Table of Contents Show
Fajita is a term for small steak strips cut from a beef diaphragm. As a meat ingredient, chefs most often use beef, but you can also use pork, chicken, and even seafood.
You can also add the following ingredients to the meat: sour cream, guacamole, salsa, pico de gallo, cheese, and tomatoes. For fajita, serve the filling separately from the tortilla. Each person independently chooses what to wrap in the dish.
What is the most tender meat for fajitas
The most tender meat for fajitas is a skirt steak. Butchers cut it out of the bull’s diaphragm — a thin fibrous part separating the sternum from the abdomen. Due to the location of the diaphragm in such an actively working area of the body, the steak has a special fibrous structure. But do not be afraid that the meat will be tough.
The outer part, also known as the outside skirt, is very tender and soft in itself. But at the inner diaphragm (inside skirt) the fibers are more elastic, so it’s better to marinate this cut beforehand, and beat it off slightly before cooking.
What temperature should fajita meat be cooked at?
To choose the optimal temperature and baking time, you need to decide what result you want to get: meat with a crispy crust or without a crust. Depending on this, the baking will be either high-temperature and relatively fast, or low-temperature and longer.
- High-temperature method. In this case, you can place the meat in a preheated to 210-230°C oven and cook for 10-30 minutes until a characteristic crust appears. The exact temperature also depends on the size of the meat.
- Low-temperature method. If you want to get tender steaks that melt in your mouth, choose a low-temperature method. Meat, in this case, bake at a temperature of 120 to 160°C. The lower the temperature in the oven, the longer the meat will bake.
Can you cook fajitas on a griddle?
If you fry pieces of meat on a griddle, you will get cute strips, as with using a real grill. But you can also take just a cast-iron frying pan. If you cook fajitas in a grill pan, stir constantly to avoid burning.
You can add oil to an already hot cast iron skillet to make fry pieces of meat and vegetables with a beautiful crust.
Is it better to cut meat before or after cooking?
The chefs cook the fajita meat on the grill, and then cut it into strips and serve on the table. The best way to get a tender product is to cut it perpendicular to the fibers. If you want to get a good crust on each piece, it is better to cut it first.
While frying, add a teaspoon of chili powder or small cloves of garlic to the meat for giving your steak a spicy Mexican taste. To make the finished dish medium-rare, cut it after cooking.
Also, if you want to cook fajita meat faster and not worry about the meat while cooking, cut it into small pieces.
Why is my fajita meat tough?
Fajita meat can get tough for the following reasons:
- If you bought stale meat, or it has been frozen for a long time. To avoid this, pre-marinate and leave the meat in the refrigerator for a couple of hours.
- Incorrect cutting. You should cut the meat across the fibers.
- Long roasting. Only 5-7 minutes is enough to cook juicy meat in a frying pan. During cooking, do not leave the stove and stick to the recipe so as not to over-dry the meat and make it tough and tasteless.
How do you make steak super tender?
There are several secrets for cooking a super tender steak:
- Beat off your fajitas steak with a hammer. It will destroy the connective fibers and soften the structure of the meat.
- Marinate the steak. If you want to use a marinade containing acids, such as lime juice, lemon juice, or pineapple juice, then marinate the meat for no more than two hours.
- Soften the steak with heat. The heat destroys the collagen and the meat becomes so soft that it will just melt in your mouth. This method is suitable for fat and thick steaks.
Why do you put butter on steak?
The first reason is the taste qualities of the resulting dish. If you add flavorings to the oil, such as garlic, onion, herbs, teaspoon salt, and pepper, it will also add flavor to your meat.
The oil also adds moisture to the meat, making it juicier. If you cook meat with butter, it can give the steak fajitas more flavor and caramelization. The substance melts at a lower temperature and, therefore, browns faster.
Can beef fajitas be medium-rare?
As with any meat, do not overcook it. A medium rare roast is quite enough for a steak dessert. Some people replace the skirt steak with flake steak when cooking fajitas. Flake is usually a little less hard, but not as flavorful.
The choice of roasting affects the juiciness and tenderness of the dish. Start with your taste preferences to choose the degree of roasting of your steak.
How do you cut the chicken for fajitas?
If you want to cook chicken fajitas, follow certain recommendations for slicing. Firstly, place the chicken fillet in a bag and beat it off so that the thickness becomes uniform. Cut the chicken steak into strips across the fibers to make the finished pieces more juicy and tender.
Follow these recommendations if you want to cook chicken fajita meat close to the original cut.
However, you can make your favorite slicing into thin small strips, large or small cubes. Be sure that the taste of your dish will not get worse from this.
Kinds of onion to use for fajitas
If you want to cook fajitas according to the original recipe, you should use red onion, as it has a mildly sweet taste, and cut it into thin feathers. If you like white onion, it is best to add it raw, as it has rather sharp.
The sharpness of onions in the finished form will not be felt, but will only give juiciness to your dish. You can also use shallots and leeks during cooking. They will give an appetizing flavor to your dish.
Also, you can add green onions raw as a decoration.
How are you supposed to eat fajitas?
Serve the fajita meat with bell peppers and onions in a cast-iron frying pan, so your filling will stay warm longer. Separately serve the tortilla, sour cream, chopped lime, chopped cilantro, and salsa.
