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Posted: 8/4/2020 1:03:20 PM EDT
Howdy All,
I'm wanting to make fajitas at home. Last week I went to the local Carniceria and bought some pre-seasoned beef fajiyta meat, which was decent, but at $8.50/LB, I'm betting I can season some meats myself for less, and with better flavor. So, help me find/make some really good fajita seasonings! Discuss. CMOS |
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I use Bolner Fiesta Extra Fancy Fajita Seasoning, Olive oil and lime juice. I let it marinate for at least an hour at room temp
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Adobo, paprika, cumin, coriander, thyme, oil.
Hold off on the salt until you see how much salt in in that adobo. Some adobo mixes are just glorified garlic salts. Marinate the whole skirt or flank in it for grilling or cut it into strips and then marinate if you’re going to flash fry the strips in an iron skillet. Use the skillet on your grill burner outside and keep the skillet very hot. It’s going to smoke like crazy and you don’t want your smoke alarms in the house going off. But that iron skillet sear is so nice. My wife doesn’t like lemon or lime on food. When I’m doing fajitas without her, I’ll toss in some tajin to bring some more citrus and chili flavor to it. But same as with the adobo, it has salt in it. So watch that total salt amount in your mix. |
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Quoted: I use Bolner Fiesta Extra Fancy Fajita Seasoning, Olive oil and lime juice. I let it marinate for at least an hour at room temp View Quote THIS RIGHT HERE. Fiesta seasoning I know you can find it locally. |
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Guys,
To be clear, it's a flank steak I need to buy, right? Next, once marinated is it better to cook on the grill whole, or slice in strips then cook? Added - do not have an outside burner on my grill, but I can obviously grill it out there.... Thoughts? CMOS |
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My favorite is La India brand fajita seasonIng, but it’s hard to find. Their “Laredo Steak Seasoning” is good too.
ETA whoa modern technology La India If you need obscure mexican herbs or curandera shit, they’re a great source. Marinade for a few hours in orange juice, a few limes (juiced), and soy sauce with a (chopped) jalapeño thrown in. |
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I don't know where in TX you are or if you have a Pappasitos, but this thread is where I got my marinade from.
Fajita I usually marinade it for 4 to 6 hours, and then usually hot and fast on the grill. Slice the meat against the grain, and your good to go. |
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Quoted: I don't know where in TX you are or if you have a Pappasitos, but this thread is where I got my marinade from. Fajita I usually marinade it for 4 to 6 hours, and then usually hot and fast on the grill. Slice the meat against the grain, and your good to go. View Quote That guy "coscaggie" seems to have a good marinate recipe. Will definitely try that one. Great link. Thank you! Gig-Em! CMOS |
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Quoted: Guys, To be clear, it's a flank steak I need to buy, right? Next, once marinated is it better to cook on the grill whole, or slice in strips then cook? Added - do not have an outside burner on my grill, but I can obviously grill it out there.... Thoughts? CMOS View Quote I've been using Alton Brown's marinade for years but I add chipotle peppers in adobo to it before blending. I also use his method of cooking directly on lump coals, no grill grate. Made some this weekend and it turned out great as usual. Also, if you have a grill and a cast iron skillet you have an outdoor burner. For a charcoal grill put the pan on the coals for HIGH heat and on the grill grate for med-high heat. For a gas grill put pan on the grate and use the controls to adjust the heat. |
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Quoted: I use skirt steak. Cut it into chunks that are about the size of the tortilla, usually the whole skirt winds up in 3 pieces. Throw it in the marinade for a few hours then grill. Let rest, slice against the grain and serve. I've been using Alton Brown's marinade for years but I add chipotle peppers in adobo to it before blending. I also use his method of cooking directly on lump coals, no grill grate. Made some this weekend and it turned out great as usual. Also, if you have a grill and a cast iron skillet you have an outdoor burner. For a charcoal grill put the pan on the coals for HIGH heat and on the grill grate for med-high heat. For a gas grill put pan on the grate and use the controls to adjust the heat. View Quote That's a big 10-4! We have a wide selection of cast iron cookware, some of which are over 100 years old from the family. Great input. CMOS |
