These flavorful bison tacos are made with juicy, marinated flank steak infused with a zesty jalapeño citrus blend for incredible taste and tenderness! With just 20 minutes of prep (plus marinating time), they come together effortlessly. Serve the delicious steak in warm tortillas with your favorite toppings and a homemade garlic lime crema.
This post is sponsored by The Honest Bison, who I am so excited to partner with! Recipe, photographs, thoughts and opinions are all my own.
If you've never made carne asada, you have to try these bison tacos!! Although they sound kind of fancy, it's incredibly easy to make and require little hands-on time. The steak takes on the bold citrus flavors of the marinade, creating the perfect steak for tacos.
If you're looking to give bison a try, The Honest Bison has 100% grass-fed bison that you can order online, and it's shipped right to your door. I've now tried their bison and elk, and I really enjoy both! For more bison recipes, give my bison meatballs or red wine braised bison short ribs a try next!
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Why you'll love this recipe
- Tender, juicy & flavorful steak. A simple marinade that works wonders! It adds so much flavor while also helping to tenderize the bison steak.
- Garlic lime crema. In my opinion, tacos always need a special sauce! This easy homemade sauce is fresh and flavorful.
- Easy to make. Everything comes together so quick and easy using simple ingredients. Waiting for the steak to marinate is the most time-consuming part!
Ingredient notes
- Bison flank steak. I love the delicious clean taste of bison, but beef flank steak will work too.
- Orange juice. I recommend freshly squeezed orange juice here, but in a pinch, you can certainly use orange juice from a bottle.
- Lime juice. The same thing applies to the lime juice. Fresh is best but from a bottle will work.
- Soy sauce. I love adding soy sauce to so many recipes. It adds a delicious, savory umami flavor!
- Cilantro. I'm a big cilantro fan, but I know some don't like it. So you can skip the cilantro if preferred.
- Jalapeño. Adds just a little kick of heat to the marinade. If you're worried about the spice level, just omit it.
- Corn tortillas. I like corn tortillas for carne asada tacos, but small flour tortillas are also delicious!
How to make bison tacos
Carne asada bison tacos only require a few simple steps!
See recipe card for full instructions.
- Step 1: In a shallow dish, mix the marinade ingredients. Add the steak and make sure both sides are well coated in the marinade. Marinate in the fridge for 4 hours or overnight.
- Step 2: Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Remove the steak from the marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Grill over direct heat for about 2 minutes per side until the internal temperature reaches 125-130 degrees Fahrenheit (or to your desired doneness). Remove from the grill, and let the steak rest for 5-10 minutes before thinly slicing the steak at an angle against the grain.
- Step 3: Warm the corn tortillas, then spread with smashed avocado and top with steak. Garnish with onion, cilantro, queso fresco, and garlic lime crema. Finish with a few dashes of hot sauce, if desired.
Expert tips
- Grill quickly over high heat. Bison flank steak is both leaner and thinner than beef, meaning it cooks much faster. Make sure you keep a close on the bison flank steak so you don't overcook it. It will only take 3-4 minutes to grill the steak.
- Use a meat thermometer. I can't stress enough how important it is to use a meat thermometer. It's the absolute best way to ensure you don't undercook or overcook the meat.
- Don't cook the steak past medium doneness. Overcooking will result in tough steak. I like my steak with a pink, but not bloody, center. I cook the steaks until they reach an internal temperature of 135-140 degrees F for medium-rare, but as the steak rests, the internal temperature will rise to about 145 degrees F for medium doneness.
- Plan for carryover cooking. When grilling any meat, you must always plan for carryover cooking. Meaning, for 5-10 minutes after the steak is removed from the grill, the internal temperature of the steak will continue to rise about 5-10 degrees.
- Let the meat rest before slicing. Let the steak rest on a plate for 5-10 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute throughout the meat before slicing, ensuring a juicy steak. This also allows for carryover cooking time.
- Thinly slice against the grain. This is so important when slicing any steak! You must slice against the grain for tender cuts! And when it comes to flank steak, slice it thin.
- Warm your corn tortillas. Corn tortillas are simply not good when they're cold or even at room temperature. Warm the tortillas on the grill, in a skillet on the stove, or under the broiler.