Eat fajitas as follows: smear the tortilla with sour cream, then put some meat with vegetables, add salsa and sprinkle with lime juice. Roll up into a tube and you’re done! Bon Appetit!
How to cook fajita meat in a skillet
If you do not have the opportunity to repeat the fajita recipe on the grill, do not despair! Pan-fried fajita is a family favorite dish in many countries. To cook it, you will need a little time and the following ingredients:
- beef (preferably outside skirt) – 300 g
- rosemary – 2 sprigs
- butter for frying – 40 grams
- soy sauce for the marinade – 3 tbsp
- rapeseed oil for the marinade – 3 tbsp
- salt and pepper – to taste
Step-by-step cooking technology:
Pickling
- Add rosemary sprigs to the rapeseed oil and leave to infuse for 15 minutes.
- Use a paper towel to rid the meat of unnecessary moisture.
- Rub the steak on each side with salt and pepper.
- Add soy sauce and rosemary oil to the meat.
- Leave to marinate for 30 minutes.
Cooking a steak
- Preheat the frying pan.
- Fry the steak on both sides over medium high heat until golden brown.
- Reduce the heat and fry for another 2 minutes on each side with the addition of butter. You don’t need a lot of time to fry a steak skirt, 10 minutes is enough.
- Cut the finished steak across the fibers at an angle of 45 degrees and serve hot with the rest of the ingredients.
Best way to cook fajita meat on the grill
There is nothing more delicious than grilled meat. The recipe for lightly grilled steak fajitas will make your dish fragrant and even more appetizing. To make this recipe, you will need:
- beefsteak (skirt or flank steak) – 300 g
- olive oil – 1 teaspoon
- ground cumin – 1 teaspoon
- kosher salt – 1 teaspoon
- black pepper – to taste
The technology of preparation:
- Wash the meat and dry it with paper towels. When it reaches room temperature, lubricate with olive oil.
- Before putting the steak on a hot grill, rub it with spices.
- Fry the beef on both sides for at least 1.5-2 minutes.
- Remove the meat from the grill and wrap it in foil for 4-5 minutes.
Flat iron steak fajitas recipe
You can cook this easy steak fajitas in warm tortillas rather fast. Prepare the necessary ingredients:
- flat iron steak – 400 grams
- juice of one small orange
- crushed garlic – 2 cloves
- agave syrup – 2 teaspoons
- ground cumin – one teaspoon
- chili powder – one teaspoon
- table salt – 1 teaspoon
- Mexican oregano – 1 teaspoon
- olive oil – ½ cup
- bell pepper – 2 pieces
- poblano pepper – 2 pieces
- red onion – 1 piece
- salt pepper – to taste
Preparation:
- To prepare the marinade, mix all the ingredients in a small bowl. Pour in the olive oil there.
- Put the meat in any container and fill it with the marinade. Cover with a plate or put the container in a bag and pre-marinate.
- Drain the marinade from the steaks and pat the meat dry with paper towels.
- Preheat a large cast iron pan to medium heat on the grill. Fry the steaks for 2 minutes on each side.
- Remove the pan with the meat and let it rest for 5 minutes. Cut across the fibers.
- Preheat another skillet over medium high heat. Add vegetables and fry until golden brown.
How to tenderize fajita meat
Marinate your meat before cooking. This will give it more flavor. Also, the acid in the marinade breaks down meat proteins, making it more tender and juicy. Mix olive or rapeseed oil with crushed garlic, add lime juice and fajita seasoning.
Massage the meat and let it stand for several hours in the refrigerator. So you can surprise your guests with delicious fajita meat.
The beef fajitas marinade recipe
Beef is meat that can be very tough with incorrect marination. To make your steaks delicious, juicy and tender, marinate them before cooking. Here is one of the best beef marinade recipes. Ingredients:
- fresh lime juice – â…“ cup
- tequila – ¼ cup
- crushed garlic – 2 cloves
- chopped cilantro – 1 tablespoon
- Mexican oregano – 1 teaspoon
- ground cumin – 2 teaspoons
- black pepper – 1 teaspoon
- flour tortillas – for food serving
- canola oil
Preparation:
- Mix lime juice, tequila, garlic, cilantro, oregano, cumin, and pepper in a bowl.
- Pour the marinade into a resealable plastic bag, add the meat, and pre-marinate.
- Remove the meat from the package. Blot with paper towels. Cook the meat according to the selected recipe.
How do you wrap the perfect fajitas
It’s no secret that you have to serve tortillas, toppings, and sauces separately. To wrap the perfect fajitas, you need to know a few simple rules. Smear the center of the tortilla with sour cream, then lay out the filling.
Roll the fajitas and do not forget to wrap the edges. So that your tortillas do not break, and the ingredients do not fall out, do not put a lot of filling. In addition, you can simply tear off the pieces from the tortilla and fill them with stuffing.
Choose the method that you like.
Conclusion
You can use fajita meat to prepare various home cook dishes. It can be not only a part of fajitas but also an ideal independent dish that you can serve to the table. This meat contains a daily value of saturated fat, minerals, and nutrients.
You can experiment with marinades and cooking methods to achieve the perfect taste.