Marinated Skirt Steak Fajitas. Cinco de Mayo is coming up soon on May 5th. Fajitas are one of my favorite Cinco de Mayo celebration dishes. Try my Marinated Skirt Steak Fajitas for my version of Tex-Mex heaven! I use a little Tequila in my marinade for an extra kick!
The first time I had “authentic fajitas” was in San Antonio, Texas in the mid-1980s. My parents and I were visiting some friends in Austin, Texas. They took us out to dinner at a very good restaurant that was along the River Walk. I don’t remember the name of the restaurant — just that the outdoor patio dining along the river was wonderful on a lovely sunny Spring day in Texas. Since that day, I’ve been hooked on fajitas.
Skirt steak is a special cut that is usually available in most grocery stores. You can always ask the butcher to cut some for you. It’s a thin cut of the flank of beef that makes great fajitas. Marinate the skirt steak for at least an hour before grilling or braising.
After cooking the skirt steak, you’ll want to thinly slice against the grain for a more tender result.
Be sure to serve the skirt steak fajitas on flour tortillas with some fixin’s like shredded cheese, My Favorite Guacamole, pico de gallo (recipe follows), and Mexican Crema or sour cream.
I love to make pico de gallo with ingredients from my garden! Tomatoes, scallions, and cilantro star in this fresh-tasting condiment. Add some diced jalapeno and some salt. Tasty!
Warm some fajita-sized flour tortillas and stuff with the skirt steak. Top with fixin’s.
Fold up the sides of the tortilla, pick up, and enjoy!
** Check out my other Cinco de Mayo menu options here: Celebrate Cinco de Mayo! **
Enjoy!!
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From the kitchen of A Food Lover’s Delight….
Marinated Skirt Steak Fajitas
Ingredients:
1 large Ziploc bag
2 lb skirt steak
1/3 c vegetable oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 t ground cardamom
1 t ground cumin
Juice of 1 lime
1/2 t salt
1/4 t freshly cracked black pepper
1/4 c tequila (optional)
12 fajita sized flour tortillas
2 c shredded Monterey Jack cheese
2 c shredded Romaine or green leaf lettuce
1 c My Favorite Guacamole
1 c pico de gallo (combine diced fresh tomatoes, sliced scallions, finely diced seeded jalapeno pepper, chopped cilantro, salt)
1 c Mexican crema
Method:
1. Slide the skirt steak into a Ziploc bag that’s large enough to accommodate it.
2. In a glass bowl, mix together the marinade of oil, garlic, cardamom, cumin, lime juice, salt, pepper and optional tequila. Pour the marinade over the skirt steak in the Ziploc bag. Firmly close the bag and put the steak in the refrigerator to marinate for at least an hour, or overnight.
3. Make the pico de gallo and guacamole and chill until ready to serve.
4. Preheat your grill. Remove the skirt steak from the Ziploc bag and place on a plate.
5. Over medium heat, grill the skirt steak to your liking. Usually 4 minutes on each side is great for medium rare steak. Grill longer if you like your steak well done.
6. Remove the skirt steak from the grill and let it rest for a few minutes before slicing.
7. Slice the steak against the grain into thin strips.
8. Serve along with the shredded Monterey Jack cheese, shredded lettuce, pico de gallo, guacamole, and Mexican crema.
Serves 4. Offer these fajitas with your favorite beer, margaritas, and soft drinks. My Simple Iced Tea is a good soft drink option in the summer months. Refried beans, black beans and Mexican rice are great accompaniments, too. As an appetizer, try my Smoky Chile Con Queso Dip with tortilla chips.
Variations: As mentioned, you can omit the tequila. Use a little red wine or some beer in the marinade for a different flavor. You can omit the cardamom but I like its flavor. Saute some sliced bell pepper and onion to serve with along with the skirt steak fajitas.
Order your own skirt steaks and Mexican crema from Amazon.com:
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