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Skirt Steak Fajitas on a Gas Grill

By Katie Henderson

Published on July 13, 2011

Yield

Serves 4

Skirt Steak Fajitas on a Gas Grill

Ingredients

½ cup fresh lime juice ¼ cup vegetable oil 3 cloves garlic, minced2 tablespoons soy sauce 2 tablespoons ground cumin, toasted (see above note)2 teaspoons light brown sugar 1 jalapeno chile, seeded and chopped fine1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro leaves 2 skirt steaks, each about ¾ pound2 large onions, cut into ½-inch slices3 bell peppers (large), 1 red and 2 green, tops and bottoms removed, then cut in half lengthwise and seeded12 (6-inch) flour tortillas

Before You Begin

Toast the cumin in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant (about 1 minute), then remove the pan from the heat so the cumin won't scorch. Serve the fajitas as is or with salsa, shredded cheese, and/or sour cream.

Instructions

  1. Whisk lime juice, 2 tablespoons oil, garlic, soy sauce, cumin, brown sugar, and chilein bowl. Transfer 1/4 cup marinade to bowl, add cilantro, and set aside. Prick steaks with fork about 50 times on each side, then cut each steak in half crosswise. Place steaks in large zipper-lock plastic bag, pour in marinade without cilantro, seal bag, and refrigerate at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours. Remove steaks from bag, pat dry with paper towels, and discard marinade in bag.
  2. Heat all burners on high for 15 minutes. Scrape cooking grate clean.
  3. Meanwhile, brush onions and peppers with remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Grill onions and peppers, turning occasionally but keeping lid down, until charred and softened, 8 to 12 minutes (peppers will cook more quickly). Turn off one burner, then move vegetables to cool side of grill. Grill steak directly over hot side of the grill until seared on both sides but still pink in center, 4 to 6 minutes per side. Transfer steak and vegetables to serving platter, pour cilantro marinade over, cover with foil, and let rest 5 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, toast tortillas over hot side of the grill, about 10 seconds per side. Wrap in aluminum foil to keep warm. Slice steak as shown in photo, and cut vegetables into finger-length pieces. Serve immediately with warm tortillas.
Skirt Steak Fajitas on a Gas Grill

Skirt Steak Fajitas on a Gas Grill

Headshot of Katie Henderson
By Katie Henderson
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Yield

Serves 4

Ingredients

½ cup fresh lime juice
¼ cup vegetable oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons ground cumin, toasted (see above note)
2 teaspoons light brown sugar
1 jalapeno chile, seeded and chopped fine
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro leaves
2 skirt steaks, each about ¾ pound
2 large onions, cut into ½-inch slices
3 bell peppers (large), 1 red and 2 green, tops and bottoms removed, then cut in half lengthwise and seeded
12 (6-inch) flour tortillas

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

½ cup fresh lime juice
¼ cup vegetable oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons ground cumin, toasted (see above note)
2 teaspoons light brown sugar
1 jalapeno chile, seeded and chopped fine
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro leaves
2 skirt steaks, each about ¾ pound
2 large onions, cut into ½-inch slices
3 bell peppers (large), 1 red and 2 green, tops and bottoms removed, then cut in half lengthwise and seeded
12 (6-inch) flour tortillas

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

½ cup fresh lime juice
¼ cup vegetable oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons ground cumin, toasted (see above note)
2 teaspoons light brown sugar
1 jalapeno chile, seeded and chopped fine
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro leaves
2 skirt steaks, each about ¾ pound
2 large onions, cut into ½-inch slices
3 bell peppers (large), 1 red and 2 green, tops and bottoms removed, then cut in half lengthwise and seeded
12 (6-inch) flour tortillas

Test Kitchen Techniques

Why This Recipe Works

Because of its beefy flavor, skirt steak makes great fajitas, but it can cook up tough if not handled properly. For a foolproof skirt steak fajitas recipe that packed meaty flavor and wouldn’t overcook, we started with a marinade that included soy sauce. This helped brine the steak, which kept the meat moist as it cooked. Pricking the steak with a fork helped the marinade penetrate the meat, which cut the marinating time in our fajita recipe to only 30 minutes. After the skirt steak was cooked, we drizzled it with a second marinade and sliced the meat across the grain to make it more tender.

Before You Begin

Toast the cumin in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant (about 1 minute), then remove the pan from the heat so the cumin won't scorch. Serve the fajitas as is or with salsa, shredded cheese, and/or sour cream.

Instructions

  1. Whisk lime juice, 2 tablespoons oil, garlic, soy sauce, cumin, brown sugar, and chilein bowl. Transfer 1/4 cup marinade to bowl, add cilantro, and set aside. Prick steaks with fork about 50 times on each side, then cut each steak in half crosswise. Place steaks in large zipper-lock plastic bag, pour in marinade without cilantro, seal bag, and refrigerate at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours. Remove steaks from bag, pat dry with paper towels, and discard marinade in bag.
  2. Heat all burners on high for 15 minutes. Scrape cooking grate clean.
  3. Meanwhile, brush onions and peppers with remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Grill onions and peppers, turning occasionally but keeping lid down, until charred and softened, 8 to 12 minutes (peppers will cook more quickly). Turn off one burner, then move vegetables to cool side of grill. Grill steak directly over hot side of the grill until seared on both sides but still pink in center, 4 to 6 minutes per side. Transfer steak and vegetables to serving platter, pour cilantro marinade over, cover with foil, and let rest 5 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, toast tortillas over hot side of the grill, about 10 seconds per side. Wrap in aluminum foil to keep warm. Slice steak as shown in photo, and cut vegetables into finger-length pieces. Serve immediately with warm tortillas.

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