Instant Pot Carne Asada is tender, flavorful, and just as juicy as when you cook it on the stove top or grill. You can use this carne asada recipe to make a delicious main dish, or use it for tacos, fajitas, or nachos.
» You might also like these Instant Pot Baby Back Ribs.
It’s not a typical thing to make steak in the Instant Pot. I get that. A lot of people I’m sure are looking at me like, “why are you doing that?” But to that I say, “why not?” Part of it is likely just trying to prove that you can make anything in the Instant Pot, while the other part is wanting to make life easier for that person who only has an Instant Pot to cook with. If that’s you, this carne asada recipe is fantastic.
The flank steak is marinated in a blend of wonderful Mexican spices and seasonings that make each bite a delightful experience. It can be paired with almost anything, or used in other meat-centric recipes to give them a Mexican flair.
Ingredients You Need
- Olive Oil – We recommend not substituting with another oil in the marinade as it gives an extra bit of flavor to the meat.
- Carne Asada Rub – This rub includes a few key spices and ingredients like brown sugar, granulated garlic, onion powder, chili powder, salt, cumin, celery seed, Mexican oregano, black pepper, and ground coriander. You can also buy a premade carne asada rub, if there’s one you like.
- Flank Steak – This is a lean cut of beef, so make sure not to overcook it.
- Cooking oil – Any neutral oil will work in this recipe.
- Beef Broth – Using beef broth in this recipe will boost the flank steak’s meaty flavor.
Equipment Needed
- Instant Pot – I use a 6-quart Instant Pot Plus to make all of my recipes. If you’re using an 8-quart pot, you will need to adjust the amount of liquid accordingly, as it requires more than the 6 quart to build steam.
- Whisk – You’ll need a whisk to deglaze the pan – getting the browned bits up from the bottom of the pan is required so you don’t get the burn notice and have to start over.
How To Make Carne Asada
Mix together all of the carne asada rub seasonings. Place the flank steak in a shallow bowl and coat it with the seasoning. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
Remove the steak from the refrigerator 15 minutes before cooking. Heat the Instant Pot on sauté mode and add the cooking oil. When hot, place the steak in the pot and sear it for 1 minute per side. Don’t let it go longer than this, or it might cook through.
Remove the steak from the pot and turn off sauté mode. Pour in the hot beef broth and deglaze the pot with a whisk to remove the browned bits from the bottom. You do want to use hot broth here, so that it brings the pressure up in the pot quickly.
Now add the steak back into the pot. Just put it directly into the broth.
Secure the lid and set the valve to sealing. Press the pressure cook or manual button and set the time to 4 minutes. It will take about 5 minutes to come up to pressure. When the time is up, do a quick pressure release.
Transfer the steak to a plate to rest for 5 minutes.
Slice the steak against the grain and serve it with your favorite side dish.
Substitutions & Variations
- Meat: if you can’t find flank steak, skirt steak will work just as well.
- Beef Broth: Broth will give you a stronger flavor, but water can also be used in this recipe.
- Citrus: To get a stronger citrus flavor in the carne asada, squeeze some lemon or lime juice onto the steak before marinating it. Orange juice can also be used if you want a sweeter citrus flavor.
Questions About the Recipe
What temperature should the meat be cooked to?
Depending on how well-done you want the carne asada, the internal temperature will differ. Below is a list of what the temperatures should be at.
- Medium Rare: 130°F-135°F
- Medium: 140°F -145°F
- Medium Well: 150°F -155°F
It’s best not to cook the carne asada rare or well-done as it could affect the texture. This recipe, if followed closely, will result in a medium-rare steak. If you want medium, you can cook it for 1 minute longer in the Instant Pot.
Can I make a larger batch of this recipe?
Yes, but you can only cook about 2 steaks at a time (unless you have a huge instant pot). If you overcrowd the Instant Pot, the carne asada will not cook evenly. You can set two steaks up against each other, with as little overlap as possible, to cook.
You can serve this dish with any side dish you like. That’s the best part – they go with everything.
Try serving them with these sides that you can also make in the Instant Pot:
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Instant Pot Carne Asada
Note: Made in a 6-qt Instant Pot
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder Arbol & Ancho or other Mexican chilis
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground celery seed
- 1/2 teaspoon ground Mexican oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
- 2 pounds flank steak
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- 1 cup hot beef broth
Instructions
- Mix together all of the seasonings in a small bowl. Place the flank steak in a shallow bowl and coat with the mixture. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
- Remove the steak from the refrigerator 15 minutes before cooking.
- Heat the Instant Pot on sauté mode, add the cooking oil. When hot, place the steak in the pot and sear for 1 minute per side.
- Remove the steak and turn off sauté mode. Pour in the hot beef broth and deglaze the pot with a whisk to remove the browned bits.
- Add the steak back into the pot.
- Secure the lid and set the valve to sealing. Press the pressure cook or manual button and set the time to 4 minutes. It will take about 5 minutes to come up to pressure.
- When the time is up, do a quick pressure release and transfer the steak to a plate to rest for 5 minutes.
- Slice the steak against the grain and serve.
Nutrition
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Laura is a passionate home cook and the owner of A Pressure Cooker Kitchen. She is dedicated to helping people create delicious Instant Pot meals with ease. Laura is an expert at developing recipes that can be prepared quickly and easily using a pressure cooker.