Steak Fajitas Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the best steak for steak fajitas? ›

You can use either skirt steak or flank steak for fajitas. Although the two cuts come from different parts of the cow, both skirt and flank steak soak up marinades well, cook quickly, and, when sliced thinly against the grain, taste tender and flavorful.

Fajitas start with the meat: You'll need 1/4 pound of boneless, skinless chicken breast, chicken cutlets or skirt steak for each person. If you're using chicken breasts, pound them until they're about 1/2 inch thick; if you're using skirt steak, cut each steak in half so that it fits easily in your skillet.

This recipe promises to be a one-pan dinner, but to ensure that the chicken's juices don't steam the vegetables — making them soggy — cook the vegetables first. Transfer them to a plate or cutting board, then cook the chicken in the same pan before bringing things together.

Fajita meat is marinated and grilled before it is cut into strips and served. The best way to get a tender slice of meat is to cut perpendicular to (across) the grain of the meat.

The question of “what is a fajita” would usually be referred to as sliced skirt steak, the cut of beef first used in the dish. In restaurants, the meat is usually cooked with onions and bell peppers and toppings that are served on the side.

How long to marinate your steak depends on the size and variety of the cut you're using. Thinner cuts, such as skirt or flanks steaks, should be marinated for 2-4 hours. Tougher cuts, such as top sirloin or sirloin tip, will benefit from marinating overnight (about 8 hours).

As I said, the best way to get sizzling steaks on the outside and juicy, buttery steak on the inside is to first sear the steaks over a hot, high flame, then move the steaks over to a cooler, unlit portion of the grill to finish cooking via indirect heat.

I like to always say it's about one pound per three people...but let's be honest, I can almost eat a whole pound by myself lol.

I agree with 1/2-3/4 lbs. per person.

What is the best meat for fajitas? ›

Skirt steak is the traditional cut used for fajitas. It used to be inexpensive, but now it's not so cheap; oftentimes flank steak costs less. Either will be a good choice.

Onions are an essential ingredient in many Mexican dishes, and when it comes to making mouthwatering fajitas, they play a starring role.

The quick answer is all will work. If the weather is beautiful and you would like to cook your steak on the grill, that's awesome. If the weather is hot or rainy, or you want to get dinner on the table in a hurry, your grill pan, cast-iron skillet, or regular skillet all will work just fine.

Fajitas for how many people? Six to eight ounces per person, raw weight, would be a pretty nice portion. Once you include sautéed onions and peppers into the mix, everyone could easily make three to four big fajitas. Three to four big fajitas is plenty of food.

Classic Tex Mex, fajitas (pronounced fah-hee-tas) are typically made with grilled strips of skirt steak with onions and bell peppers and served with fresh tortillas, guacamole, sour cream, and salsa. You can make fajitas with steak or chicken, or even make it plain vegetarian.

In restaurants, skirt steak is the preferred cut for carne asada. But at home, you might notice that skirt steak is never as tender as it is in restaurants. That's because restaurants buy skirt steaks pre-marinated and tenderized using a special process from commercial meat processors.

Steak Fajitas: While skirt steak is the traditional cut of meat used in fajitas, other cuts of steak can also be used, such as flank steak or sirloin steak. The steak is marinated in a mixture of lime juice, garlic, and spices, then grilled with onions and peppers.

For carne asada or grilled steak tacos, it is best to use flank steak, skirt steak, or sirloin steak. Flap meat also works and can be very affordable. In Mexican markets, you will usually see steak labeled carne asada or palomilla.