Fajitas are usually something I order at restaurants. I love to get a sizzling skillet full of peppers, onions, seasoned beef and a stack of warm tortillas. The dish is always a feast for all the senses. When it comes to Mexican food at our house, we usually stick to tacos, nachos or burritos. Recently though, I felt the need to leave leave the usual and venture into the chicken and beef fajita territory. Why should the restaurants have all the fun (and my extra dollars)?
These particular fajitas are called “top shelf” because we chose to use a very nice New York strip steak as the beef offering in the dish from our local Rainbow Foods with their new Roundy’s Black Angus Beef by Swift line. Don’t let that stop you from using your own cut whether it be sirloin or skirt steak or anything else you fancy.
While the steak might make up the bulk of this dish, the seasoning mix is the heart. Sure, you could buy a premade fajita seasoning packet, but where is the fun in that. Follow the recipe below to make your own mix that will blow the doors off a packet in both freshness and flavor.
In a large freezer bag combine the oil, lime juice and two tablespoons of the seasoning. Seal the bag and shake well to combine. Then add your steaks to the bag and refrigerate for an hour.
During the marinading process cut up some peppers….
…and onions.
Get your grill hot (around 450° F) and combine your peppers, onions, oil and a teaspoon of the fajita seasoning and stir to combine and stir frequently to evenly cook the mix.
After the veggie mix has been on the grill for five to eight minutes. Add your steak. The grill should still be around 450° F. You want a good sear on the outside and a nice pink inside. Give it about three minutes on each side, and then another two minutes between the second and third flip (rotate it for nice cross hatches). Gently press to determine doneness. Your vegetables should be softening up but still retain a hint of crispness. Then bring everything in.
Thinly slice the steak against the grain and place in foil along with as much of the juice as you can save (there’s flavor in there!).
Assemble your fajita in a warm flour tortilla with all your favorite fixin’s. Layer steak, peppers, onions and add cheese, sour cream, your favorite beans, salsa, guacamole or any combination of toppings.
These fajitas were a big hit with the O6, mostly because of the top shelf meat and the fresh mixed spice blend. So next time you want fajitas, skip the restaurant, and make them yourself. Your tongue and your wallet will thank you.
We were provided with a gift card to try out the new Roundy’s Black Angus Beef by Swift Beef at our local Rainbow Foods store, which happens to be just two blocks from our house.
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon paprika (for more kick, use hot paprika)
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Marinade
2 tablespoons oil
juice from one lime
2 tablespoons spice blend
2 pounds of New York strip steak (skirt steak or sirloin work well too)
2-3 colored peppers of your choice
1 medium onion
1 tablespoon oil
12 flour tortillas
Mix together all ingredients for the spice blend in a bowl. Combine marinade ingredients in a freezer bag, seal and shake to combine. Add the steak and refrigerate for one hour. Slice the peppers and onions and combine in a foil pan with a teaspoon of the spice blend and 1 tablespoon of oil. Sauté over medium-high heat until they begin to soften. Grill the steak over medium high heat until the steak is cooked to medium. Remove steak and vegetables. Slice steak into thin strips against the grain.
Assemble fajitas with steak, vegetables and any other toppings you desire.
The extra seasoning blend can be stored in the freezer for next time.
Beautiful photos! The peppers you made look delicious. Now all you need is the sizzling skillet!
Whoa Nelly! Cooked these this evening and l-o-v-e-d, loved them. Plan to make for the in laws this weekend with the left over spice mix! Keep up the great posts.
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Made these for cinco de mayo and they were great!
On remarque direct que vou? maîtrise? très bien ce que vous dites
I use this recipe all the time. I use it for fajita marinade but I also use it dry as taco meat seasoning. Everyone loves it.
Thanks you so much!