Traditional Tex-Mex Fajitas

Why This Traditional Tex-Mex Fajitas Works

During the marinade, the lime and orange juice start to loosen up the skirt steak. The acid in the juices gently works on the outside of the meat so it doesn’t tighten up as much on the grill. Salt and spices soak into the surface, so the steak isn’t just seasoned on the outside at the end. While it sits, the meat also takes on some moisture from the liquid, which keeps it from drying out as fast over high heat.

On the hot grill or skillet, the outside of the steak browns quickly while the inside stays juicy. A short cook time keeps the meat tender, and resting it afterward lets the juices settle back inside instead of running all over the cutting board. Slicing thinly against the grain cuts through the long muscle fibers, so each bite feels soft instead of chewy.

In the same pan, the onion and peppers sit in the leftover browned bits and oil. As they soften and get a little charred, they pick up the tasty browned pieces from the steak. Warm tortillas wrap everything up so the juices from the meat and vegetables stay inside each fajita.

Mistakes To Avoid

Letting the steak sit in the marinade for many hours or overnight can backfire. The acid from the lime and orange juice starts to “cook” the outside of the meat, so the surface turns mushy while the inside stays chewy. The fajita strips then feel oddly soft on the outside instead of having a nice bite.

Cooking the steak past medium on high heat often makes it tough and dry. Skirt steak is thin, so a couple of extra minutes turns the juices into steam and they escape. The slices then end up stringy and hard to chew inside the tortilla.

Cutting the steak in the wrong direction causes a big texture problem. When it is sliced with the grain instead of against it, each strip holds long muscle fibers that don’t break easily. The result is fajita pieces that fight back and feel very chewy, even if the meat was cooked well.

Crowding the pan with onions and peppers in one batch leads to pale, soft vegetables. Too much in the skillet at once traps steam, so they simmer in their own liquid instead of getting a light char. The fajita filling then tastes flat and watery instead of having those browned, slightly smoky edges.