When it comes to steak fajitas from the El Paso border region, we’re talking about skirt steak, cooked over mesquite wood at extremely high temperatures. Mesquite is the only hardwood to be found in the desert area where I grew up; it imparts a very distinctive and robust flavor, and also happens to produce the hottest coals for cooking. We use a commercial log-burning grill at my restaurant, Rancho Lewis, in Charleston, South Carolina, but this method is really easy to execute at home on the backyard grill using a combination of charcoal briquets and mesquite chunks available at any hardware store.
I recommend seeking out sun-dried chile powder if you can, as it makes a world of difference. It’s sweeter and less bitter than the typical mechanically dried chile powder—think of the flavor difference between oven-roasted dried tomatoes and sun-dried tomatoes. It’s very easy to source online.
If you are looking for the restaurant-style “sizzling beef fajitas” presentation, top a hot cast-iron griddle (that you heat in the oven or on the stove) with the grilled onions and peppers, followed by the sliced steak, and finish with a drizzle of the melted seasoned butter over the top—specifically on some of the exposed edges of the cast iron. You’ll get a definite audible and visible smoke show. —John Lewis
Editor’s note: If skirt steak is unavailable, you can use flank steak for this easy recipe.
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What you’ll need
16" Heavy Duty Stainless Steel Utility Tongs
$9 At Amazon
Heat Resistant Leather Gloves
$17 At Amazon
Instant-Read Thermometer
$35 At Thermoworks
Cast Iron Skillet
$30 At Amazon
Recipe information
Yield
4–6 servings
Ingredients
Steak
Vegetables and assembly
Preparation
Steak
Step 1
Heat ½ cup vegetable oil in a small saucepan until warm. Remove from heat and stir in ⅓ cup red chile powder, 4 tsp. freshly ground pepper, and 2 tsp. ground cumin. Let sit 30 minutes to infuse.
Step 2
Pour oil mixture into blender; add 6 large garlic cloves, zest of 3 limes, ⅓ cup fresh lime juice, 3 Tbsp. fresh orange juice, 1⅓ cups soy sauce, ⅔ cup Worcestershire sauce, 2 Tbsp. light or dark brown sugar, ½ tsp. celery salt, and 2 cups water and blend until smooth.
Step 3
Cut 2½ lb. trimmed skirt steak crosswise into 4" pieces, then prick all over on both sides with a paring knife (this helps the marinade permeate all the way into meat more easily). Place steak into a large airtight container or resealable plastic bag and scrape in marinade. Cover or close and chill 4–6 hours. (Don’t marinate longer, or the acid will begin to cook the meat, resulting in a mealy texture when finished.)
Do ahead: Marinade can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate.
Vegetables and assembly
Step 4
Mix 1 Tbsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¾ tsp. Morton kosher salt, 1 Tbsp. red chile powder, and 1 tsp. granulated sugar in a large heatproof bowl to combine.
Step 5
Remove steak from marinade and pat dry with paper towels; discard marinade. Place steak on a baking sheet; sprinkle all over with almost all of salt mixture. Chill at least 15 minutes and up to 45 minutes (making sure the steak is cold when it hits the grill helps prevent overcooking).
Step 6
Prepare a grill for high heat; oil grate. Melt 6 Tbsp. unsalted butter in small saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat and stir in zest of 2 limes and 2 garlic cloves, finely grated.
Step 7
Add 2 large onions, sliced into ½"-thick rings, 2 large red bell peppers, ribs and seeds removed, sliced into ½"-thick rings, and remaining 4½ tsp. vegetable oil to remaining salt mixture in bowl and toss to coat. Transfer onions and bell peppers to grate and grill, turning halfway through, until lightly charred, 2–4 minutes. Return to bowl and drizzle about 2 Tbsp. lime-garlic butter over; toss to coat. Cover and keep warm until ready to use.
Step 8
Grill steak, turning every minute or so, until evenly charred on both sides and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers about 128° for medium-rare, about 5 minutes total. Transfer steak to a clean baking sheet and brush both sides with some lime-garlic butter. Tent with foil and let rest about 5 minutes.
Step 9
Heat a dry large cast-iron skillet over high until very hot. Slice steak against the grain ½" thick. Transfer vegetables to skillet and top with steak. Drizzle remaining lime-garlic butter around edges (it will sizzle and steam). Serve with warm tortillas, salsa, guacamole, sour cream, shredded iceberg lettuce, and lime wedges for building fajitas.
