Celebrating Hispanic Heritage with the one and only: Grilled fajitas

Fajitas are a great-great easy and fulfilling meal that everyone loves. You can use all kinds of meats and vegetables from steak to seafood, green peppers to onions. They’re the perfect dish for any nationality to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. By grilling any ingredients you use you are adding that unique and delicious smoky flavor.

The traditional fajita is made with marinated flank (skirt) steak and a combination of onions and green peppers (and anything else you might like to add). I like to marinate the protein for extra flavor and tenderness.

Though flank steak is the cut most used, you can also use chicken, pork, and seafood. The options and combinations are endless.

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How to marinate

To marinate the meat of your choice, simply start with an acidic marinade that includes vinegar and lime juice. This combo will tenderize the meat and add that traditional flavor that makes fajitas so good.

I like to include a little oil, garlic, salt, pepper (and cayenne because I like it hot) and cumin.

Since the meat should not be thick, the marinating time will be pretty short and quick.

Seafood takes about 30 minutes, while flank steak and chicken will take up to an hour.

If you are grilling, sometimes works best to keep the pieces whole (to whole more juices and flavor) and then shred or slice at the end.

The vegetables should be cut in large yet manageable sizes. Brush them with oil and grill.

When everything is cooked, slice and place on a hot skillet and serve with plenty of sour cream, guacamole, salsa and warm tortillas.

Kitchen note: For a nacho style fajita just cut everything into small pieces, pour on top of a bed of crispy chips, top with your favorite grated cheese and place in the oven to melt the cheese. Once melted, top with sour crema, guacamole and green onions.

Traditional fajitas recipe

This recipe for traditional fajitas has the amazing flavor of smoked steak. You can skip the smoking time (one hour) and go straight to grill it—up to you. If you choose to smoke the meat remember that grilling it for a minute per side after you are done smoking it gives the meat that unique fajita flavor and texture. So don’t skip this last and quick step.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 3 pounds skirt steak
• Warm tortillas
• Traditional Fajita Marinade:
• 1-12 ounce beer
• 1/2 cup non-GMO canola oil
• 1 small onion finely, chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 Tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon fresh black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne
• 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

Fajita toppings

• 6 Roma tomatoes, chopped
• 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 yellow bell pepper, chopped
• 1/4 cup white onions, chopped
• 1/4 cup green onions, sliced
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 4 fresh jalapeños, seeded, finely chopped
• 2-3 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
• Limes, quartered, to serve on the side

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