Best internal temperature
I highly recommend using an instant-read meat thermometer when cooking meat to ensure you don't overcook it, resulting in dry, tough steak. For bison steak, here are the temperatures for the degree of doneness:
- Rare: 125 degrees F.
- Medium-rare: 125-130 degrees F.
- Medium: 130-135 degrees F.
- Medium-well: 135-140 degrees F.
- Well: 140-150 degrees F.
I like to cook bison steak to around 130 degrees. As it rests off the grill for 5-10 minutes, it comes up in temperature to around 135 degrees for medium doneness. It's still pink and juicy in the center, but not raw, and browned around the edges.
Frequently asked questions
When cooked properly, bison steaks are incredibly tender and full of rich flavor. Bison tastes similar to beef, but cleaner and almost sweeter. It also has zero gamey flavor like some wild meats.
Bison is a great meat choice for tacos! It has a rich and delicate taste that is delicious when marinated and works exceptionally well in tacos.
Bison is a nutritious alternative to beef, offering more protein, iron, and B12 while being lower in fat and calories.
Storage
Cooked bison steak can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
Reheating
To reheat bison steak, heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat with a little oil. Add the steak and quickly sear for 1-2 minutes per side, or until heated through.
Alternatively, you can broil the steak in the oven. Place the steak on a baking sheet and broil for 1-2 minutes per side, or until heated through.
More recipes you'll love
Carne Asada Bison Tacos with Garlic Lime Crema
Ingredients
- 1 pound bison flank steak (or beef flank steak - see notes)
- corn or flour tortillas for serving
- mashed avocado, chopped onion, chopped cilantro, queso fresco or cotija cheese, hot sauce optional garnishes
Marinade
- 1 orange juiced (about ½ cup)
- 1 lime juiced (about 2 tablespoons)
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ cup cilantro finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 jalapeño seeds removed and finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Garlic Lime Crema
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons mayo
- 1 ½ tablespoons lime juice
- zest from ½ lime
- 1 garlic clove minced
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- In a shallow dish, mix together the marinade ingredients. Add the steak and make sure that both sides are well coated in the marinade. Marinate in the fridge for 4 hours or overnight.
- Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Remove the steak from the marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Grill over direct heat for about 2 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature reaches 125-130 degrees F. Remove from the grill, and let the steak rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing. The internal temperature will continue to rise from carryover heat bringing the steak closer to 135 degrees F for medium doneness.
- While the steak rests, mix together the garlic lime crema ingredients.
- Thinly slice the steak at an angle against the grain. From there, cut the strips into small pieces, if desired.
- Warm the corn tortillas, then spread with smashed avocado and top with steak. Garnish with onion, cilantro, queso fresco and garlic lime crema. Finish with a few dashes of hot sauce, if desired.
Notes
- Rare: 125 degrees F.
- Medium-rare: 125-130 degrees F.
- Medium: 130-135 degrees F.
- Medium-well: 135-140 degrees F.
- Well: 140-150 degrees F.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is automatically calculated by a third party software and is only an estimate, not a guarantee. This information is provided as a courtesy, and you are solely responsible for all decisions related to your health.
Rachel Kochlin
I love how incredibly tender and flavorful the jalapeno citrus mariande makes this bison steak! It's absolutely perfect for tacos. Don't forget to serve with lots of garnishes, especially avocado and garlic lime crema! I hope you enjoy! - Rachel
Jeff R
Good morning Maam,
I came across your website and specifically this recipe via the "Honest Bison" website. I was just reading through your recipe and accompanying recipe notes & background which I thought was great. However, i do believe you have a small typo in the method of recipe.
It states, "...internal temperature will continue to rise from carryover heat bringing the steak closer to 145 degrees F for medium doneness."
I believe you meant 135 (F) for medium. WIth bison especially, since it is so lean, at 145(F) that piece of meat would be extremely overcooked and would resemble more like shoe leather in texture.
I don't know if that is what you meant, but just wanted to bring it to your attention.
Modern Farmhouse Eats
Jeff, thank you so much for pointing out that typo! I have the correct temperature in the body of the post, but somehow wrote it wrong in the recipe. I made the change. Thanks again!