Fajitas are Tex-Mex from the ranch country of South Texas: skirt steak marinated in lime, garlic and cumin, seared hot with peppers and onions, and sliced across the grain into warm tortillas. Houston fans grill it the way other cities grill burgers, and at Reliant Stadium open flames are allowed as long as every cooking area has a 2A-10B:C fire extinguisher with a current tag, and no lighter fluid. Pack the extinguisher with the grill.
At the lot: Sear the steak on the grill, slice it across the grain as people eat and keep the tortillas warm in foil and a towel. Homegating: The backyard grill or a cast-iron pan on high heat does the same job.
Home gear: 2 gallon zip-top bags, a whisk and a few lidded containers
20 MIN
At home, plus 4 to 8 hrs marinating
40 MIN
At the lot
10
Serves
Ingredients
Marinade
- ½ cup fresh lime juice (about 4 limes)
- ⅓ cup neutral oil
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
Steak
- 4 lb skirt steak
Peppers and onions
- 4 bell peppers, mixed colors, sliced into ½-inch strips
- 2 large yellow onions, halved and sliced ½ inch thick
- 2 tbsp neutral oil
- 1 tsp kosher salt
Serve
- 30 flour tortillas, 8-inch
- 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese
- 2 cups salsa
- 2 cups guacamole
- 16 oz sour cream
- 1 bunch cilantro, chopped
- 2 limes, cut into wedges
Steps
At home
- Whisk the lime juice, oil, Worcestershire, garlic, cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper together.
- Cut the skirt steak into pieces about 6 inches long so they fit the grill and slice easily later. Split them between the 2 bags, pour in the marinade, press out the air and seal.
- Marinate in the fridge 4 to 8 hours. Don't go past 12, or the lime starts to make the meat mushy. Turn the bags once.
- Toss the sliced peppers and onions with the oil and salt and pack them in a container. Pack the cheese, salsa, guacamole and sour cream in their own containers.
- The steak bags ride at the bottom of the cooler, away from everything ready to eat, at 40°F or below. The toppings ride on ice above them.
At the lot
- Heat the grill or griddle to high, about 450°F to 500°F.
- Cook the peppers and onions in the grill basket, in a foil pan on the grate or right on the griddle, stirring now and then, until soft and charred at the edges, 10 to 12 minutes. Move them to a foil pan and keep it on the cooler edge of the grill.
- Pull the steak from the bags, toss the marinade and pat the meat dry. Sear 3 to 5 minutes a side, until it's well browned and the thickest part reads 145°F.
- Rest the steak on the cutting board for at least 3 minutes. Slice it thin across the grain.
- Warm the tortillas on the grate or griddle, 20 to 30 seconds a side, and stack them in foil wrapped in the towel.
- Pile the steak on the peppers and onions and let everyone build their own with the cheese, salsa, guacamole, sour cream, cilantro and lime.
Pack for the lot
Lot notes
- Slicing: skirt steak is tough if you cut it with the grain. Look for the lines running across the meat and cut across them.
- Toppings on ice: the sour cream, guacamole and cheese go back in the cooler between rounds. The holding rules are in how to keep food hot at a tailgate.
- Postgame round: you get an hour after the game, so cook enough for a second round and keep it cold until then.
Can you make beef fajitas ahead?
Yes. Marinate the steak and slice the peppers and onions the night before or that morning, and pack the toppings in containers. The steak cooks best fresh at the lot, in about 10 minutes.
How do you keep fajitas hot at a tailgate?
Keep the peppers and onions in a foil pan on the cool edge of the grill, slice the steak only as people eat, and wrap the tortillas in foil and a towel.
How much fajita meat for 20 people?
Double it: 8 lb of skirt steak, 8 bell peppers, 4 onions and 60 tortillas, plus double the toppings. Sear the steak in 2 or 3 rounds so the grill stays hot.
What cut of beef for fajitas?
Skirt steak is the traditional cut, thin and full of flavor. Flank steak works too; it's leaner and a bit thicker, so add a minute or 2 a side.
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