Steak Fajitas
Grilled steak fajitas and grilled vegetables.
Ingredients
- 1 1.5 pound scored on both sides 1/8 inch in a diagonal pattern flank steak
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
- 3 cloves coarsely chopped garlic
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon tequila
- 1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil
- to taste salt & pepper
- flour tortillas
- for grilling and for serving as cold sides vegetables
- Monterey Jack cheese
- salsa (Pace Picante Sauce)
Instructions
In a resealable storage bag, we combine lime juice, garlic, chili powder, cumin, tequila, and vegetable oil. We put the scored (shallow slices in a criss-cross pattern) flank steak in the marinade and turn it several times to coat. We place the entire bag in refrigerator for about 4 hours (anywhere between 4 and 24 hours is good, much longer and the acid in the lime juice will change the texture of the meat).
We remove the bag from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking it on grill. When we are ready to slap it on the grill, we pat it dry with paper towels and sprinkle salt and pepper on it.
We heat the grill for a few minutes on medium heat. Prior to putting the flank steak on the grill, we put some vegetables (scallions, onions, peppers, and mushrooms) on the grill. We blacken the peppers and immediately seal them in a ziplock bag (five minutes later, we will peel the blackened skin and chop them). The other items are grilled until just softened.
We cook the steak for about 6 minutes on each side. After that, we remove the steak from the grill and check the temperature with our digital meat thermometer. It reads 140 degrees F, which corresponds to medium - perfect for fajitas.
We let the steak rest for a few minutes to seal in the juices. While we wait, we cut up the vegetables into good sized pieces. Too small and the texture of the veggies will be lost. Too big and we'll pull out large chunks when we bite into our fajitas.
Rather than cutting the steak vertically, we make the cuts on a diagonal (closer to horizontal than straight up and down). This makes the strips fuller and really adds to the experience of fajitas.
The steak is served on the cutting board with the hot and cold sides also on the table. Everyone helps themselves, placing steak, cheese, and veggies on the tortillas. Wonderful!
Ingredients
- ¼ cup lime juice (freshly squeezed)
- 3 cloves garlic (coarsely chopped)
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp tequila
- ½ tbsp vegetable oil
- 1½ lb flank steak (scored ⅛ inch on both sides)
- salt and pepper
- vegetables (scallions, onions, peppers, mushrooms)
- flour tortillas
- Monterey Jack
- salsa (Pace Picante Sauce)
Instructions
What's a kid job?
A Kid job is a step kids can help with, with a grown-up nearby, not one they do on their own. Every kid is different, so go by what your child can do rather than by age. Roughly:
- Little ones (about 2 to 4) can stir, pour in ingredients a grown-up has measured, tear lettuce, wash vegetables and sprinkle toppings.
- Older kids (about 5 to 8) can also measure and level, crack eggs, whisk, roll and cut out dough, and put things together.
- Bigger kids can read the recipe aloud, keep track of the timer, and take on more of the cooking as they're ready.
Steps with a knife, microplane, skewers, stove, oven, grill or hot oil, or with raw meat, poultry or seafood, are marked Grown-up. Kids can still watch those, from a safe distance.
Grown-up
Mix the lime juice, garlic, chili powder, cumin, tequila and oil in a resealable bag. Add the scored steak, turn to coat, and refrigerate about 4 hours (4 to 24; much longer and the lime changes the texture).
Take it out 30 minutes before grilling. Pat dry and season with salt and pepper.
Grown-up
Heat the grill to medium. Grill the vegetables until just soft. Blacken the peppers and seal them in a zip-top bag; after 5 minutes, peel and chop them.
Grown-up
Grill the steak about 6 minutes a side, to 140°F (medium), and rest it a few minutes. Meanwhile, cut the vegetables into good-sized pieces.
Grown-up
Slice the steak on a sharp diagonal, closer to flat than straight down, for fuller strips.
Kid job
Put the steak, grilled and cold vegetables, cheese, salsa and tortillas on the table, and everyone builds their own.