Recipe: Steak Fajitas

I just love the smell of grilled meat, especially grilled beef. The smell of the steak sizzling is truly satisfying. I usually make Steak Fajitas when I don't really want to think of what to make for dinner. It's still super satisfying and the flavour and filling factors don't disappoint at all. 

The beauty about making fajitas is it's all grilled, you have only one thing to think about. One cooking source. No need for several pots and pans to pull out from all your kitchen sources. You can even change up the protein if you want - go for chicken or shrimp one time and you'll still be just as satisfied. I just prefer steak because.... it's steak. Fajitas are a tex-mex dish that will usually feature grilled onions, peppers, salsa, and a tortilla wrap. But, please don't let this limit your flavour choices. This is the basic fajita. 

The steak of choice is usually a skirt steak or a flank steak. Skirt steaks are long and flat plate steaks that are flavourful and they keep tender and juicy. Skirt steaks are located near the diaphragm muscles of the cow, that's why their muscle fibres are longer. Flank steaks are usually confused with skirt steaks because they look the same. But flank steaks are found farther back, near the belly or abdomen of the cow. Both these cuts are either seared quickly or slow-cooked. Because of the longer muscles, they'll need to be cooked to medium-rare doneness or fully cooked through, on low heat and very slowly. 

One thing I do regret when I made this is not thinking about making guacamole. (Why???) Just thinking about this with guacamole makes my heart weep a bit. But all good! We were more than satisfied and our tummies were definitely filled with this. 

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Steak Fajitas

This can make a lot of servings, around 8-10 7-inch tortillas or around 6-8 10-inch tortillas. If you're not into flour tortillas, you can definitely use corn tortillas or even serve this over a salad instead. 

You will need a griddle/hot plate/grill, some bowls, a ziplock bag, and... I think that's it. 

Ingredients

2.5 lbs skirt steak (you can also use flank steak)

1/2 tsp chilli powder (you can increase this, I just didn't because I didn't want it spicy enough to activate my husband's allergy)

1 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp dried oregano

salt and pepper

1 orange bell pepper, sliced

1 yellow bell pepper, sliced

1 white or yellow onion, sliced

1 cup cremini mushrooms, sliced

2 tsp olive oil

1 lime, sliced in wedges

flour or corn tortillas (Buying ready made flour tortilla is totally fine, they're available in 7- or 10-inch measures. You can make your own if you're feeling super authentic and extra)

shredded cheddar, mild and sharp

sour cream, full fat or 14%

salsa (you can can buy the ready-made bottle but best to make your own, just simmer some salsa fresca and add more heat, depending on how hot you like it)

hot sauce

Procedure

1. Combine all your dry spices in a bowl, set about 1 tsp aside to season your vegetables later on. Dry rub your steaks and seal in ziplock bag for 30 minutes to 1 hour. 

2. Heat up your griddle/hot plate. We have the 2-plate griddle so it was easier for us to cook simultaneously. On one side, sear the vegetables until browned and tender. Season with the spice mix you set aside earlier. 

3. On the other hot plate, sear the steaks on medium-high for around 4 minutes per side. Let this rest for 5 minutes before you slice it to strips. You can add some olive oil, just enough for it to be moist. 

4. Once the meat has rested, slice into strips. Arrange all cooked items to make a fajita platter. 

5. Toast your tortilla, around 2 minutes per side on a clean hot plate. 

6. Arrange all the accoutrement to make your tortilla assembly easier - sour cream, salsa, cheese, lime wedges, hot sauce, and your fajita platter.

7. Assemble and ENJOY!!! You can make it as spicy or as mild as you want!!!

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*You can go nuts with what you want to include here. Some ideas are chopped cilantro, grilled corn, cotija cheese, sliced jalapeño, green peppers, etc. I just personally prefer red and yellow peppers since they're sweeter when cooked and don't overpower the dish like a green pepper does. 

**If you really like it hot, you can opt for a Salsa Verde instead. It's basically tomatillos, jalapeños, onion, lime, and cilantro. Make this fresh or to increase the spice heat, simmer it to release the spice oils from the jalapeño seeds. 

***To make the Salsa Fresca, you can visit my recipe for here: Peri-Peri Shrimp with Lime Rice and Salsa Fresca.

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