Fajitas De Res (Beef Fajitas)

If you’ve never had fajitas before, you’re in for a real treat. Fajitas are basically meat strips cooked with peppers and onions in a skillet. They’re served with tortillas, salsa, and guacamole, which are absolutely delicious.

“Fajitas de Res” means beef fajitas, is a Mexican food, and is among the most well-liked delicious recipes of fajitas. The recipe can be prepared using your preferred type of beef, resulting in a savory dish, but we recommend using flank steak or skirt steak. Just make sure to slice the meat against the grain to be nice and tender.

You can easily customize your fajitas by adding different toppings, such as sour cream, cheese, guacamole, or salsa.

Brief History Of Fajitas De Res

Before we dump into the recipe, let’s discuss Fajitas de res and their history. Fajitas originated in the northern states of Mexico, particularly in the state of Texas. The term “fajita” actually comes from the Spanish word “faja,” which means “belt” or “sash.” This refers to the skirt steak, the traditional beef cut used in fajitas. In the past, skirt steak was a less expensive cut of meat, and fajitas were a way for Mexican ranch workers to use the leftover meat from their cattle drives. Today, fajitas are enjoyed all over the entire This dish can be prepared using different types of meat and enjoyed worldwide, including chicken, shrimp, and vegetables.

Ingredients For Fajitas De Res

To make the best steak fajita recipe, you will need the following ingredients:

Beef: Skirt steak is the best option, but flank steak is also a good close second. Skirt steak has a beefy flavor that is further enhanced by the marinade. 

Vegetable Oil: Vegetable oil gives the skirt steak a deep rich golden-brown crust.

Garlic Cloves: Garlic provides the steak with a beautiful, robust flavor. 

Chili Powder: No fajitas are complete without chili powder. Chili powder adds a mild spicy flavor that won’t burn your mouth off.

Cumin: Cumin adds warmth to the fajitas. 

Coriander: Coriander adds floral and mildly sweet notes to the fajitas. It pairs well with the cumin in this recipe.

Paprika: Paprika adds a smoky flavor to the fajitas. 

Olive Oil: Olive oil helps the fajita seasoning adhere to the meat.

Lime Juice: Adds a tart, bitter, zippy flavor to the meat. 

Orange Juice: Orange juice also adds an acidic flare, but the sweetness from the orange juice also adds sweetness and balances out the tart flavor of the lime juice. 

Cilantro: Cilantro adds a fresh, tangy, citrusy flavor to the fajitas. 

Salt And Pepper: You can’t go wrong with salt and pepper. It brings everything together and makes it taste amazing. 

Bell Peppers: The bell peppers add sweetness, but they also add some much-needed texture. In addition to this, depending on how many peppers you use, they can also help you stretch the skirt steak. 

Onion: I like using red onions because they add a pop of color to the fajitas. 

How To Make Fajitas De Res

Simply marinate the steak, let it rest, then cook the steak and vegetables on the grill. Take some flour or corn tortillas, and top them with the steak fajitas, sour cream, guacamole, and pico de gallo. Add some lime juice on top, and voilà! These are so good, no one will be able to resist. Enjoy!

Preparing The Meat

The initial step is to prepare the meat to make Fajitas De Res. Begin by trimming away any extra fat from the skirt steak. Then, place the steak in a large resealable bag. Add chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Mix the ingredients well. Add the spice mixture to the bag with the steak and juice of one lime, and two tablespoons of olive oil. Seal the bag and massage the meat to ensure it is fully coated in the marinade. It is recommended to marinate the meat It is recommended to leave it for at least an hour, but preferably overnight if possible.

Grilling The Vegetables

During the meat marination process, you can start preparing the vegetables. Slice the bell peppers and onions thinly and finely chop the garlic. Warm up your grill or grill pan on a medium-high setting. Once the grill is hot, add the garlic and vegetables to the grill pan. Grill the vegetables, stirring occasionally, for around 10 minutes until they become slightly charred and tender. Remove the grilled vegetables from the heat and keep them aside.

Grilling The Meat

Once the meat has finished marinating, remove it from the bag and remove any excess marinade. Heat the grill or grill pan over high heat. Once the grill is hot, add the steak to the grill. Cook the steak on the grill for roughly 3-4 minutes on each side, until it reaches your preferred level of readiness. Remove the steak and slice it into thin strips after resting for a few minutes.

Grilling Vs. Sautéing

Although cooking Fajitas De Res can be cooked by sautéing the meat and vegetables in a pan, you can use other cooking methods. Grilling them gives them a smoky flavor and charred edges that can’t be beaten. A grill pan works well if you don’t have a grill.

