Fajitas Arracheras are sizzling, tender, strips of grilled, marinated beef skirt steak. Served in a taco, and topped with grilled onions and peppers, they are delicious and fun to eat. Finish them off with Tex-Mex toppings, like Pico de Gallo, Guacamole, or Queso Poblano. Serve with a side of Mexican Rice and Frijoles Charros to complete the meal.
My Fajita Marinade gives these fajitas an authentic Tex-Mex flavor that I know you will enjoy.
Fajitas Arracheras Recipe
Fajitas Arracheras
Equipment
- charcoal grill
- grill tongs
- good oak charcoal
- mesquite chunks
- large cast-iron pan
- cutting board
- kitchen knife
- comal – for warming tortillas
Ingredients
For the marinade
- ½ cup olive oil
- ⅓ cup lime juice – fresh squeezed is better
- 3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp cumin
- 1 tbsp chile powder
- 1 tbsp white sugar
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper – ground
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- 3 clove garlic – minced
For the vegetables
- 2 cup onions – two medium onions, halved and sliced
- ½ cup red bell pepper – one pepper, sliced
- ½ cup orange bell pepper – one pepper, sliced
- ½ cup yellow bell pepper – one pepper, sliced
- ½ cup green bell pepper – one pepper, sliced
For the meat
- 2 pounds beef – 2 skirt steaks with silvering removed
For serving
- 1 dozen flour tortillas – warmed
- 1 cup cheese – cheddar or jack, freshly grated
- 1 cup PIco de Gallo – prepared in advance
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup cilantro leaves – torn
- 1 cup avocado – 1 avocado, cut into ½ inch cubes
Instructions
- Remove the silvering from the fajitas. This is the thin membrane that you will find on the back of the meat. This is important, otherwise the cooked fajitas will be tough to chew, and will get stuck in your teeth.
- Mix together olive oil, Worcestershire, lime juice, garlic, cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, and sugar until combined. Pour half of the marinade into a separate dish. In one dish, place the skirt steak, turning it over to coat. In the second dish, place all the veggies, turning to coat. Cover the dishes with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
- Start the grill with the oak charcoal, and heat until white hot. Add mesquite chunks. After flame-up and die-down, stir the coals and place the grate. Heat the grate for 5-10 minutes. The grill should be very hot. Cook the meat over high heat, turning frequently, until done. The meat should be somewhat stiff, but not dry.
- Prepare tortillas, salsa, sour cream and cilantro.
- Heat a heavy skillet over medium-high heat and drizzle in some olive oil. Add the peppers and onions, and cook for a few minutes. They should still be slightly firm, but have some nice charring. Remove them from the skillet and set aside. Rest for 10-15 minutes under loose foil.
- Slice the skirt steak across the grain. This is important because otherwise it can be tough to chew if not properly sliced.
- Allow your guests to build their own tacos with warm tortillas, meat, vegetables, cheese, Pico de Gallo, sour cream, avocado and cilantro.
PRIVATE NOTES
Nutrition
More Information
Skirt Steak
If your grocery store carries skirt steak, it is most likely inside skirt steak. This is acceptable, but outside skirt-steak is better if you can find it, because you won’t need to remove the silvering and it has less marbling which means it shrinks less on the grill. However, it is usually reserved for restaurants. If you can find outside skirt steak, get it! Ask your butcher, maybe he can hook you up.
Tips for Tenderizing
Skirt steak can be a tough cut of meat, if not properly prepared. Especially inside skirt steak, which is what you will most often find at a grocery store.
Remove the Silvering
Remove the silvering – that’s the thin, tough membrane on inside skirt steaks. This will not render while cooking. If you don’t remove it, the fajitas will be tough, and they will stick between your teeth.
Cut Across the Grain
Cutting the fajitas into thin strips across the grain will make them easier to chew. The muscle fibers will be short, and less likely to get stuck in your teeth. While slicing on a bias makes for a nice presentation, it does nothing to improve the texture of the meat. Slice at 90-degrees to the cutting board. This will keep the muscle fibers as short as possible, and will produce the best results.
Use a Good Marinade
A good marinade will help to break down the meat, making it more tender and flavorful when you grill it. See my authentic Fajita Marinade recipe linked below.
Grill over High Heat
Grill the arracheras over a very hot flame. Turn the fajitas often while grilling. You want a nice even char. Don’t grill the fajitas too long, or they will dry out. Aim for a medium doneness to get the best results. Rest the meat for a good five minutes before slicing, to redistribute the juices in the meat.
Alternative Meat Options
You can replace the skirt steak with chicken, or even seafood like fish, shrimp or scallops. But this would technically not be Fajitas Arracheras. In any case, call it what you like – it still makes a tasty taco! Just remember to keep the various meats and vegetables separated while they are marinating to avoid any issues with cross-contamination.
Meatless Options
The vegetables are great all by themselves, too. If you have vegetarian guests, they should still have a great meal without the meat.
Related Recipes
Pico de Gallo
Queso Poblano
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