Spicy Leftover Steak Fajitas Recipe • So Tasty! | Club Foody (2024)

FAQs

How do you cook fajita meat so it's tender? ›

Heat a skillet over medium. Once steak is at room temperature, heat a skillet over medium heat and drizzle with a neutral cooking oil like vegetable oil or grapeseed oil. Briefly sear the steak on both sides. Place the steak in the skillet in one layer, and let cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side.

You can use either skirt steak or flank steak for fajitas. Although the two cuts come from different parts of the cow, both skirt and flank steak soak up marinades well, cook quickly, and, when sliced thinly against the grain, taste tender and flavorful.

Only do this if your steak is nearly unsalvageable but too wasteful to throw away. Cut it into 1-inch pieces, toss into the food processor with a drizzle of olive oil and turn it into a semi-pureed beef filling. You can use it in pies, add it to pasta sauces, or turn it into savory dumplings.

Ultimate Sizzling Steak Fajitas

Add two tablespoons olive oil, lemon juice, cumin, garlic and onion powder, Kosher salt, hot sauce, and pepper to a small bowl and mix well. Pour over steak, cover and let marinate at least one hour or up to 24 hours in the refrigerator.

You want to cut perpendicular to the muscle fibers so they become as short as possible. You can a have melt in your mouth steak off the grill but if you cut it parallel to the grain you will end up with long muscle fibers AKA chewy, rubbery tough meat. So cut AGAINST the grain!

Whenever possible, try to avoid microwaving your Tex-Mex leftovers. Baking the food in a preheated oven will nearly always yield much better results, as will a quick session in a toaster oven or a few minutes on the stove in a skillet (fajita meat lends itself particular well to that last option!).

Steak Fajitas: While skirt steak is the traditional cut of meat used in fajitas, other cuts of steak can also be used, such as flank steak or sirloin steak. The steak is marinated in a mixture of lime juice, garlic, and spices, then grilled with onions and peppers.

What Is in Fajita Seasoning? Most fajita seasoning mixes are made up of a few simple Mexican spices, like cumin and chili powder, plus some additional spices, like paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper.

Why are my steak fajitas tough? ›

One of the biggest culprits of a chewy, tough steak is overcooking. Going past your desired doneness can cause the muscle fibers to become rigid and tight, making it much harder to chew.

How do you reheat meat without drying it out? Low and slow is key here: If you zap your steak with super high heat (like in the microwave), it's more likely to overcook and dry out. To keep your steak moist, you can also splash a little beef broth or water on the meat before you put it in the oven.

Simmering in a little bit of liquid or broth is a great way to tenderize. Acidity can also be your friend here. A little bit of vinegar and lemon juice in the liquid can help you tenderize the meat.

Cut the steak for your fajitas against the grain

Your steak is made up of long, tough muscle fibers running through the entire thing, and even in a well-cooked steak, they can be difficult to bite through.

Your best bet is to pound on it with a cutlet mallet and make sure that you slice it against the grain. Skirt steak is fun to cook and great for tacos. I'd make a spicy marinade with the flavors of chili, cumin, lime and a little honey to flavor the meat before grilling.

24 HRS prior to cooking I lay flat and squeeze half a lime over each piece, both sides. Then cover liberally with fiesta brand fajita seasoning on both sides. Roll them up and place the rolled up meat in a ziploc bag and refrigerate for 24 hrs.