Delicious recipes

How to cook the best Fajitas

Fajitas were originally made of beef skirt steaks, stir-fried onions and bell peppers served on a tortilla. Nowadays, they’re made of almost any vegetables cooked and spiced with grilled meat (chicken, beef, pork or shrimps) served on or with a tortilla. They are usually brought to the table separate – the meat sizzling on an iron platter with the spices and flour or corn tortillas aside.

They are originated in Texas. Meaning a specific cut of meat, placed beneath the heart and lungs which is sliced in about 1 inch thick strips. Vaqueros, known as Mexican cowboys were the ones who cut that meat into skirts. Fajitas are nowadays also known as Tex Mex dishes.

Fajitas are great for dinner parties with friends and family. They go along great with margaritas or Mexican beer. Just give it a go and try cooking your own fajitas before thinking of going back to the restaurant. There are different types of fajitas: pico-de-gallo, guacamole, on a stick, beef marinade and so on. Yours will surely taste better! Thinking of trying them out? Here are some handy tips on cooking fajitas:

Marinating the meat

When preparing fajitas, some people first marinate the beef with lime or lemon juice, garlic and hot chili sauce for about 24 hours, to “make it tender”. When marinating the meat (chicken, beef or pork) you can try using a Mexican grilling sauce for a more intense flavor. Other people mix

lemon or lime juice, tequila, dried oregano, garlic, chopped fresh cilantro, ground cumin and ground black pepper. This marinade mix is then poured over the meat and left overnight in the fridge.

Cooking the meat

The meat used in the fajitas can be stir-fried, grilled or even broiled. Most people usually grill it – on both sides of course. The skirt steaks were used a long time ago, probably now you’ll use better meat, coming from other parts of the carcass. The meat is to be cut in 1 inch thick strips only after being grilled. If you stir-fry it, it’s better to cut it in the beginning, fry it at high heat and turn it often. Broiling the meat can be made above the flame for a couple of minutes. After cooking the meat and adding the other ingredients, this mixture is wrapped in a tortilla and garnished with salsa or guacamole, depending on taste.

Sauces

You can flavor your fajitas by using chili, pico-de-gallo or guacamole. Hot chili sauce will fire them up a little bit – depending of course on how much you use. Pico-de-gallo has finely chopped ingredients and is also hot, though its hotness can be controlled if it’s homemade. Also trying guacamole is a fine suggestion because of its cool and creamy texture. If you make your own guacamole and don’t buy it, make sure to pick the right ripe avocados – unhit, with a even shape and with a dark brownish-red skin.

Fajitas pan fried

Warm up the thick flour tortilla and then roll up the already cooked skirt steaks in it. Put some olive oil (two tablespoons should be enough) in a frying pan and add strip cut bell peppers, a large ring sliced onion and stir fry. Serve with the already rolled fajita.

Fajitas On Skewers
Soak some bamboo skewers for a couple of minutes. Remove the fat from the meat as much as you can and cut the steak into 1/2 inch thick strips. Weave the beef strips back and forth onto the skewers. Make a mix from chili sauce and lime juice and brush it over the woven strips. Place the vegetables on the grill for about 15 to 20 minutes, then remove and place the beef onto the centre of the grill. Don’t forget to add some salt. When well grilled, remove the skewers and serve the meat next to the vegetables rolled up in a tortilla with salsa.