When it comes to Tex-Mex and Mexican cuisines, few dishes rival delicious grilled steak fajitas. Bursting with flavors and textures, steak fajitas are a favorite for many. Whether you're hosting a backyard barbecue or simply craving a hearty meal, mastering the art of cooking grilled steak fajitas is not hard with this easy recipe. In this post, we'll explore everything you need to know to create the perfect steak fajitas, from selecting the right cut of meat to mastering the cooking techniques and assembling a mouthwatering dish. This easy recipe makes the Best Beef Fajitas Made With Wagyu Skirt Steak.
If you like grilled beef with a lot of flavor, try my recipes for Smoked Tri-Tip, Grilled Carne Asada and Reverse Seared Beef Tenderloin.
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Choosing the Right Cut of Beef
The key to great steak fajitas lies in selecting the right cut of beef. Skirt steak and flank steak are two popular cuts of meat used for fajitas. Both are considered flat cuts. The key differences are that skirt steak is a thinner and fattier cut with more marbling while flank steak is a leaner cut with a chewier texture. Both are great steaks for beef fajitas.
Skirt Steak
Skirt steak has a beefy flavor and good marbling, making it a popular choice for grilling. It is also traditionally used in many Mexican restaurants for making fajitas. Skirt steak comes from below the ribs and has a coarse grain structure and lot of intramuscular fat, which enhances its tenderness and juiciness when cooked. There are two varieties of skirt steak: inside skirt and outside skirt. Inside skirt, located closer to the rib cage, tends to be thicker and is well-suited for grilling, while outside skirt is thinner and cooks very quickly. Nearly all outside skirt steak is purchased by commercial kitchens. The skirt steak that you find at the grocery store or local butcher shop will most likely be inside skirt steak. A citrus-based marinade will help skirt steak become tender and juicy.
Flank Steak
Flank steak comes from the abdominal muscles and has a coarse grain structure. While it lacks the marbling of skirt steak, flank steak tends to be thicker and leaner and is also well-suited for grilling. Like skirt steak, flank steak needs to be tenderized in a citrus marinade. When sliced thinly across the grain, flank steak is a popular choice for beef fajitas. Because flank steak is thicker than skirt steak, the resulting fajita meat with also be thicker. It will also take longer to cook.
Wagyu Skirt Steak
A skirt steak was used in this recipe. Choose a skirt steak with a lot of marbling if possible. All that fat will help make the skirt steak more flavorful and more tender. If you can find a Wagyu skirt steak, even better. The skirt steak used in this recipe was Wagyu and made fajitas that just melt in your mouth. I found it at my local market in Austin, TX and it was surprisingly only about a dollar more than choice skirt steak. Wagyu skirt steak can have an intensely beefy flavor and that flavor is tamed by the marinade.
If you have trouble finding a skirt steak, choose a well-marbled flank steak. Just remember that a flank steak will be thicker than skirt steak and will therefore take longer to cook.
Ingredients
- Skirt steak
- Lime juice
- Orange juice
- Olive oil
- Garlic cloves
- Chili powder
- Ground cumin
- Ground coriander
- Black pepper
- Kosher salt
- Cilantro
- Red bell pepper
- Poblano pepper
- Yellow onion
- Flour tortillas
- Pico de Gallo, sour cream, and cilantro, for serving
See printable recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Marinating the Steak
In order to make skirt steak as tender as possible, it needs to spend at least 2 hours in a citrus-based marinade. The marinade will also infuse the steak with a lot of flavor.
Start by patting the steak dry with paper towels to remove any excess moisture. Prepare a fajita marinade by combining lime juice, orange juice, olive oil, garlic, chili powder, cumin, coriander, black pepper, salt and cilantro in a blender and blend until smooth. Reserve ¼ cup of the marinade and pour the rest in a resealable plastic bag or shallow dish. Add the skirt steak to the marinade, ensuring it's fully coated, and let it marinate for at least 2 hours in the refrigerator. The acidity from the lime and orange juice will help break down the tough fibers and connective tissue in the meat, resulting in a more tender and flavorful steak.
Grilling the Steak
There are various ways to cook skirt steak for fajitas, but grilling and searing are among the best methods for achieving that perfect char and flavor. The steak in this recipe was first grilled quickly over very hot coals to give it a good sear. Then, after a brief rest, it was cut into strips and finished on a griddle with the vegetables.
If you are using an outdoor grill, preheat it to medium-high heat. Alternatively, you can use a large cast iron skillet on the stovetop over medium-high heat. Personally, I do not use a cast iron skillet because the citrus marinade damages my precious cast iron seasoning. To me, it is not worth the hassle of re-seasoning my skillet.
