With Cinco de Mayo right around the corner I figured this would be a perfect time to share my family recipe for carne asada.

Carne asada translates to grilled meat and is a staple in Mexican cooking. Traditional carne asada is prepared using very thin, large pieces of skirt steak that has been marinated (sometimes for days) in a variety of fresh citrus juices and seasonings. Because it is cut or pounded out very thin, traditional carne asada only requires about a 2-3 minutes per side when grilling, which is probably why it is so popular in Mexican culture when having an outdoor get together, which coincidentally is also called a “carne asada.” Trust me; if the arroz and frijoles (rice and beans) are ready to go, you better not make a hungry Mexican wait too long for their meat!

Now back when I lived in Los Angeles you could go to your local carneceria (meat market) to buy your meat either already prepared with marinade or ready to take home and drown in your own homemade stuff. But unfortunately, skirt steak isn’t that easy to find here in Helena and we don’t yet have that luxury of a Mexican meat market. So instead of skirt steak, I choose to use boneless chuck steak (pounded out as thin or thick as you like), because I think this cut of meat is quite tasty and works great on the grill. But honestly you can use any cut of meat you’d like.

In Mexican tradition, once the carne asada is cooked it is cut up and placed in warmed tortillas and served with very simple garnishes which usually consist of avocado, lime and spicy salsa. I know, I know, you are all asking “where’s the cheese?” But honestly cheese in tacos is an American thing and not traditional in a Mexican taco. We like to save the cheese for our enchiladas.

So if you are planning to cook up a Cinco de Mayo feast this weekend, here’s a recipe that should definitely be on the menu. I can assure you that tacos made out of this tasty meat won’t leave you looking for cheese, but a nice cold cerveza instead. Enjoy!

Tacos de Carne Asada

3-4 pounds boneless chuck steak — trimmed of excess fat and pounded out thin

1 onion — peeled, cut in half, and thinly sliced

Handful of fresh cilantro leaves

Juice from 2 of each oranges, lemons and limes

1/8 cup of dry Mexican seasoning (such as Adobo or Cholula)

2 tablespoons dried oregano

2 tablespoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon pepper

1 cup olive oil or vegetable oil

1 12 ounce beer — preferably Mexican beer such as Tecate or Modelo

Place meat, onions and cilantro in a large food storage container or separate among a few gallon-size food storage bags. In a large bowl or using an electric mixer, mix remaining ingredients until well combined. Evenly pour over meat, making sure that all the meat is covered in marinade. Seal and allow to marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, but up to 24 hours; the longer the marinating process, the more flavorful the meat will be.

To cook meat: Place on a very hot preheated grill and cook until desired doneness, approximately 4-5 minutes per side. When meat is done, let rest for 5 minutes before cutting. It is important to remember to cut the meat against the natural grain of the meat, this will result in tender pieces rather than chewy, hard-to-eat meat.

To serve: Place a few strips of meat in warmed corn or flour tortillas and garnish with salsa, avocado and fresh lime.

Cook’s note: Feel free to serve as whole steaks instead of cutting up for tacos.

This marinade can also be used with chicken, fish or pork.