Beef Fajitas
Serves 6–12 Time ½ hour Difficulty 2/5 Ingredients 15 Steps 9
The original contributor of this recipe noted the following anecdote:When I visited San Antonio, Texas, years ago, my cousin took me to the Texas Folklife Festival, where he introduced me to fajitas, telling me that they were originated by poor people who cut "beef skirts" (skirt steak) across the grain to make this tough cut much more tender.
Ingredients
Marinade
- ½ cup olive oil
- ⅓ cup soy sauce
- Juice of 2 limes
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- ½ tsp freshly-ground cumin
- 4 green onions, chopped
- 3 Tbsp dark brown sugar
Fajitas
- 1 ea. (2.25 lb / 1 kg) inside skirt steak, cut into 3 equal pieces
- 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
- 4 small onions, wedged
- 2 small red and green bell peppers, sliced
Serving
- Tortillas
- Salsa fresca
- Chunky guacamole
- Lime wedges
Steps
- Blend the olive oil, soy sauce, lime juice, red pepper flakes, cumin, green onion and brown sugar until smooth.
- Pour the marinade into a gallon-size zip-top plastic bag. Add the skirt steak. Seal, removing as much air as possible. Refrigerate at least 1 hour, preferably 24 hours or more.
- Remove the steak from the marinade. Place as close as possible to the coals of a preheated charcoal grill.
- Cook one side until the internal temperature is 125°F (51°C). Flip. Cook until at least 145°F (63°C) in the thickest part. Cook longer for more well done.
- Remove and cover immediately. Rest at least 3 minutes. To hold, wrap tightly in aluminum foil and keep in a low heat area of the grill or a low oven.
- Meanwhile, place a 9–10-inch (23–25 cm) cast-iron skillet on the coals (or a stove).
- Once the pan is heated, toss the sliced peppers and onions with vegetable oil. Add to the skillet. Cook at least 2–3 minutes on high heat until moderately soft with some browning. Optionally add a small amount of water and cover to partially steam. Remove. Keep warm.
- Slice the steak as thinly as possible across the grain.
- Serve with tortillas, salsa, guacamole and lime wedges.
Notes from the original
- The onion and bell pepper are often mixed with the sliced meat in one dish and allowed to marinate together.
- The tortillas and other ingredients are typically served on separate dishes.
- For those who may not know, the eater is expected to assemble the various components of the dish as they prefer—there is no need for the cook to do further assembly. The tortillas are used as wrap for the other ingredients, topped with a squirt of lime juice, if desired.
Source. Adapted from “Cookbook:Beef Fajitas” by Wikibooks contributors, revision of 2025-06-19, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Changes. Steps rewritten into short commands. Introduction shortened. Wiki formatting removed. This adapted recipe is shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.