Once the grill or skillet is hot, remove the steak from the marinade and discard the marinade. The cooking time for skirt steak is pretty quick. Cook the steak 2-3 minutes per side, to an internal temperature of about 130°F for medium-rare, depending on the thickness of the steak. For the best results, hotter is better. Aim for a quick sear to lock in the juices while maintaining the tender interior. Don’t overcook it. After cooking, transfer the steak to a cutting board and let it rest for about 5 minutes. Resting allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, ensuring juicy and flavorful fajitas.
Cook the Vegetables
While the steak is resting, cook the onions, red bell pepper and poblano pepper on a hot griddle or skillet with a little vegetable oil for about 6 minutes. Once rested, slice the steak across the grain into thin strips, about ¼” wide. Cutting across the grain shortens the muscle fibers, resulting in more tender meat. Finish the steak strips on the hot griddle or skillet alongside the vegetables for 2 additional minutes.
Quickly sear the skirt steak over very hot coals for 2-3 minutes per side, then let it rest.
While the steak is resting, cook the onion, red bell pepper and sliced poblano pepper in a small amount of vegetable oil.
Assembling the Fajitas
Warm some flour tortillas or fresh corn tortillas on the grill or in a skillet for 5-10 seconds on each side. Then, fill each warm tortilla with a generous portion of sliced steak, along with sautéed onions, red bell peppers and poblano peppers. Top with a drizzle of the reserved marinade and your favorite garnishes, such as Pico de Gallo, Mexican Crema or sour cream, and fresh cilantro. Serve with Mexican rice and black or refried beans for a satisfying meal.
Variations
The fajitas in this recipe were made with grilled onion, red bell pepper and a poblano pepper. Orange, yellow and green bell peppers could also be used.
Storage
Store leftover fajita meat and vegetables in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Top Tip
Buy Wagyu skirt steak if you can find it. It is only slightly more expensive than choice or prime and well worth it.
Final Thoughts
Cooking grilled steak fajitas at home is easy. Whether you choose skirt steak or flank steak, both cuts can yield delicious restaurant-quality fajitas at home with the right preparation and cooking technique. Enjoy!
Related
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Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with this recipe.
📖 Recipe
Grilled Wagyu Steak Fajitas Recipe
Equipment
- Outdoor grill gas or charcoal
Ingredients
Marinade
- 2 limes juiced
- .5 cup orange juice
- .5 cup olive oil
- .25 cup fresh cilantro chopped
- 2 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- .5 teaspoon chili powder
- .5 teaspoon ground cumin
- .5 teaspoon ground coriander
- .5 teaspoon black pepper
- 1.5 pounds skirt steak
Fajitas
- 1 red bell pepper seeded and cut into ¼" strips
- 1 poblano pepper seeded and cut into ¼" strips
- 1 yellow onion cut into ½" strips
- 12 flour tortillas
- .5 pico de gallo
- .5 sour cream
- 2 limes cut into wedges
Instructions
- Pat the skirt steak dry with paper towels and remove any extra fat.
- Prepare a fajita marinade by combining lime juice, olive oil, orange juice, garlic, chili powder, black pepper, cumin, coriander, salt and cilantro in a blender and blend until smooth. Remove ¼ cup of the marinade and pour the rest in a resealable plastic bag or shallow dish. Add the skirt steak to the marinade, ensuring it's fully coated, and let it marinate for at least 2 hours in the refrigerator.
- Preheat a grill to medium-high heat.
- Cook the steak 2-3 minutes per side, to an internal temperature of about 130°F for medium-rare, depending on the thickness of the steak. For the best results, hotter is better. Aim for a quick sear to lock in the juices while maintaining the tender interior. Don’t overcook it.
- After cooking, transfer the steak to a cutting board and let it rest for about 5 minutes. Resting allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, ensuring juicy and flavorful fajitas.
- While the steak is resting, cook the onions, red bell pepper and poblano pepper on a hot griddle or skillet with a little vegetable oil for about 6 minutes.
- Once rested, slice the steak across the grain into thin strips, about ¼” wide. Cutting across the grain shortens the muscle fibers, resulting in more tender meat. Finish the steak strips on the hot griddle or skillet alongside the vegetables for 2 additional minutes.
- Warm the tortillas on the griddle or in a skillet for 5-10 seconds on each side. Then, fill each warm tortilla with a generous portion of sliced steak, along with sautéed onions, red bell peppers and poblano peppers.
- Top with a drizzle of the reserved marinade and your favorite garnishes, such as Pico de Gallo, Mexican Crema or sour cream, and fresh cilantro. Serve with Mexican rice and black or refried beans for a satisfying meal.
Dave says
Easy to make and very juicy.