Fajita/Carne Asada recipe

[scottmandue]

Googled this and just get "lime juice and cilantro".

Really? Is it that easy?

So I thought I would query the PPOT foodies..

Looking for marinade recommendations... maybe toss some tequila in there? Hot sauce? Garlic? I think one of the guys here at work uses mountain dew.

Obviously with fajitas you add bell peppers and onions to the mix.

More importantly is the meat, as in steak, what cut?

I hear skirt steak... but I don't mind spending a little more for a better cut... but obviously you would not use filet mignon.

What say ye PPOT?

[vash]

skirt steak is key. IMHO it is the "beefiest" flavored part of the cow.

you just have to slice it thin against the grain. you mouth will feel it as tender cut that way..when in reality, it is not that tender.

man,,i just just rif on my marinade.

but it has lime, cilantro, cumin powder, olive oil, salt/pep, and a shot of tequila.

green peppers and onions just get salt pepper, and when done..a squirt of lime.

damn fool!!! you just made me hungry.

[red-beard]

Vash,

The price of skirt steak has gone up to the same price as ribeye! I can buy a ribeye giant roast for steaks for ~$5/lb at Costco. Sams is the only place to get skirt steak and it is $5/lb.

Ribeye makes great fajitas!!! Just leave the fat in when marinating and cooking.

Usually I do not like mixes, but this one cannot be beat!



You can get a box of 24 for about $27 at Amazon. I've been using this for years.

[scottmandue]

How long do you marinate the beef? Same amount of time if you do chicken (just in case wife diverts in that direction).

Being in Socal I could cheat and get the meat pre-made at a Mexican market, but then I don't get to have the fun of doing all the knife work myself.

[vash]

couple of hours max..the acid tends to make the meat taste funny to me..livery..could just be me.

i usually just dump everything into a zip bag, and let it marinate while i am making my pico de gallo, guacamole..and getting the grill hot..slicing veggies.

so about 30 minutes for me.

you know what? just remembered something. last time i marinated skirt steak..i used the blender to make the marinade. all the ingredients i mentioned above..but i added fresh white onion. then added the olive oil so it formed a loose paste. maybe some water, if it is too tight..then i dumped it all into a zip bag.

like i said.just riffing. you cant go wrong..everyone tends to fill the tortillas up with so much guac, pico, and sour cream..the meat doesnt need that much marinating.

[futuresoptions]

Simple recipe, you can thank me later...

1 bottle of Italian dressing
add a dash of meat tenderizer
add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese depending on how much meat you have...


Put your meat and ingredients in a large ziploc freezer bag. Make sure it is mixed up well... best to put it in the fridge the night before and then cook for lunch time over an open flame... if you're going to do it the same day, put it together first thing in the morning and let it sit in the fridge for 2-3hrs before use...

Enjoy!

[tabs]

As posted before for Carne Asada

Lime or Lemon Juice..couple Lemons or 3/4 Limes
Olive Oil...couple Tlbspns
Garlic squished.coupla cloves
Salt
Pepper

Tequila sounds good...

Simple and no need to measure closely..1/2 to hour is good. The acid breaks down the meat fibers and makes them Mushy if Marniated for too long.

Cumin Powder is added if for Faijitas

[Shuie]

olive oil, kosher salt, cumin, cilantro, lime juice, garlic.

Marinate 30-60 minutes in the fridge.

[javadog]

The simplest version uses limes, salt and pepper. Most Mexicans will use flank steak and Mexican limes, which are somewhat like a key lime. Zest the limes and put the lime zest on the meat. Squeeze the limes' juice over the steak and let it rest for 10 minutes, or so. Salt and pepper the hell out of it on both sides and grill it over hardwood charcoal. Rest the meat, then slice it across the grain, or chop it up with a cleaver. Serve it on hot corn tortillas with a little minced onion and cilantro. Add a squeeze of lime, too.

That's it. No rubs. No marinades. No lemon. No tequila. No cumin. No...

JR

[vash]

Originally Posted by javadog

The simplest version uses limes, salt and pepper. Most Mexicans will use flank steak and Mexican limes, which are somewhat like a key lime. Zest the limes and put the lime zest on the meat. Squeeze the limes' juice over the steak and let it rest for 10 minutes, or so. Salt and pepper the hell out of it on both sides and grill it over hardwood charcoal. Rest the meat, then slice it across the grain, or chop it up with a cleaver. Serve it on hot corn tortillas with a little minced onion and cilantro. Add a squeeze of lime, too.

That's it. No rubs. No marinades. No lemon. No tequila. No cumin. No...

JR

i am going to do this at ELK-camp this year!! keep it simple.

[red-beard]

Originally Posted by scottmandue

How long do you marinate the beef? Same amount of time if you do chicken (just in case wife diverts in that direction).

Being in Socal I could cheat and get the meat pre-made at a Mexican market, but then I don't get to have the fun of doing all the knife work myself.

Beef: As far in advance as I can, usually a couple of days. I use 2 packages of the mix to 12 oz of beer. And usually 1 pkg of mix per lb of meat. I put the meat and mix into gallon sized freezer baggies and squeeze out the air. I shake them when I see them and flip them over.

When cooking, put all of the liquid into a bowl and dunk the meat back into the mix as you flip the meat.

Chicken: I don't like letting chicken sit around too long. No more than 12 hours marinating. It also doesn't seem to need as long. You definitely need to dunk the chicken back into the liquid as it is cooking (3-4 times). As the chicken cooks, it can absorb the liquid better.

We often make the chicken version using chicken tenderloins, so they cook faily quickly. Many times we do this and serve the chicken as is, not as a fajita.

[scottmandue]

And if you put in a shot of tequila... then you have all the extra tequila laying around... and those extra limes...

Hmmmm what to do... what to do

[dhoward]

1/2 gal Jose Cuervo Margarita mix. about 6 oz in a ziplock bag. Marinate as long as it takes to polish off the rest of the bottle.

[Joeaksa]

You guys are making me hungry...

[Aggie93]

Here is ours for fajitas (similar to what everyone else has said, but a few additions). Measurements are loosely followed:

1/4 Cup Olive oil
1/4 Cup lime juice
Tons of chopped garlic
2 Tablespoons cumin
2 Tablespoons coarse salt (Kosher)
1 Tablespoon Pepper
2 Tablespoons Mexican Oregano
1 teaspoon cayenne
2 Tablespoons tequila

We use flank steak now that we live north of the mason-dixon line. Skirt is better for fajitas.

[sammyg2]

Check the price on London broil, it's usually cheaper than flank steak but basically the same thing.
I usually buy a large LB and have the butcher slice it into 3 or 4 thin slabs, then cut it into strips at home.

[JonT]

Anyone had Lupe's fajitas in Houston? Amazing!

[red-beard]

Lupe Tortilla's have the best Fajitas in Houston, and that is saying something! I prefer the original location near I-10 and TX-6.