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Quoted: Guys, To be clear, it's a flank steak I need to buy, right? Next, once marinated is it better to cook on the grill whole, or slice in strips then cook? Added - do not have an outside burner on my grill, but I can obviously grill it out there.... Thoughts? CMOS View Quote Fajitas are traditionally the “flap”, skirt, and flank, the underside of a steer. Skirt comes from further front of the animal and is usually a little tougher, but has great flavor. This is the traditional “fajita” you get in a Mexican carneceria. The flank is more rearward and is a bit more tender. The flap is a little higher, toward the rear of the animal - it’s the bottommost end of the sirloin, I think (less traditional, but it all looks similar on the grill). In the past, these were considered undesirable cuts, and were cheaper (hence the popularity with lower income folks). When it’s first cut, the skirt has a lot of tough membrane that needs to be trimmed off. Some butchers just run the whole mess through a tenderizer after a quick trim, some do a better job. When I was a kid, a lot of butchers sold “skin on” fajitas for cheaper, |
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Just to save someone the trouble of going off site, here's one of the more recommended marinate recipes:
1 cup pineaple juice (good stuff). 1/2 cup soy sauce 4 fresh squeezed limes 1/4 cup fresh cilantro 1 jalepono 1/3 cup onions 1/3 cup water. Cumin Salt Pepper Combine in ziplock back and let marinate overnight. CMOS |
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Quoted: Added - do not have an outside burner on my grill, but I can obviously grill it out there.... Thoughts? View Quote Dude, $30 will buy you a turkey fryer that will get incredibly hot! I use the hell out of mine, it sits right next to the grill. Stir-fry, deep-frying, really any outdoor higher heat cooking is done on it. |
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Quoted: Mama Ninfa recipe ..........introduced fajitas to Texas and was a true American success story. View Quote Introduced fajitas to Texas? (Snort) Old Ninfas was pretty good though. |
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Quoted: "Introduced" as in first resturant. "fajitas" are American, not mexican. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: Introduced fajitas to Texas? (Snort) Old Ninfas was pretty good though. "Introduced" as in first resturant. "fajitas" are American, not mexican. Still at best an exaggeration. Fajitas have been a staple on the border since the early 20th century at least. Introduced to Houston gringos? Maybe. |
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View Quote @JerkStore Question about this seasoning: Obviously this is not a liquid marinate, so what are your recommendations as to how and when to apply to the meat? CMOS |
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Quoted: @JerkStore Question about this seasoning: Obviously this is not a liquid marinate, so what are your recommendations as to how and when to apply to the meat? CMOS View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: @JerkStore Question about this seasoning: Obviously this is not a liquid marinate, so what are your recommendations as to how and when to apply to the meat? CMOS From the recipe tab at that link: Fajita Tacos Al Carbon (Charcoal-grilled fajitas & flour tortillas) Sprinkle fajitas (skirt, flank, thin sirloin, etc.) generously with Fajita Seasoning. Let fajitas stand 30 minutes for flavor development and tenderization (maximum tenderizing occurs when left refrigerated overnight, covered overnight. Sear the fajitas quickly over a hot grill or charcoal fire to seal in the juices, then allow to cook until just done. Slice the meat across the grain. Place on hot flour tortillas. Garnish with guacamole, cheese and picante sauce. The ingredient list has a papaya enzyme listed....thats a meat tenderizer that needs some time to work. The tougher the cut, the longer it needs. |
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Quoted: Made fajitas tonight https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/69531/E679F598-9D77-4D62-8457-E74687B633F5-1538187.jpg Marinade- 1/4c soy sauce 1/4c fish sauce 1/2 cup orange juice 1/2 cup pineapple juice 1c beer Sprinkle fajitas with fiesta brand fajita seasoning (out of la India), marinade for 4 hours, grill fast and hot until slightly medium side of medium rare, let rest 10m - should be medium when done. Serve with grilled onions, peppers, jalapeños. Not too shabby. View Quote Damn . . . . . . CMOS |
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Quoted: 1/2 cup orange juice 1/2 cup pineapple juice . View Quote When I lived in Houston twenty odd years ago I remember a newspaper article where a resturant was asked "their secret".......he said "frozen OJ". He used cheap store brand frozen OJ as the base. I started doing the same and have experimented with frozen limeade in my marinade as well. |
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Quoted: Mama Ninfa recipe ..........introduced fajitas to Texas and was a true American success story. View Quote I will have to try that out. That is one of many things I miss about living in Houston. I found a really good recipe for her green sauce. If i could find her mole recipe, I would be in heaven. Green Sauce |
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Quoted: Quoted: Made fajitas tonight https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/69531/E679F598-9D77-4D62-8457-E74687B633F5-1538187.jpg Marinade- 1/4c soy sauce 1/4c fish sauce 1/2 cup orange juice 1/2 cup pineapple juice 1c beer Sprinkle fajitas with fiesta brand fajita seasoning (out of la India), marinade for 4 hours, grill fast and hot until slightly medium side of medium rare, let rest 10m - should be medium when done. Serve with grilled onions, peppers, jalapeños. Not too shabby. Damn . . . . . . CMOS Update- after eating fajitas for two days (my picture is less than half of what I actually made) my kids have decided I need to make them again this week. I think that pretty much closes the door on my “I need to work on my fajita recipe” conversation. |
