Skirt Steak Fajitas (Fajitas)
Fajitas Say it: fah-HEE-tahs
Fajitas are a Tex-Mex classic from South Texas: skirt steak marinated in lime, garlic and cumin, seared hard over fierce heat, then sliced thin and tossed with charred bell peppers and onions. The whole pan comes to the table still hissing, and everyone fills their own warm flour tortilla with steak, peppers, salsa, guacamole and sour cream. The meat is beefy and bright with citrus, the vegetables sweet and lightly smoky, and the hands-on assembly is half the pleasure of the meal.
Skirt Steak Fajitas (Fajitas)
Fajitas
Pronounced fah-HEE-tahs
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 45 min
- Level
- Easy
Also nut-free and egg-free.
Allergens: contains gluten, milk. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
For the marinade
For the peppers and onions
To serve
Method
Whisk the lime juice, orange juice, garlic, cumin, chili powder, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper and 2 tablespoons oil in a small bowl until evenly combined.
Pat the steak thoroughly dry, set it in a shallow dish or zip-top bag, and pour the marinade over it, turning to coat. Leave at room temperature for 30 minutes, or refrigerate for up to 4 hours.
Heat a large cast-iron skillet or grill pan over high heat until a drop of water sizzles and vanishes on contact. Lift the steak out, letting the excess marinade drip away, and lay it in the pan; sear without moving it for 3 to 4 minutes, until a dark, burnished crust forms.
Flip and cook 3 to 4 minutes more, until an instant-read thermometer reads 130°F (54°C) in the thickest part for medium-rare. Transfer the steak to a board and rest it for 10 minutes.
While the steak rests, add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the hot pan, then the peppers, onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, until the onions are soft and golden and the peppers are blistered in spots with charred edges.
Slice the rested steak thinly on a bias against the grain.
Warm the tortillas in a dry skillet for 20 to 30 seconds per side, or wrapped in foil in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 8 minutes, and keep them wrapped in a clean kitchen towel.
Tip the sliced steak back into the pan with the peppers and onions, toss once to mingle the juices, and bring the skillet straight to the table.
Serve with lime wedges, cilantro, salsa, sour cream and guacamole, and let each person fill and roll their own tortillas.
Regional variant: Chicken Fajitas (Fajitas de Pollo)
Replace the skirt steak with 1 1/2 lb (700 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts and marinate them, covered and chilled, for 1 to 4 hours. Sear in the hot pan for 4 to 5 minutes per side, until well charred and an instant-read thermometer reads 165°F (74°C); rest 5 minutes, slice into strips, then continue with the peppers and onions exactly as written.
Cook's notes
- Skirt steak is long and thin; if yours is thicker than about 1/2 inch (1.25 cm), butterfly it or pound it gently so it cooks through before the outside scorches.
- Always slice against the grain — find the lines running down the length of the steak and cut across them — or the meat will turn chewy.
- The pan must be genuinely hot before the meat goes in; a lukewarm skillet steams the steak grey instead of browning it.
Serve with
Warm flour tortillas, lime wedges, salsa, sour cream and guacamole; ice-cold beer, a margarita or a lime agua fresca.
Make ahead and storage
Marinate the steak up to 4 hours ahead and slice the peppers and onions a day in advance. Refrigerate leftovers up to 3 days and reheat gently in a covered skillet with a splash of water.
