After a busy holiday season and many heavy, fancy meals, today I'm preparing a simple fajita bar. While I have recipes for a grill version and even a quick version, this is my favorite recipe as it has the best overall taste.
The second ingredient, which is optional, is baking soda. This is only needed if you don't have very tender meat. Today I'm using one left-over beef filet that I had in the freezer and a half-pound of hanging chuck tender steak that I got at Whole Foods. But if your beef is not tender (like the typical flank steak, tri-tip roast or skirt steak), you'll want to use the Cook's Illustrated proven technique of tenderizing it as noted in the recipe below. Chicken is naturally tender and doesn't require this special process.
Ingredients (serves 6-10)
Seasoning Mix
2 tablespoon cornstarch
2-4 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon paprika
2 teaspoon white sugar
2 teaspoon onion powder
2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Meats and Vegetables
canola oil or cooking spray
1 pound boneless beef steak
1 pound boneless chicken (white, dark or mixed)
1 large sweet onion
1 green bell pepper
1 red/yellow bell pepper
Items for Assembly
fajita wrappers
(about 20 if they are the smaller 6 inch size)
sour cream
guacamole
cheddar cheese
tomato salsa
Tenderize if Needed
Sprinkle the cut meat lightly until all of the pieces are coated in baking soda. Let it rest in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 hours. Rinse the meat thoroughly to remove all the baking soda and pat dry with paper towels. Proceed with the recipe as noted below.
Instructions
One to two hours prior to cooking, cut the meat into strips about 1/2 inch thick if you have not used the tenderizing method above. Mix together all of the seasoning ingredients. Set aside two tablespoons divide the remaining seasoning into two bowls, one for the chicken and the other for the beef. Place the meat into the two bowls and toss to coat. Let the meat rest in the marinade for 1 hour turning it a couple times as the meat marinates to insure even coating.
Slice the onion and peppers into thick strips about 1/2 inch wide. Keep the sliced peppers and onions separated into different bowls.
Prepare the items needed for assembly if you are making any of them from scratch. Place on your table of buffet. In the oven, heat a covered heavy ceramic dish to hold the warmed fajitas.
When your a ready to cook, heat a large heavy skillet on high heat (I use my cast iron grill ribbed pan) with just enough oil to coat the bottom. When the skillet just begins to smoke, add the beef disbursing it so each piece is touching the bottom of the pan. Let it fry undisturbed for 2-3 minutes or until it has some nicely browned char marks from the hot pan. Turn the pieces using tongs and lightly brown the other side, removing the meat to a large baking pan or casserole dish when it is still a bit pink, but not bloody inside.Cook the chicken using the same method in the same skillet, but insuring it is cooked fully through and is no longer pink inside. Remove the chicken to the baking pan with the cooked beef.
In the same skillet which now has ample seasoning add the onions and a little more oil if necessary. Stir regularly until they are softened and have picked up color from the pan. Remove the onions to the pan with the meat, and do the same with the sliced peppers. Combine all of the ingredients and place on a warmed or even hot cast iron serving pan. I have the Lodge brand Chef's Platter Set for this purpose.
Microwave the fajita wrappers in their plastic bag or wrapped in a clean towel for 1 minute on high. Transfer to the warmed ceramic dish. Place the hot dish on the table or buffet taking care to put a hot pad underneath. Bring the fajita meat/vegetables to the table sizzling hot. Let everyone assemble their own fajita with favorite ingredients one at a time, returning to assemble another as your dinner guests or family see fit.
This recipe uses two ingredients that have nothing to do with developing flavor. The first is cornstarch, and in a stir-fried recipe like this one the cornstarch is used to make the seasonings adhere better to the meat during cooking. It has the negative effect of making your skillet harder to clean. And as I prefer to get a nice char on the meat, I use my cast iron grill pan which has nice grooves that perfectly char the meat as if it had been cooked on the grill. But the cornstarch does make the normally non-stick years-of-seasoning skillet, messy and require a good scrubbing to get it clean.
The second ingredient, which is optional, is baking soda. This is only needed if you don't have very tender meat. Today I'm using one left-over beef filet that I had in the freezer and a half-pound of hanging chuck tender steak that I got at Whole Foods. But if your beef is not tender (like the typical flank steak, tri-tip roast or skirt steak), you'll want to use the Cook's Illustrated proven technique of tenderizing it as noted in the recipe below. Chicken is naturally tender and doesn't require this special process.
Ingredients (serves 6-10)
Seasoning Mix
2 tablespoon cornstarch
2-4 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon paprika
2 teaspoon white sugar
2 teaspoon onion powder
2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Meats and Vegetables
canola oil or cooking spray
1 pound boneless beef steak
1 pound boneless chicken (white, dark or mixed)
1 large sweet onion
1 green bell pepper
1 red/yellow bell pepper
Items for Assembly
fajita wrappers
(about 20 if they are the smaller 6 inch size)
sour cream
guacamole
cheddar cheese
tomato salsa
Tenderize if Needed
Sprinkle the cut meat lightly until all of the pieces are coated in baking soda. Let it rest in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 hours. Rinse the meat thoroughly to remove all the baking soda and pat dry with paper towels. Proceed with the recipe as noted below.
Instructions
One to two hours prior to cooking, cut the meat into strips about 1/2 inch thick if you have not used the tenderizing method above. Mix together all of the seasoning ingredients. Set aside two tablespoons divide the remaining seasoning into two bowls, one for the chicken and the other for the beef. Place the meat into the two bowls and toss to coat. Let the meat rest in the marinade for 1 hour turning it a couple times as the meat marinates to insure even coating.
Slice the onion and peppers into thick strips about 1/2 inch wide. Keep the sliced peppers and onions separated into different bowls.
Prepare the items needed for assembly if you are making any of them from scratch. Place on your table of buffet. In the oven, heat a covered heavy ceramic dish to hold the warmed fajitas.
When your a ready to cook, heat a large heavy skillet on high heat (I use my cast iron grill ribbed pan) with just enough oil to coat the bottom. When the skillet just begins to smoke, add the beef disbursing it so each piece is touching the bottom of the pan. Let it fry undisturbed for 2-3 minutes or until it has some nicely browned char marks from the hot pan. Turn the pieces using tongs and lightly brown the other side, removing the meat to a large baking pan or casserole dish when it is still a bit pink, but not bloody inside.Cook the chicken using the same method in the same skillet, but insuring it is cooked fully through and is no longer pink inside. Remove the chicken to the baking pan with the cooked beef.
In the same skillet which now has ample seasoning add the onions and a little more oil if necessary. Stir regularly until they are softened and have picked up color from the pan. Remove the onions to the pan with the meat, and do the same with the sliced peppers. Combine all of the ingredients and place on a warmed or even hot cast iron serving pan. I have the Lodge brand Chef's Platter Set for this purpose.
Microwave the fajita wrappers in their plastic bag or wrapped in a clean towel for 1 minute on high. Transfer to the warmed ceramic dish. Place the hot dish on the table or buffet taking care to put a hot pad underneath. Bring the fajita meat/vegetables to the table sizzling hot. Let everyone assemble their own fajita with favorite ingredients one at a time, returning to assemble another as your dinner guests or family see fit.
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