Steps in Preparation

00:53 – Marinating Carne Asada
07:59 – Preparing Flour Tortilla Dough
14:35 – Roasting Chiles, Tomatillos and Onions
24:50 – Rolling Flour Tortillas
30:02 – Peeling Chiles
33:49 – Blending Salsa
35:30 – Grilling Beef
38:25 – Plating the Meal

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Carne Asada Tacos with Poblano Serrano Tomatillo Sauce and Homemade Flour Tortillas with Chef Mica Chavez

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When you make a taco, you are building your own meal by personalizing your filling, your salsa and your garnish. Come have fun with tacos in this hands-on class. Menu includes carne aside tacos with poblano, serrano and tomatillo sauce and served with flour tortillas.

Chipotle Chile Powder, Lime Squeezer, 2 1/2 pounds sirloin steak (or chuck or beef tenderloin), 4 limes, olive or vegetable oil, 2 jalapeno or serrano chile, garlic, scallion, 1/2 pound tomatillos, 1 Anaheim or NM fresh green chile, 1 poblano chile, white onion, 1 bunch fresh cilantro, apple cider vinegar, flour, baking powder, vegetable shortening

Flour Tortillas - Makes 8-10 5-inch tortillas

Preheat cast iron comal, skillet or griddle to 350º

  • 2 cups flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 3 Tablespoons vegetable shortening
  • 3/4 to 1 cup hot water (145 degrees or more)

  1. Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Cut in the shortening until a coarse meal is formed. Add enough water to make a very soft, but not sticky, dough. Knead about 15 times into a smooth ball. Divide the dough equally into 8 to 10 balls. Cover and let stand about 20-30 minutes.
  2. To flatten, take one ball of dough and, beginning in the middle of the ball, roll away from you, turning the dough 1/8 turn after each roll. Tortillas should be about 5-inches in diameter and of a uniform thickness.
  3. Cook tortillas on comal, griddle, or skillet for 15-20 seconds on the first side; flip over, and cook for 20 seconds more while pressing down with a spatula. Keep warm in a cloth towel until ready to serve.

Poblano Serrano Tomatillo Sauce - Makes 1 cup

  • 1/2 pound tomatillos in husk, about 3
  • 1 Anaheim/Big Jim chile pepper, charred, peeled and seeded
  • 1 poblano pepper, charred, peeled and seeded
  • 2 serrano peppers, charred peeled and seeded
  • 1/4 small white onion
  • 1/2 medium bunch cilantro leaves and ½ the stems
  • 2 cloves garlic, halved
  • 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
  • Pinch of salt

  1. Roast the tomatillos, Anaheims, poblanos and serrano peppers on a SFSC Grill. Place in a zip lock bag to steam for 10 minutes.
  2. Peel the tomatillos and remove the stems. Peel and seed peppers.
  3. Place the tomatillos, cider vinegar, and remaining ingredients in the blender. Blend all the ingredients and puree until smooth. Adjust the seasoning and pour into a freshly washed jar.

Carne Asada - Makes 6 to 8 servings

Taco Filling:

  • 2 1/2 pounds sirloin steak, chuck steak, or beef tenderloin
  • Juice of 3 limes
  • 3 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
  • 1 Tablespoon chipotle chile powder
  • 1 to 2 fresh jalapeño or serrano chiles, thinly sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 scallion, chopped
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 8 green onions, washed, trimmed, and coated with a small amount of vegetable oil

  1. Trim meat of excess fat and slice or “butterfly” the meat into a sheet about 3/8-inch thick (your butcher can do this for you).
  2. Place the meat between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and carefully pound it with a meat-tenderizer mallet or rolling pin to a 1/4-inch thickness.
  3. Coat with lime juice and brush lightly with oil. Sprinkle chile powder, jalapeño, garlic, scallion, and black pepper evenly on both sides of the meat.
  4. Allow to marinate for 20 to 30 minutes.
  5. Salt and cook on chargrill or griddle alongside the green onions until beef is just cooked through and onions are beginning to brown.
  6. Allow meat to rest for 5 minutes.
  7. Slice the beef in long thin slices, approximately 1/4-inch thick.
  8. Arrange on plate, top with grilled green onions, and garnish with lime wedges.
  9. Serve with warm tortillas.

Optional: Serve with salsa, fresh chopped cilantro, guacamole, jalapeños, and/or cheese.