Q: I bought an inexpensive heel steak from a Mexican market labeled "carne para asar." It is sliced very thin and doesn't seem like a traditional roast. What is heel steak commonly used for and how can I cook it?
Sent by Amy


Editor: Amy, I've never heard of a heel steak, but carne para asar typically refers to meat that should be grilled. If you have an indoor grill or live in a temperate climate, try grilling it, slicing it thin and serving it with chimichurri sauce.
Readers, any insight on this cut of steak? How would you recommend cooking it?
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Related: New Steaks: Saveur's Guide to Trendy Cuts
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It almost looks like the thin slices of beef you get at a Pho or hot pot place
Looks to me like slices of eye of round. Not lots of flavor, but cut that way (across the grain) they aren't too chewy.
Mexican markets have this terrific pre-made marinade in bottles called Mojo or Mojo Criollo made of sour oranges, garlic and cumin (it's actually Cuban in origin) Goya is my favorite brand. For meats like this, most of my Latin friends marinate them for a few hours and then dry them off, oil them up and grill them or sear them in a very hot skillet.
Agree with mhays, Goya Mojo is GREAT for making an otherwise tougher lean meat flavorful and tasty-- although you wouldn't need a whole bottle of the stuff for this so I'd advocate using the rest of the bottle on a small Boston Butt roast! (no drying off needed in that case, just roast it slow and low in the mojo)
try this recipe.... http://7th-taste.com/2011/10/17/tequila-flank-steak-with-ancho-lime-orange-with-malbec/
Some googling leads me to believe it's your basic shoulder (chuck). In the states it would be ground for burger, or possibly braised. Probably tough but flavorful - if the slices are thick enough, put them between wax paper and pound them with a mallet.
Some info here: http://www.lasrecetasdelaabuela.com/cortes/res.htm
It's carne asada! Surely you've had cane asada tacos. The name of the cut for carne asada can vary from region to region but it can all be used in the same way.
Marinate the steaks in a combination of lemon juice, cumin, chili powder and garlic. You can marinate it for a couple of hours or all day, depending how strong you want the lemon flavor. Cook on the grill or on the stove top if you don't have a grill.
Do what mhays and hotspicyandskinny said!
Thank you so much for answering my question! I can't wait to try all of the suggestions.
-Amy
carne para asar = meat for grilling
carne asada = grilled meat
If you want to try something Asian, I have a recipe "Beef and Enoki Scallion Rolls" that would be perfect for it! It's pretty and so easy (takes 30 minutes in total) to make too!
See it here! http://www.cooksnapsavour.com/2013/02/20/beef-and-enoki-scallion-rolls-recipe/
I'd say it's blade steak: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blade_steak and almost certainly, like the others said, shoulder.
It's a piece that would do well with a good marinade and then grills up to be quite tasty. If you want a Latin style marinade, try using lime juice, Mexican oregano, olive oil, garlic, onion, wine vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Let it marinate for at least 6 hours to allow the acids in the lime juice and vinegar to do their magic, otherwise the meat may be a bit tough. After grilling, slice the meat on a bias and across the grain into really thin pieces. Serve as a taco or burrito.
Most of the Carne Asada meat we buy that comes packaged like that is skirt steak
Soak with lime, garlic, salt & pepper and olive oil - pan sear it or grill it with onions - serve it w eggs for breakfast, or in a pressed sandwich for lunch or with rice for dinner
It looks like thinly sliced round to me... I'd definitely say to grill it and serve with a highly acidic sauce (like chimichurri), as mentioned above!