Fajitas
Independence Day is nearly here! Hooray for three day weekends, barbecues, and celebrating our Nation.
If James and I were in San Antonio this weekend, we'd be preparing for a weekend full of tubing, good beer, and of course, fajitas.
Do you know the history behind fajitas? Originally, skirt steak (what real fajitas are made from) was considered part of the "unusable" meat on a cow. By unusable, I mean that it couldn't be sold commercially because it was tough. So it was given to the cowboys, or Vaqueros, as part of their pay - along with plenty of other parts that housewives wouldn't buy. If you ever wondered where Barbacoa came from, now you know that too.
Fajitas are quick and delicious for any barbecue, and can be topped by just about any garnish you want. A recent poll on the Bluebonnets & Brownies Facebook page included guacamole, peppers and onions, and most interestingly - butternut squash or sweet potato cooked with garlic and cumin as favorite toppings!
I can't wait to try that last one. But most traditional to me are sour cream, cheddar cheese, crisp lettuce, tomato, and my favorite guacamole.
Make your Fourth of July into a taco party - throw some Fajitas and tortillas onto the grill, set out the condiments, and let your guests go to town.
Below is a simple marinade for your Fajitas. We marinate for at least 4 hours around here, and then grill to medium. Remember to cut across the grain after allowing the meat to rest to make the steak easier to chew in tacos.
My butcher didn't have skirt steak, so I substituted flank steak, which comes from a similar area on the cow. You can do the same if you wish.
Happy 4th of July, Friends!
I hope your holiday is filled with love, laughter, and lots of fireworks!
Fajita Marinade
For 4
1 lb Skirt or Flank Steak
Kosher Salt
Freshly Cracked Black Pepper
Cumin
Garlic Powder
Chili Powder
½ cup soy sauce
Worcestershire sauce to taste
Place steak in a casserole dish or baking tray with lip. Sprinkle liberally with salt, pepper, cumin, garlic powder, and chili powder on each side. This is entirely to taste. I go light on the chili powder, but heavy on the garlic powder and cumin.
Sprinkle each side with Worcestershire sauce, about 2 tablespoons for each side.
Place steak in a ziptop bag, cover with ½ cup of soy sauce. Roll bag, removing as much air as possible, and zip closed.
Leave in the refrigerator for at least two hours, but up to 24.
Grill to medium or medium rare. Slice against the grain. Enjoy with flour or corn tortillas, and plenty of fresh vegetable garnish.
[wpurp-searchable-recipe]Fajitas - - - [/wpurp-searchable-recipe]
As silly as this is going to sound, I've never actually marinaded meat on my own. I love fajitas, so this may have to be the first one I try 🙂
Amber this looks amazing!! Fajitas are one of my husband's favorite things 🙂 And quite the history lesson as well!! Look at you, smart girl.
I'm starting to think that I should be from Texas... Fajitas for the 4th of July sounds just perfect to me! I'd trade my hot dogs for some fajitas any day. 🙂
Mmm nothing is better than fajitas and this recipe looks amazing! Loving your blog and so glad to be a new follower! Hope you're having a fabulous 4th of July! 🙂
FAJITAS...I would laugh when I got to VA and people regularly said fa-jidas, with ja-lop-ann-oes.... We are spoiled. Bernie has his own method, and uses precut HELL out of them in his "disco"...this recipe includes beer! LOL, I might like the condiments more than the meat, but I'm down with the rare meat. Still working on him! Happy fourth, Amber!
Fajitas are our favorite! I'll have to try this marinade, it looks great!
These look SO good! I think I may have to break out some steaks for our massive grillfest today!
Fajitas are sooo tasty. Love this!
I moved to Colorado from North Carolina 25 years ago. One of the very first dishes we had at a local place for dinner was the mysterious sounding fajitas. Without the jalapenos please.
Fast forward. I've made my own forever using flank steak. I remember how cheap flank steak was those many years ago because it wasn't considered a good cut of meat. I think fajitas are to blame for the surge in popularity and price!
And how things change. Now? Extra jalapenos please. 🙂
I am always on the prowl for a good marinade. This one will be next on my list. Happy 4th of July to you too!
Are those Penzey's spices I see in the background?? 🙂
One of them is. The other two are SpicesInc.com. I LOVE their Hill Country Chili Powder.