I hesitate to post here for fear if public shaming. But I dabble in cooking on the weekends. I am looking for some fajita advice.

I am looking for some advice on beef and chicken fajitas. My family wants me to do fajitas (I cook a lot on the grill for them on the weekends) but my fajita game is not to my normal standards. Any advice? My chicken fajitas are passable, but the beef is always too tough.

Give me your worst (or best). I am sufficiently embarrassed by my abilities in what seems a simple dish.

Bulldog73 said:

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I'm far from an expert, but are you marinading the beef with something that will help tenderize it? I believe people have referenced using pineapple juice.

Also in before "there's no such thing as chicken fajitas."

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I haven't used pineapple juice. I will try that.

This is a long thread, but they talk about different fajitas throughout. https://texags.com/forums/67/topics/1945226/1#discussion

I basically just do the marinade from the pappasitos thread of soy sauce, pineapple juice and water. To that I add garlic and a rehydrated ancho pepper, blend it up smooth. Works for beef or chicken. I assure you that you won't suck at fajitas anymore unless you over cook them.

Flank steak.

I appreciate all the responses. I am making notes and going to try to redeem myself next weekend.

Another tip besides using a tenderizing marinade such as pineapple juice is to make sure the steak is completely dry before putting it on the grill.

I like to pull it from the marinade, pat it dry, and then let it sit uncovered in the fridge for about an hour.

When you throw the dry steak on a very hot grill, you'll get a nice sear. Otherwise you end up steaming the beef which is no bueno.

Skirt steak. Trim excess fat. Marinate in Italian Dressing. I found Kens Italian with Aged Romano cheese is surprisingly good.

Same as most on here for me...skirt steak w/ a similar pineapple based marinade as the pappasitos thread, cook to medium rare/medium, let rest, cut against the grain, do not cut on a bias.

For chicken, I've found the premarinated bags at the grocery store work well enough. I mean it's just chicken.

Tree Hugger said:

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Head to La Michoacana or similar and get their marinated fajitas from the butcher counter

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Cant go wrong with La Michoacana

For those not in Texas or near an HEB/La Michoacana, the arrachera beef at Costco is a close 2nd. Damn good and no prep required. Just pull it out of the packet and cook it.

I have done the marinade twice with skirt steak and chicken thighs. Cut across the grain as directed.

Amazing both times. Thank you all for the replies and advice. The kids loved the fajitas.

Use skirt steak. I always get mine from Krogers because it's the most consistent.

Trim off as much fat as you can. I put the fajitas into the freezer for a little bit before doing this. It firms up the fat and makes it easier. I also use my electric filet knife to trim it.

The membrane should already be removed by the butcher, but if not, remove it.

The skirt will be thick in one portion and thin in the other. Cut it at that divide into two pieces. You want two pieces that are the same thickness. This way, you can cook both pieces to medium rare. If you cook the whole skirt, the thin part will be over cooked.

Tenderize the beef. I use a Jacaard tenderizer. They are $15 at Amazon. You can also use a meat tenderizer mallet. Do not skip this step! Physically tenderizing the meat is key.

Dust the skirt on both sides with Fiesta brand fajita seasoning. It's the best seasoning imo.

Get your grill as hot as you can get it, 500+ degrees if possible.

Sear the skirt briefly on each side to medium rare.

Cut the steak across the grain and serve.

Tree Hugger said:

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Head to La Michoacana or similar and get their marinated fajitas from the butcher counter

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This x1000

Slicer97 said:

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No. No. Just no. You know better than that. Anything made from scratch is automatically better than store prepared stuff whether it is or not. Haven't you been paying attention?

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I'll admit, sometimes I may be playing to the crowd a bit when I post, but, not on Fajitas. HEB/Prepackaged Fajitas are ass. They taste like a bad chemical science experiment. I honestly feel bad for people who's taste buds are so out of whack that they like those preservative saturated bags of nastiness. You literally cannot discern what type of meat they are by taste. You only know what you are eating because of appearance and texture.

All you have to do for Beef is half Claude's and Half Shiner Bock if you want something just as quick and you end up with Beef infinitely better the HEB ass in a bag.

Similarly, for Chicken thighs a quick marinade in a Michelada works well.

For beef, I season with Bolner's in the morning and squeeze a lime or two over 'em 20 minutes before they hit the grill.

For chicken, I brine thighs (with a complex brine I've posted here before that's probably overkill but it sure makes chicken taste good) for a couple hours and grill.

I agree, HEB's pre-marinated crap is just that. Crap.

Bayside Tiger Ag said:

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Those heb fajitas are bullet proof

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Catching bullets are all those things are good for.

Lateralus Ag said:

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Bulldog73 said:

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I'm far from an expert, but are you marinading the beef with something that will help tenderize it? I believe people have referenced using pineapple juice.

Also in before "there's no such thing as chicken fajitas."

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I haven't used pineapple juice. I will try that.

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Be careful... pineapple juice tenderizes because it contains bromelain, a protease. That means the marinade is digesting the meat, which is fine as long as you don't overdo it. Cooking inactvates the protease, but there may be differences depending on the juice you use. I tried doing this with pureed fresh pineapple chunks, and turned some beef into mush.

Here is my go to:
Skirt or flap, trim fat try to cut in uniform pieces if possible both for slicing and cooking.

Marinade:
6-8 limes juice and the zest
soy sauce, maybe 2 tbsp depending on how salty you like it
couple teaspoons of each of these....depending on what you like:
onion powder
garlic powder
ancho chili powder
paprika
chipotle powder(if you like it spicy...go easy this can go a long way)
black pepper
sea salt if the soy didnt get it salty enough....sometimes I salt it right before it goes on to get the crust

mix it all up and marinade in a bag...if you need more liquid add a little oil or more juice...

I know its long but it makes a nice mexican flavor marinade with good lime flavor. I use for chicken also

Lateralus Ag said:

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but the beef is always too tough.

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Do you have a Costco membership? I use the Loin Flap from Costco instead of Skirt Steak. The flavor and grain of the meat is nearly indistinguishable from skirt steak (way better choice than Flank) however, it doesn't have the connective tissue like skirt so it is way more tender. Just make sure you call them steak tacos s and not Fajitas

Skirt steak

Use a fork to put a few holes in it

In food pro put half a yellow onion, one habanero, olive oil, soy sauce, Worcestershire, splash of lime, garlic, S&P. Pour into gallon bag and put steak in to marinade overnight

I cook one of two different ways.

1. Get a pit blazing hot with natural wood charcoal. Right before you are ready to put on, get out a hair drier and blow all the excess ash off. Put the skirt steak directly on the coals for about 1 minute per side

2. Smoke and sear method. For about 20 minutes I smoke over indirect heat with pecan or mesquite, then get coals going hot just below the grate. 2 minutes per side if coals are within 3 inches. Little longer if further away.

Keys to GREAT steak fajitas are good marinade, medium rare, slice across grain, strong crusty sear.




Also some things I throw in separate tin foil packets or a grill basket.

Mushrooms with a little butter and garlic (great on steak fajitas)
Pepper onion mixture with lime juice and seasoning salt
Corn/Jalepno/Mayo mix with cotija cheese

Also might pickle some onion in lime juice

Ugh now I want fajitas.