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1
Marinate the Sirloin
30 Mins
Room temperature, 20°C (68°F)
Whisk the orange juice, 30 ml of the lime juice, garlic paste, cumin, oregano, 5 g of the salt, pepper and 30 ml of the oil into a marinade. Rub it all over the sirloin steaks, cover and leave for 30 minutes at room temperature, or refrigerate for up to 4 hours.
Score the fat edge lightly so the steaks lie flat on the grill instead of curling.
Done when: Steaks evenly coated, marinade clinging to the meat.
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2
Make the Chimol
10 Mins
Room temperature, 20°C (68°F)
While the beef marinates, dice the tomatoes, onion and green pepper finely and toss with the chopped cilantro, the remaining 15 ml of lime juice and the remaining 2 g of salt. Set the chimol aside at room temperature so the flavours marry.
Make the chimol first, not last — 20 minutes of resting turns it from chopped vegetables into a relish.
Done when: Bright, juicy relish with the onion softened slightly by the lime.
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3
Fry the Tostones
10 Mins
175°C (350°F)
Heat the remaining 30 ml of oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat to 175°C (350°F). Fry the plantain rounds for 2-3 minutes per side until golden, then lift out, flatten each round with the bottom of a glass, and fry again for 1-2 minutes until crisp. Drain on a wire rack and sprinkle with a pinch of salt.
Flatten while the rounds are still hot and soft — cold plantain cracks instead of flattening.
Done when: Golden, crisp tostones, flattened and crunchy at the edges.
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4
Grill the Beef
8-10 Mins
230°C (450°F)
Heat the grill or a heavy griddle pan to high heat, about 230°C (450°F). Lift the steaks out of the marinade, shake off the excess, and grill for 4-5 minutes per side for medium-rare, until charred at the edges. The centre must reach at least 63°C (145°F).
Do not move the steaks for the first 3 minutes — that is how the grill marks and crust form.
Done when: Charred outside, centre at least 63°C (145°F).
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5
Rest and Slice
5 Mins
Rest at room temperature, 20°C (68°F)
Move the steaks to a board and rest them for 5 minutes so the juices settle. Slice thinly against the grain at a slight angle — thin slices are the difference between tender carne asada and chewy steak.
Cutting against the grain shortens the muscle fibres, so even a lean cut eats tender.
Done when: Slices pink in the middle, juices settled, no blood pooling on the board.
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6
Assemble the Plates
5 Mins
Serve hot, above 60°C (140°F)
Warm the tortillas on the grill for 30 seconds per side. Build each plate with a fan of sliced beef, a generous spoonful of chimol, red beans, rice, tostones and a warm tortilla, and serve at once with lime wedges and avocado.
Serve the chimol on top of the beef, not on the side — its juices run into the meat and the rice.
Done when: Plates full, beef hot, tortillas warm and pliable.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Assemble each plate with a fan of sliced beef, a spoonful of chimol, beans, rice, tostones and a warm tortilla — and eat it while the beef is still hot.
Honduras
45m
