CopyCat Chipotle Mexican Grill Carne Asada

Ingredients

½ cup olive oil
4 jumbo garlic cloves, smashed
1 tbspwhole cumin seeds
4 chipotle chili peppers,in adobo sauce, canned
¼ cup lime juice, freshly squeezed
2 tbsp maple syrup,or honey
1 tbsp soy sauce, reduced sodium
1 tbsp kosher salt
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp chipotle chili powder
½ tsp Saigon cinnamon
¼ tsp ground cloves
½ cup fresh cilantro leaves,packed

For Carne Asada:
2 lbs skirt steak,cut into 3 large pieces
¼ cup olive oil
2 tbsp lime juice,freshly squeezed
2 tbsp fresh cilantro,chopped

Directions

Heat up 1 tablespoon of oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Roast the smashed garlic for 1 minute, stirring constantly, then add the whole cumin seeds and toast for 1 minute. Remove from the skillet and allow to cool.

Add the chipotle chili peppers, wet ingredients, dry spices, and fresh cilantro to a food processor and blitz for a few seconds, then slowly pour in the remaining oil while the processor is running. There should be 1 cup of marinade.

Carne Asada:
Place the skirt steak side by side in a large zip-top bag, then pour in the marinade. Squeeze out the excess air, then seal it shut.

Massage the steak, then place it on a cutting board and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours to a maximum of 24 hours. Flip the bag occasionally as it marinates.

Allow the steak to warm up to room temperature for roughly 30 minutes. Brush the oil on a cast iron grill pan and place it over medium-high heat for roughly 2 minutes until the oil is shimmering.

Carefully place 1 of the skirt steaks on the grill with tongs and sear the outside of the meat for 1 minute, then turn down the heat to medium and cook for 2 more minutes.

Flip and cook for 3 minutes. Skirt steak is thin, so it cooks fast. Check the doneness using a meat thermometer; the internal temperature should be 135 degrees F for rare or 145 degrees F for medium-rare. Repeat with the other steaks.

Allow the 3 steaks to rest on a large cutting board tented with foil for at least 10 minutes.

Thinly slice the skirt steak against the grain, then drizzle the lime juice and cilantro on top.