Assembling the Fajitas de Res

To assemble the Fajitas De Res, warm the tortillas in a skillet or even on the grill. Then, add a few strips of the grilled steak to each tortilla, followed by the grilled vegetables. Top with any desired toppings, such as sour cream, guacamole, salsa, or cheese. Roll up the tortilla, and enjoy!

What Cut Of Meat To Use For Fajitas De Res

This may be a little biased, but skirt steak is the steak for Fajitas de Res. Skirt steak packs a lot of flavors and has a tender bite. 

Nevertheless, skirt steak is not always available at your local grocery store or meat market. If you cannot find skirt steak, you can substitute flank steak, sirloin, ribeye, and chuck steak. Check out my article about The Best Cut Of Steak For Fajitas

As long as you marinate your steak properly, your fajitas will have a ton of flavor

How To Cut Fajita Meat

Some people like to pre-slice fajita meat before they cook it. On the other hand, some people cook the meat first and then slice it into pieces. 

I recommend searing the steak first before allowing it to rest for 5-10 minutes. Letting the steak rest will give the juices time to reabsorb into the meat. 

Next, cut your steak into thin slices against the grain. This will give you the most tender fajitas. 

If you are using London broil, a tough cut of meat, make sure you slice it thinly against the grain. Slice the London Broil steak as thin as possible to prevent the fajitas from being too chewy. 

How To Make The Marinade

To make the marinade, follow these steps:

Whisk together the vegetable oil, lime juice, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper in a bowl.

Put the sliced beef in the marinade and stir to coat.

To intensify the taste, cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 or up to 24 hours for optimal flavor.

How Long To Marinade Meat For Steak Fajitas

A good marinade will take your meal to the next level. Both skirt steak and flank steak soak up the flavor of the marinades really well. In fact, these cuts of beef only need 1-2 hours to marinate. 

In contrast, if you use tougher cuts of beef, such as chuck steak or London broil, it is best to let the steak marinate overnight. It will allow the steak to absorb as much marinade as possible. The marinade will also have ample time to break down the tough muscle fibers.

The Importance of Marinating the Beef Fajitas

Marinating the beef before grilling is key to getting maximum flavor in your Fajitas De Res. The acidic components in the marinade, such as lime juice or vinegar, aid in the breakdown of tough muscle fibers in the meat, resulting in a more succulent and flavorsome outcome. For optimum results, marinate the beef for at least an hour or overnight, if feasible.

Add spices such as chili powder, oregano, or coriander to make the marinade more flavorful. Add more fresh lime juice or honey to adjust the acidity and sweetness.

Tips for Success:

1. Use a sharp knife to cut the skirt steak against the grain to make it more tender.
2. Avoid overfilling the skillet when cooking the steak. Cook it in batches if necessary to ensure that it browns evenly.
3. Be sure to season the steak well with spices. This will add flavor to the dish.
4. If you prefer mild food, you can remove the jalapeño pepper or decrease the quantity used.

Serving Suggestions for Fajitas De Res

Fajitas De Res is a versatile dish that can be served in various ways. Here are a few serving suggestions to try:

1. To enjoy a fulfilling meal, serve the steak and vegetables over rice or quinoa.
2. Make Fajitas De Res bowls by serving the steak and vegetables on top of a bed of lettuce or mixed greens.
3. Make Fajitas De Res tacos using small corn tortillas instead of flour.
4. To complete the meal, serve with refried beans and Mexican rice.

Variations of Fajitas De Res

While the traditional Fajitas De Res recipe is delicious, there are many variations you can try to mix things up. Here are a few ideas:

Chicken fajitas: Substitute chicken breast for beef.

Shrimp fajitas: Substitute shrimp for beef.

Veggie fajitas: Omit the meat and use a variety of grilled vegetables, such as zucchini, mushrooms, and eggplant.

Fajita bowls: Skip the tortillas and serve the steak and veggies over rice or quinoa.

Storage and Reheating

Leftover fajitas can be stored in a container and refrigerated for 3-4 days. To reheat, you can either use a skillet or a microwave. For the skillet method, warm the fajitas over medium heat until they are heated through.

If you prefer to use a microwave, place the beef fajitas on a microwave-safe plate and cover it with a damp paper towel. Heat on high for 30 seconds, then flip the fajitas and heat for 30 seconds or until thoroughly reheated.

If you want to freeze fajitas, you can do so by placing the cooked fajitas in a freezer-safe container or freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat frozen beef fajitas, thaw them in the refrigerator overnight, then follow the same reheating instructions as above.

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