipe amounts (see the recipe card below), then place the seasoning blend into a glass mason jar to be stored in my spice cabinet.

This way, I have extra that I can use anytime I need some.

I have also used this spice blend when making tacos, enchiladas, and burritos when I want to change things up a bit in the recipe.

This spice blend is universal and works for just about any Mexican dish.

Carne Asada Seasoning Ingredients

• Chili powder
• Oregano Flakes
• Dark brown sugar
• Ground cumin
• Ground allspice
• Ground coriander
• Red pepper flakes (aka chili pepper flakes)
• Kosher salt
• Black pepper

Recipe Tips

• Always use a clean, dry spoon to scoop out the amount of seasoning blend you need. This will keep the seasoning blend clean, dry, and safe.
• Once you’ve seasoned meat with the Carne Asada rub, be sure to preheat your skillet so it’s nicely hot before the meat ever gets there. This will ensure that the steak gets a very nice exterior sear, equating to FLAVOR.

How to make Carne Asada Seasoning

Combine all the spices together in a bowl until well blended.

Store the prepared Carne Asada seasoning blend in an airtight container until ready to use.

How to use Carne Asada Seasoning on Meat

We use Carne Asada seasoning mainly on various cuts of steak. I have also sprinkled it over ground beef in a skillet for some delicious tacos.

To apply Carne Asada seasoning, drizzle a bit of olive oil on the meat. Then generously sprinkle some of the rub on top.

Use your fingertips to rub the seasoning blend into the meat so it’s well coated.

Place the meat into an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 8 hours or overnight. It will work it’s magic to season the steak.

When you are ready to prepare the meat, remove it from the refrigerator and uncover it. Let is sit about an hour before you’d like to cook it.

What is in Carne Asada seasoning?

Everyone has their unique blend of carne asada spices that they prefer. These usually include typical Mexican spices: chili powder, oregano, cumin, granulated garlic, and onion.

I added allspice and coriander to mix things up a bit!

What if my spices have been in my cabinet for a while?

If your spices have been in the cabinet for a bit and don’t seem as fragrant as they should be, you can bring them back to life using a culinary technique called “blooming.”

Blooming involves a dry skillet over medium heat. Add the spices to the skillet and cook. Stir often so the spices don’t scorch in any way (this can cause bitterness).

In just a few seconds, you will smell the fresh aroma of the spices. This is the signal that they are bloomed and fragrant once more.

How do I safely season Carne Asada meat?

When working with the Carne Asada seasoning, pour some into a bowl and work just from that bowl as you touch the meat.

This way the entire batch of seasoning blend isn’t contaminated from any meat juices on your fingertips from the meat.

Where is the best place to purchase spices?

This is a fantastic question and one that I’m asked about quite often, for sure. I love to buy my spices in bulk from a retailer with many customers.

Lots of customers mean their spice inventory turns over frequently, keeping their spices fresh.

One of my favorite places to purchase spices is at Penzey’s Spices. They have local retail shops in major urban cities nationwide, and you can also order online.

Fresh spices are pertinent for seasoning blends and dry rubs because they will be super flavorful.

Is this seasoning blend and a dry rub the same thing?

Yep! The terminology might be different regarding a seasoning blend vs. a dry rub, but they are the same.

Is dry rub seasoning better than a wet marinade?

A dry rub and a wet marinade have the same ultimate goal: to add flavor to the meat so the eating experience is great.

I prefer a dry rub because meat removed from a liquid marinade can remain moist. And that moisture can hinder the searing process.

I use dry rubs and seasoning blends far more often than marinades to make my recipes extra flavorful.

When my seasoned meat hits the hot fat in the skillet, I want it to be nice and dry. Then the searing process can happen like it needs to, making all that great flavor happen!

Can you use Carne Asada Rub on other meats too?

Sure can! I’ve used it on ground beef for making tacos and burritos. And I’ve also used Carne Asada seasoning on pork butt when making pulled pork for Mexican dishes. I’ve even used it to make chicken nachos.

Carne Asada seasoning is good on the rim of a margarita glass, sprinkled over grilled vegetables, and on roasted oven potatoes. Don’t be afraid to experiment with it on all your favorite Mexican dishes.

More Recipes to Enjoy

Want to make a big, brimming 9×13 pan full of Mexican goodness? Bubble up taco casserole makes a fast and easy weeknight meal that my family flips for.

You are just 4 steps and mere minutes away from a big, delicious pan of Chicken taco rice casserole! Mix the ingredients, spread in a 9×13 baking dish, and bake!