What’s The Best Marinade For Beef Fajitas?

Fajitas have become a staple of Tex-Mex cuisine, consisting of grilled meat and served with flour or corn tortillas, salsa, sour cream, guacamole and other accompaniments. While traditionally made with skirt or flank steak, fajita marinades also work well on chicken breast. Here are some of the best marinade recipes to transform beef into phenomenal, flavorful fajitas.

Important Tips Before Making Your Marinade

Before getting into specific marinade recipes, there are a few key tips to keep in mind:

•Choose the right cut of beef. Skirt steak and flank steak work great for fajitas as they are relatively inexpensive cuts with great marbling that helps them soak up marinade flavors.

•Trim excess fat. Remove any large chunks of visible fat, especially from skirt steak, before marinating to avoid flare-ups when grilling.

•Pound the meat thin. Flattening the beef using a meat mallet or rolling pin will help it cook evenly and absorb marinade. Aim for 1/4 to 1/2 inch thickness.

•Marinate long enough. For maximum flavor, marinate the beef for at least 2 hours but preferably overnight in the refrigerator.

•Pat the meat dry. Before grilling, blot excess marinade off the beef with paper towels. This helps the meat sear instead of steaming.

Basic Tex-Mex Lime and Cilantro Marinade

Makes: 2 to 3 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes + marinating time
Cook Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

•1/4 cup lime juice
•3 tablespoons olive oil
•2 tablespoons minced garlic
•2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
•1 teaspoon chili powder
•1 1/4 pound flank or skirt steak
•Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

In a bowl or gallon sized ziploc bag, whisk or stir together the lime juice, olive oil, garlic, cilantro, and chili powder. Place the flank or skirt steak in the marinade and coat thoroughly. Seal or cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to overnight. Remove the steak from the marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper. Grill over medium-high heat until desired doneness, about 4 to 6 minutes per side for medium-rare. Remove from grill and let rest 5 minutes before slicing thinly across the grain.

Serve with traditional fajita accompaniments like chopped onion and bell peppers, warm flour or corn tortillas, salsa, guacamole and sour cream.

Spicy Tequila and Lime Marinade

Ingredients:

•1/2 cup tequila
•1/2 cup lime juice
•2 cloves garlic, minced
•2 jalapeño peppers, minced
•1 teaspoon salt
•1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
•1/2 teaspoon black pepper
•1 1/2 – 2 pounds flank or skirt steak

Instructions:
Same as above – combine all marinade ingredients in a bowl or ziploc bag. Add trimmed steak and coat thoroughly. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, flipping steak halfway through.Remove steak from marinade and pat dry. Season with salt and pepper. Grill over medium high heat to desired doneness. Let rest before slicing and serving with fajita fixings.

This unique tequila and spicy marinade adds a Mexican twist to your fajitas, boosting flavor without overpowering the natural steak flavor. The tequila helps tenderize the meat during marination.

Honey Mustard Marinade

Ingredients:

•1/4 cup Dijon mustard
•1/4 cup honey
•3 tablespoons olive oil
•2 tablespoons minced garlic
•2 teaspoons chili powder
•1 teaspoon salt
•1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
•1 1/2 – 2 lbs flank or skirt steak

Instructions:
Marinate and grill the steak following same instructions as above recipes. The sweet and tangy honey mustard marinade gives the fajitas a different flavor profile, great for those who prefer less heat and more balance. Make sure to pat the meat dry before grilling to avoid honey burning.

So in summary, any of these marinade recipes when paired with the basic techniques mentioned at the start will transform your flank or skirt steak into mouthwatering, perfectly seasoned beef fajitas your friends and family will love. Experiment with different ingredients and spices to find your favorite marinade for creating cheap and easy Tex-Mex dinners.