Fajitas Recipe

Trim and tenderize

Trim excess fat and silver skin from the flank steak. If the steak is thicker than 1 inch, place it between plastic wrap and gently pound to an even thickness of about 1/2 inch for more consistent cooking.

Make the marinade

In a medium bowl whisk together olive oil, lime juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, minced garlic, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, kosher salt and black pepper until sugar dissolves and mixture is homogenous.

Marinate the steak

Place the steak in a resealable plastic bag or shallow dish and pour the marinade over, coating the meat completely. Remove excess air, seal, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 8 hours. For best flavor and tenderness, aim for 2–4 hours. Bring steak to room temperature 20–30 minutes before cooking.

While the steak marinates or rests, slice the onion and bell peppers into thin, even strips (about 1/4-inch). Toss the sliced vegetables with 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Set aside at room temperature so they cook quickly when added to the pan.

When ready to cook the vegetables, heat a large cast-iron skillet or heavy skillet over medium-high heat until very hot (the pan should be almost smoking). Add the vegetables in a single layer (you may need to do this in two batches to avoid steaming). Cook without stirring for 1–2 minutes to develop color, then stir and continue to cook 4–6 minutes more until tender-crisp and lightly charred. Remove vegetables to a plate and keep warm.

Heat the same skillet over high heat until it is smoking hot. Remove the steak from the marinade and pat dry very well with paper towels (this promotes browning). Reserve the marinade for a moment (do not pour on raw meat once the steak is in the pan).

Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the hot skillet, swirl to coat. Place steak in the skillet and cook without moving until a deep brown crust forms, about 3–4 minutes per side for medium-rare depending on thickness. Use tongs to sear the edges for 30–45 seconds if desired.

Check doneness with an instant-read thermometer: 125°F (52°C) for rare, 130–135°F (54–57°C) for medium-rare, 140°F (60°C) for medium. Remove steak when 5°F lower than your desired final temperature (carryover heat). Tent loosely with foil and rest for 10 minutes.

While steak rests, if you reserved marinade, bring it to a boil in a small saucepan and simmer 1 minute to kill any bacteria; reduce heat and set aside as a drizzle for the finished fajitas (optional).

If vegetables cooled, briefly reheat the skillet over medium-high and add them back to warm through, adjusting seasoning with a pinch more salt and a squeeze of lime if desired.

Slice the rested steak thinly against the grain into 1/4-inch strips. Toss the sliced steak with the warm vegetables in the skillet for 30–60 seconds to combine flavors and heat through.

Warm the tortillas: heat a dry skillet over medium and warm each tortilla 20–30 seconds per side until pliable, or wrap a stack in foil with the butter and heat in a 350°F/175°C oven for 10 minutes. Brush lightly with butter if desired.

To serve, arrange warm tortillas on a platter. Spoon beef and pepper mixture down the center of each tortilla. Top with shredded cheese, a dollop of sour cream, chopped cilantro, pickled jalapeños if using, and a squeeze of lime. Serve immediately so tortillas stay warm and fillings are juicy.

Leftovers: store steak and peppers separately from tortillas and fresh toppings in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a skillet or oven to avoid overcooking the steak.