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Quoted: Update- after eating fajitas for two days (my picture is less than half of what I actually made) my kids have decided I need to make them again this week. I think that pretty much closes the door on my “I need to work on my fajita recipe” conversation. View Quote I just cut and pasted your recipe to my "Fajita Marinate" WORD document........ Next Tuesday (18th) is "Tex-Mex Tuesday" at our house so - that's what we will use. CMOS |
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Quoted: I just cut and pasted your recipe to my "Fajita Marinate" WORD document........ Next Tuesday (18th) is "Tex-Mex Tuesday" at our house so - that's what we will use. CMOS View Quote Let me know what you think... If you’re worried about scorching fruit juice on the outside, dab it dry with a paper towel before you grill it. |
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Quoted: Let me know what you think... If you’re worried about scorching fruit juice on the outside, dab it dry with a paper towel before you grill it. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: I just cut and pasted your recipe to my "Fajita Marinate" WORD document........ Next Tuesday (18th) is "Tex-Mex Tuesday" at our house so - that's what we will use. CMOS Let me know what you think... If you’re worried about scorching fruit juice on the outside, dab it dry with a paper towel before you grill it. Trying your recipe tomorrow for our Tex-Mex Tuesday. Will do an AAR when done. I will be adding a little bit of fresh chopped Cilantro to that marinate mix..... CMOS |
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Quoted: Trying your recipe tomorrow for our Tex-Mex Tuesday. Will do an AAR when done. I will be adding a little bit of fresh chopped Cilantro to that marinate mix..... CMOS View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: I just cut and pasted your recipe to my "Fajita Marinate" WORD document........ Next Tuesday (18th) is "Tex-Mex Tuesday" at our house so - that's what we will use. CMOS Let me know what you think... If you’re worried about scorching fruit juice on the outside, dab it dry with a paper towel before you grill it. Trying your recipe tomorrow for our Tex-Mex Tuesday. Will do an AAR when done. I will be adding a little bit of fresh chopped Cilantro to that marinate mix..... CMOS Now you got me on the spot... (I don’t think cilantro in the marinade, especially for a short marinade like this, will make any difference, but it won’t hurt anything either... some chimichurri after it comes off the grill, however, would be good. My wife and kids go nuts for chimichurri) |
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View Quote Uh, no. |
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Quoted: I do a bit of a compromise here, since I was raised on the lower west coast and my wife was raised in the southeast and midwest with a German family. We have differing flavor preferences. I'll get thin sliced flank steak or skirt steak from the Mexican market. I used to just sprinkle that Weber Grill Carne Asada seasoning on it and let it sit in the fridge til the next day, but I've found something that my wife likes better- I now marinate it for 24+ hours in Teriyaki sauce, fresh chopped onion and garlic, Tajin seasoning, and a squirt of either lemon or lime. It doesn't even need salt or pepper. I love the thin-sliced meat because there's almost no way to cook it wrong on the grill, if it's done on the outside it's done on the inside. I usually just eat it straight with a tortilla and hot sauce, usually I'll make street corn or something to go with it. She likes to add lettuce and stuff and either eat it right off the plate or sometimes make a sandwich or burrito out of it. https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/146/D11F6EF5-2CCB-4E1F-8EB7-4A381F5A242E-1551706.jpg https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/146/DC433B9E-506C-47A4-A615-548B6FFD2469-1551709.jpg https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/146/7CDD1991-A1DC-4CDC-BA05-49F29E30BED5-1551712.jpg View Quote Get a little more color on those tortillas, white boy. Otherwise, it’s all good. They’re your fajitas, eat ‘em how you like. |
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Quoted: They don't get much color wrapped up in foil. It just softens them and keeps them warm. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: Get a little more color on those tortillas, white boy. Otherwise, it’s all good. They’re your fajitas, eat ‘em how you like. They don't get much color wrapped up in foil. It just softens them and keeps them warm. Heat up a skillet, toast the tortillas until they start to get toasty “spots” on the outside. Those tortillas are what we call “medio crudo” (half raw). |
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Quoted: Now you got me on the spot... (I don’t think cilantro in the marinade, especially for a short marinade like this, will make any difference, but it won’t hurt anything either... some chimichurri after it comes off the grill, however, would be good. My wife and kids go nuts for chimichurri) View Quote Meat is marinating . . . . . . CMOS |
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I’m a fajita guy...these are incredible add shrimp or beef as well.
