Fajita Marinade - Anyone Have a Killer Recipe??

[HornGrad'01]

I've dabbled with a marinade for about 6 months now, originally trying to replicate the flavor of Pappasito's beef gem. Someone posted on the net that it is just soy sauce and pineapple juice with a splash of teryaki. I tried that - epic fail. I should also say that this is a revision of what is an ongoing trial-and-error improvement to what is currently includded in the unofficial Hornfans recipe book.

But inspired by the pineapple juice concept, I've tried the following to a modicum of success:

In largest ziploc freezerbag you can find, add:

1 small can pineapple juice (I think they are 6-8 oz) - have also tried orange juice with success - acid/enzymes break down and tenderize the steak and give a slight twinge of sweetness
Same can filled with soy sauce
Splash of w-sip-shire
Juice of 3 limes (or more if limes are small) - somehwere around 1/4-1/3 cup should be perfect
1 medium white onion chopped
4 cloves garlic finely chopped - not minced (depending on size)
1 small bunch of cilantro chopped
1 Tsp of cumin
1/3-1/2 cup of olive (or other) oil - depending on room left in bag (kind of a top-off approach)
Generous dose of course/sea/kosher salt
Generouse dose of fresh cracked pepper

Optional:
1 Tbps of chilli powder, 1 Tsp of cayene powder or 2 fresh jalapeno's finely chopped - for heat
1/2 Tsp liquid smoke (if using a gas grill - adds pseudo charcoal flavor)

Usually good for anywhere from 2-3ish lbs of skirt/flank steak. Steak should be cut to about 3/4" thick and trimmed of excessive fat.

Make sure all air is out of bag before sealing to ensure optimal marinade coverage and penetration. Marinate for at least 4-6 hours for beef (though 2 will work if in a time pinch), 2-4 hours for chicken. For best results, I suggest 24 hours for marinating, turning bag once.

Cook over VERY HOT heat for 10 mins, turning once. This is key to locking in flavor and preserving juiciness/tenderness.

Thoughts, comments, criticisms, suggestions??

Anyone willing to share their Houston Livestock Show blue-ribbon recipe, I'm all ears!

 

[someone]

I've always done this

plus this

And let it soak for 6-8 hours. It's obviously not a fancy marinade but man it tastes good.

 

[HornGrandioso]

I am lazy. Usually a bottle of Claude's and the juice from a bunch of key limes.

 

[hornian]

I buy premarinated and pre-tenderized fajitas from Dziuk's Meat Market in Castroville when I'm passing through.

Hands down, best fajitas you can make at home.

 

[MustangOrange]

My recipe is for a two-pound flank steak (adjust as needed):

2 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp red wine vinegar

Lightly cover each side with, and massage each spice into the meat:

garlic powder
chili powder
cayenne pepper
lemon pepper
black pepper

I'll also cut up an onion and some bell peppers (green and yellow usually) and let it all sit overnight and marinate. I like to cook the vegetables on the grill with indirect heat, while the fajitas have direct heat.

I've been doing this for years and have done it for up to 50-person tailgate before and always get compliments on it. In fact, I was up cooking Saturday morning here in Maryland. My neighbors must have thought I was crazy, manning the grill, wearing orange and drinking beer at 10:00 AM.

 

[HornGrad'01]

Simple, I like it MO. I'll give yours a try this weekend. And fwiw, I was doing the same here in Houston and wondering to myself if college football is a defensible argument for drinking before noon. I came to the conclusion that I didn't care. Might have been the 2 large J&C's I had consumed in less than 20 mins.

As an aside, whereabouts in MD are you? Was born and raised there myself.

 

[Brisketexan]

I have only three approaches

1 -- lime juice and salt (preferably sea salt). The time-honored classic.

2 -- lime juice and Bolner's Fiesta fajita seasoning. An upgrade to the classic.

3 -- Bolner's Fiesta fajita seasoning and poppyseed dressing (preferably La Martinique). Incredible flavor, even adds a touch of sweetness. Folks go nuts for this one. However, if you have a good mesquite fire, it's hard to not go with choice No 1, and just taste the meat, the smoke, and the hint of lime and salt.

Can't go wrong with any of these.

 

[mcmike1492]

I go to Kroger and buy the 2 lb chicken or beef fajitas pre-seasoned. Just open the pack and slap them on the grill. They are delicious. I started going with them when I utterly failed at marinading my fajitas.

 

[MustangOrange]

I'm on a rotation in Bethesda, MD until next Summer, then back to Fort Worth.

An excuse to drink before noon is always good!

 

[TheFied]

I use very simple marinades. I even buy some of those Lawry's marinade and use those. I have one of their lime ones and maybe a mesquite/lime other. I pour it on and let it sit for at least 2 hours. I rarely do over-night. Then let the meat come to room temperature and that's it.

Make sure to cut against the grain. I could have a great marinaded fajita at a friends and then go limp if they cut with the grain.....

 

[utmck]

Do you cut the Fajita meat with or against the grain?

 

[kevwun]

Cut it against the grain.

 

[TheFied]

ALWAYS cut against the grain. Do that with any meat. Even chicken fajitas you can find the grain (not as pronounced as beef).

Generally if I cannot tell, I tug at the meat and then I can see where the grains are. Like I said, cutting with the grain can basically ruin a good fajita. It can b/c cutting with the grain makes the meat very stringy and hard to chew.

 

[HornBud]

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