What is the best cut of beef for fajitas?

Rump, skirt or flank steak are the best cuts for fajitas! I prefer skirt steak (pictured). It’s more tender and flavourful than flank and can be cooked well done (for those who prefer well) without getting tough and chewy. Flank steak is a leaner cut and is better cooked rare — medium.

What kind of steak is good for fajitas?

Skirt steak is the traditional cut used for fajitas. It used to be inexpensive, but now it’s not so cheap; oftentimes flank steak costs less. Either will be a good choice. Featured in: Give Fajitas, A Tex Mex Classic, The Treatment They Deserve.

What is fajita beef called?

When a steer was butchered, the workers were given the least desirable parts to eat for partial payment of their wages. Because of this, the workers learned to make good use of a tough cut of beef known as skirt steak. In Spanish, fajita is a form of the word “faja” which translates to “belt” or “girdle” in English.

What can you use instead of skirt steak for fajitas?

If you can’t find skirt steak you can substitute flap steak (flap meat), or thinly sliced beef tenderloin or short loin steaks. You can alternately use flank steak as well.

What kind of steak do Mexican restaurants use?

Meat selection The most common cut of beef used for carne asada is skirt steak or flank steak. The skirt steak is from the underside plate of the cow, often known as arrachera in Mexican cuisine.

How do you tenderize fajita meat quickly?

Opt for equal parts oil to acid — for oil, use vegetable, olive or grapeseed. The oil helps the spices and garlic in the marinade adhere to the beef and promotes even cooking. Add a splash of soy sauce, instead of salt, to the marinade because it contains enzymes that help make the meat more tender.

What else is skirt steak called?

Skirt steak is sometimes known as Romanian tenderloin, Romanian steak, Philadelphia steak, or Arrachera, but these names are most commonly used outside of the US.

How do you tenderize skirt steak for fajitas?

Try a little tenderness. There are two additional ways to tenderize skirt steak: chemical and mechanical. The chemical method involves marinating the skirt steak in some sort of acid, like lime juice or vinegar, for several hours or overnight. This helps break down some of the meat fibers.

Is fajita beef inside skirt?

Opposite the Outside Skirt Steak, this cut is known for its robust flavor profile. Marinate and grill hot for fajitas or use for stir-fry. Slicing beef against the grain is always important, but even more so for thin, coarse cuts such as the Skirt Steak.

What makes a fajita a fajita?

The word ‘fajita’ is actually a reference to the type of meat traditionally used in the assembly of the dish— carne asada, or skirt steak. This tough cut of meat is sliced against the grain, grilled, and accompanied by grilled vegetables with flour or corn tortillas on the side.

Why is it called fajita?

Back when the dish was first created, fajitas came from what was thought to be an undesirable part of the cow – the skirt steak. Coming from the Spanish word “faja,” meaning “belt” or “girdle” in English, the literal translation of fajita is “little strap.”

What cut is carne asada?

Carne asada is the thinly sliced, grilled beef served so often in tacos and burritos. You can also serve it straight up, with rice and beans on the side. Although almost any cut of beef can be butterflied into thin sheets for the carne asada, typically you make it with either flank steak or skirt steak.

Why is skirt steak so expensive?

Contributing to the rise in prices is heavy export of the skirt steak to Japan. Because the diaphragm is classified as offal, not muscle meat, it was exported in larger quantities than other cuts of beef to Japan, which, until last month, imposed stringent import quotas on cuts of beef other than offal.

What is a good substitute for flank steak?

Among the best substitutes for flank steak are:

• Chicken breast. Marinate chicken breasts before cooking.
• Mushrooms.
• Vegetable “steaks.” Thick slices of vegetables such as cauliflower or butternut squash can become convincingly steak-like when browned in a skillet or carefully cooked on the grill.
• Tofu.