https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/flavorful-chicken-fajitas/ |
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Quoted: I’m a fajita guy...these are incredible add shrimp or beef as well. https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/flavorful-chicken-fajitas/ View Quote Fajitas are a cut of beef, like a ribeye. “Chicken fajitas” are a gringo-ism, more correctly called “pollo asado”. Sadly, I’ve even seen this misnomer in Mexico in this generation (poor use of language spreads backward too). That said, pollo asado is great- made some last weekend. I don’t mind meanings of words changing over time, but this is a case where added ambiguity actually makes the terms less descriptive. It’s a net negative. |
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@TxRabbitBane
Done. Simply fantastic recipe! Much better than I was expecting! The entire family was drooling over these. I used Flank Steak. Had the local HEB butcher run it through the tenderizer machine, so after grilling you could eat this with no teeth. I made a couple small tweaks to your recipe, which I will post below. Sauteed some green and red bell peppers in a big cast iron skillet with some sweet onions (caramelized). I did season these veggies with some of the Fiesta Fajita seasoning. Once the meat was grilled to medium, I immediately cut and folded the meat into the skillet for a quick sear with the veggies. Served the table with everything in the steaming cast iron skillet. This is a repeat for sure. So easy and fantastic. Exact recipe below: Marinade- 1/4c soy sauce 1/8c fish sauce 1/2 cup orange juice 1 cup pineapple juice 1 cup beer 2 TBLSP peppercorns Sprinkle fajitas heavily with Fiesta brand fajita seasoning, marinade in liquid for 4 hours, grill fast and hot until slightly medium side of medium rare. Cut meat against the grain and place into the veggie skillet and saute at high heat for one minute while tossing - then serve! Serve with grilled onions, peppers, jalapeños, seasoned with the Fiesta Fajita seasonings. Sauteed in Olive Oil with some water added for the initial steaming effect. Thanks so much to TxRabbitBane for the recipe! I'm going to use the small leftover tomorrow morning in a scrambled egg & fajita breakfast taco! CMOS |
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I use New Mexico red chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper. Nothing fancy needed.
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Quoted: Guys, To be clear, it's a flank steak I need to buy, right? CMOS View Quote It doesn't have to be used in fajitas, you can put it in burritos, enchiladas. tacos, tortas, and the list goes on. |
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Quoted: I just cut and pasted your recipe to my "Fajita Marinate" WORD document........ Next Tuesday (18th) is "Tex-Mex Tuesday" at our house so - that's what we will use. CMOS View Quote |
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Quoted: @TxRabbitBane Done. Simply fantastic recipe! Much better than I was expecting! The entire family was drooling over these. I used Flank Steak. Had the local HEB butcher run it through the tenderizer machine, so after grilling you could eat this with no teeth. I made a couple small tweaks to your recipe, which I will post below. Sauteed some green and red bell peppers in a big cast iron skillet with some sweet onions (caramelized). I did season these veggies with some of the Fiesta Fajita seasoning. Once the meat was grilled to medium, I immediately cut and folded the meat into the skillet for a quick sear with the veggies. Served the table with everything in the steaming cast iron skillet. This is a repeat for sure. So easy and fantastic. Exact recipe below: Marinade- 1/4c soy sauce 1/8c fish sauce 1/2 cup orange juice 1 cup pineapple juice 1 cup beer 2 TBLSP peppercorns Sprinkle fajitas heavily with Fiesta brand fajita seasoning, marinade in liquid for 4 hours, grill fast and hot until slightly medium side of medium rare. Cut meat against the grain and place into the veggie skillet and saute at high heat for one minute while tossing - then serve! Serve with grilled onions, peppers, jalapeños, seasoned with the Fiesta Fajita seasonings. Sauteed in Olive Oil with some water added for the initial steaming effect. Thanks so much to TxRabbitBane for the recipe! I'm going to use the small leftover tomorrow morning in a scrambled egg & fajita breakfast taco! CMOS View Quote Good on you- glad you liked it. I just throw a cast iron skillet on the grill with the veggies. As for the mods, of course you’re supposed to mod it to your particular taste. That’s what it’s all about. Mine was intended to be as simple and idiot proof as possible. The real truth is it was intended to be a base for further refinement, but it’s so good I had no reason to do it any differently... I think the key is the fruit juice. For chicken, I use orange juice, pineapple juice, less soy (or sometimes sub teriyaki), and habanero pepper sauce. |
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Attached File
Be sure to double the marinade ingredients if you plan to do both chicken and steak. I got this recipe from a little Spanish lady on YouTube. Makes the most amazing fajitas! Marinade a minimum of 3 hours then spoon or pour the remaining marinade over the meat as you grill it. |
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