South Texas Fajitas
2 to 4 jalapenos, canned or fresh, stems removed, sliced
3 tablespoons commercial chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cayenne
1 8-ounce bottle herb and garlic oil-based salad dressing
1 12-ounce can of beer, preferably Lone Star
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
Juice of 4 Mexican (Key) limes
2 teaspoons comino (cumin) seeds
1 large onion, minced
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 bay leaf
2 to 3 pounds beef skirt steak
Combine all of the ingredients, except the meat, to make a marinade. Place the
meat in a non-reactive container, add the marinade, cover, and marinate in the
refrigerator for 6 to 8 hours, turning the meat occasionally. Fajitas can be
cooked in several ways. If you have the space, mesquite-smoke the meat for about
30 minutes, and then cook for 4 to 6 minutes per side over direct heat--mesquite
coals being the heat of choice. Baste with the marinade throughout the cooking
process. If you need to cook completely over direct heat, then use a fairly slow
fire, and cook, covered if possible, for about 10 to 15 minutes per side,
basting with the marinade.
"About twenty years ago, fajitas were 'discovered', wrote Texas barbecue expert
Red Caldwell, from whom this recipes comes. "Since then, an awful lot of good
meat has been wrecked, and skirt steak--once a 'grinder' item--has risen sharply
in price." To tenderize skirt steak, it needs to be marinated, cooked and then
cut with the grain at a forty-five degree angle. Serve the fajitas with flour
tortillas, a fresh salsa, guacamole, and cold beer Red doesn't have a recipe for
chicken fajitas--he says that's a contradiction in terms.
Serves: 4 to 6
Heat Scale: Medium
AUTHOR: Lori A
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