Ahh! Steak Fajitas. A favorite at any Tex-Mex restaurant across the States. It is so good, you can’t help but want to stuff your face with it.
However, there are many different types of steak – each having its own unique flavor and tenderness level.
Some are better for certain dishes than others. That is why you need to know what will work best for your fajitas!
In this post, we answer, what steak is best for fajitas?
Let’s get into it…
Contents
Why The Cut Of Steak Matters For Fajitas
When making fajitas, it’s important to ensure that the cut of steak you choose is suitable for fajita-making.
There are several reasons why:
- The cut of steak determines how tender and marbled it will be – both of which determine how the steak will taste when grilled and cooked.
- The cut will also determine how thin or thick of a slice you can get from it. This is important because thin slices cook faster and are easier to handle when cooking fajitas.
- The cut of steak determines what part of the cow it is from. Different cuts have different flavors, so knowing this beforehand will allow you to pick a steak that matches the flavor profile desired for your fajitas.
It’s important to note that not all beef steaks work well for fajitas. There are certain cuts that work much better than others…
The Best Steak Cut For Fajitas
When making fajitas, I’ve found that the best cut to use is either the flank steak or skirt steak – they are essentially one and the same.
The reason being is that flank/skirt steaks are incredibly flavorful, but also very tough cuts of meat with lots of sinew.
So in order to create tender fajitas, you need to cut the steak into thin slices.
However, the only way to do that is to remove all that tough sinew and connective tissue.
Removing all that gristle does take a bit of time, but it’s well worth knowing how to do it correctly.
Flank/skirt steak although tough, has a lot of fat that will keep the meat from drying out. This is important because you need to slice it very thin for fajitas.
If you can’t find skirt/flank steak, then I would recommend only using the most tender cuts of beef which are:
Filet Mignon – cut from the short loin. Although this cut does not have as much fat, it’s very tender and has a stronger beef flavor than others.
Filet Mignon is very expensive though – so if you’re on a budget, then go with the next cut instead…
Rib Eye Steak – cut from the rib section of the cow. It is a very tender cut with lots of marbling.
This type of steak is also quite flavorful and well-marbled, so the beefy flavor does not get overpowered by any seasonings you use to flavor your fajitas.
However, it doesn’t have as much fat as other cuts – which means you will need to cook it at a lower temperature to prevent it from drying out.
Also, if you are cooking for someone who likes their meat on the rare side – you’ll want to cook it just until there is still a bit of pink on the inside.
And finally…
T-Bone Steak / Porterhouse Steak – cut from the short loin. It has the same tenderness and beefy flavor as Rib Eye Steak, but also an incredibly thick strip of fat running right through the middle of it.
I personally love this cut – because not only does it have lots of marbling – it’s got TONS of flavor! Plus…lots of belly bacon!
As a result, it is super tender and will melt in your mouth. It’s also incredibly easy to grill without drying out the meat – plus you get a side of delicious bacon!
In my opinion, T-Bone Steak / Porterhouse Steak makes for an incredible fajita experience…just make sure you separate the strip of bacon from it before slicing…
Is there anything better than a grill full of sizzling fajitas? I don’t think so!
What Else Do You Need For Steak Fajitas?
As well as the actual steak, you’ll need some side dishes and some fajita seasonings.
The best side dish I can recommend would be…
Spanish Rice – this goes really well with steak fajitas, plus it’s a one-pot meal! You can either make it from scratch or get a pack of Spanish Rice Mix from the store instead.
Some other items you’ll need are of course tortillas – although that’s more of a preference.
You can also get salsas, guacamole, cheese, sour cream, lettuce…pretty much whatever you want to go along with your fajitas!
As for seasonings…this is totally up to you! I personally like to use fajita seasonings that come in a pack, but then I like to add my own extra spices and flavorings as well.
If you’re planning on doing the same, then here’s a good selection of spices and other items to get you started:
Seasoned Salt – great for adding additional flavorings to your steak fajitas.
Cumin – adds a fantastic earthy flavor to your fajita seasoning mix, plus helps to lock the juices inside the meat!
Onion Powder – can be used for additional flavors and aromas, but it’s also great if you’re looking to cut carbs out of your fajita meal.
These three spices are all you need if you want to make your own fajita seasoning, but they are also great to be used alongside the pre-made packets of seasoning too.
(Note: This is not an endorsement for any specific brand or company – it’s simply a list of spices I think go well with steak fajitas!)
Other Considerations
It’s worth keeping in mind that fajitas are also really good just as they are!
Meaning that you can enjoy them as is, as well as with the extra spices and condiments.
There’s no right or wrong way to enjoy fajitas – but it’s worth knowing your options so you can try out different things and find how we like to prepare them best.
Fajitas are a tasty way to enjoy a steak dinner, and they are easy to make too.
It’s also important to note that while people in the USA may call any type of steak fajitas, that’s not how it’s done in Mexico.
In Mexico, a true fajita is made from skirt steak…somehow I doubt you’ll be able to get your hands on skirt steak at home – so just enjoy whatever cuts of steak you have available!
So, what steak works best for fajitas?
Well…the answer is…whatever cut you like!
As long as it’s tenderized properly, then it should work just fine.
Also, the marbling of the fat will mean that less seasoning will be needed to flavor it up – so don’t worry about needing to add lots of spices.
And if you’re looking for a really tender cut of meat, then I recommend T-Bone Steak / Porterhouse Steak – because not only does it have the marbled fat that makes steak super tender to eat, but it also comes with a strip of bacon!
Whether you want to use it for fajitas or not is up to you, but either way, it’s delicious!
Conclusion
In conclusion, the best steak for fajitas is skirt steak. However, if you cannot get skirt steak then just use whatever kind of tenderized steak is available to you!
As long as it’s not too tough, then just marinate it in some seasoning and it should be good to go.
You can also add condiments like cheese, guacamole, onions…whatever will make your fajitas tasty!
Thanks for taking the time to read this post and I hope it’s helped you identify the best steak for fajitas.
Feel free to stick around to learn more about steak.