A simple and delicious meal with tons of flavor but doesn’t require a ton of effort (or money!). Pair these beef fajitas with a few grilled onions and some guacamole for a perfect weeknight dinner.
Fajitas are always my meal of choice when dining out at a Mexican restaurant. Most of the options are typically carb heavy and come with rice & beans. Tacos are an option, but for me, don’t usually have enough protein to keep me satiated. So fajitas are my pick. Plus they always come with sour cream, guac & cheese so they’re a great ketogenic option, just skip the rice, beans & tortillas.
Eating fajitas out is great option, but you’ve probably noticed it isn’t the cheapest one. I’ll often order the fajitas for 2 (for me) which usually comes out to around thirty bucks (ouch!). Flank steak is a rather inexpensive cut of meat so preparing this at home will certainly save you a ton of money.
Whether you’re eating out or in, fajitas are a perfect excuse to eat more sour cream and avocado.
Flank steak comes from the abdominal or lower chest of the steer. These muscles are used frequently which is why they’re tough. You’ll see an obvious grain to the beef, running lengthwise across the meat. These strands of muscle are what make the beef tough and chewy. The secret to making the fajitas edible is to not cook the meat on too high of heat, and to cut the meat against the grain. Find the lines running in the meat and slice the beef directly across them (like a “+”). This cuts the strands shorter making it less tough and chewy. Its also important to let the meat rest for about 10 minutes to allow those strands to loosen up. This ensures you’re not chewing for 5 minutes on every bite.
Fajitas go great with onions and bell peppers, but I’m admittedly not the biggest fan of bell peppers. I’ll often just get some green onions with large bulbs and grill them alongside the fajita meat. This is pretty common in Mexican food and they taste amazing with the meal. Beef fajitas are also fairly lean, so the addition of sour cream and avocado help add a bit of fat (and flavor) to the meal. When served I also like to serve with a pinch of finishing salt, a lime wedge and some chili piquins for kick.
Beef Fajitas
Ingredients
- 2 lbs flank steak
- 4 tsp red chili powder
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
Instructions
- Combine all the dry ingredients in a small bowl and mix until combined. Rub the mixture into the beef flank steak to cover the surface.
- Drizzle a little oil on the flank steak. Over medium-high heat, grill flank steak about 4-5 minutes per side. Meat should be slightly pink in the center to ensure it is not over cooked or tough. If using green onions, grill them alongside the meat, just be sure to turn them often. (125F for rare / 130F for medium rare / 135F for medium)
- Rest meat for a minimum of 10 minutes, which allows the beef to loosen and re-absorb juices. Slice meat against the grain, on the bias, to get a more tender meat.
- Serve fajitas with grilled onions, sour cream, avocado and lime. Season with additional salt if necessary.
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