The Old West
In the days of the Old West, cowboys/vaqueros were often given the less valuable head, entrails, and other trimmings as part of their pay when one of the cows/steers was slaughtered. Then, the vaqueros would throw some of that meat straight onto the fire. Many of the authentic Mexican dishes we know today come from that period, such as Menudo (spicy tripe stew), Barbacoa de Cabeza (BBQ’ed cow head), and fajitas/arracheras (grilled skirt steak). The first person to commercially make fajitas in 1969 was a guy named Sonny Falcon from Austin who operated a fajita taco stand in Kyle, TX, near Texas A&M University. Later on, others also added fajitas/tacos al carbon to their restaurant menus. Still, all fajitas come from a long history of families who, for generations, made fajitas/arracheras at home.
Houston Origins
In 1973 in Houston, a restaurateur by the name of Ninfa “Mama” Laurenzo, whom I was lucky enough to meet at her original restaurant, Ninfa’s, at 2704 Navigation Blvd in the second Ward just east of I-69, was responsible for launching the fajita craze around the world. Former presidents, movie stars, and rock bands have all eaten at the original site. The Laurenzo family still operates dozens of restaurants to this day. The dish has evolved over the years, and even though they kept a tight lid on the recipe (or gentle misinformation), I will give you what I think is the closest version of a true Houston Style Fajitas-the original Arracheras!
Outside vs. Inside Skirt Steak
First, let’s talk about beef. The outside skirt is in very high demand and can be very difficult to find in many areas. The outer skirt is attached to the chest wall, running diagonally from the 6th to the 12th rib. Moreover, the outside skirt steak is from the plate section (best beef ribs for BBQ btw), below the rib, and between the brisket and flank, and usually comes with the membrane still attached. Trim the membrane, or silverskin, to make the skirt steak more tender.
Take the skirt steak and place it between two pieces of plastic wrap. The plastic wrap helps prevent blood spattering or chunks of meat flying around your kitchen. I have found an online source with the outside skirt for a reasonable price and inexpensive delivery at US Wellness Meats.
Use a Sauce, not a Marinade.
Forty years ago, the outside skirt was tenderized and marinated overnight, often with pineapple juice, orange zest, lime zest, soy sauce, sherry vinegar, garlic, and chiles to help make the steak tender. Today, in the interest of time and consistency, a pre-tenderized skirt steak is used with Salsa Negra and dried spices. I have to admit that I like this version better than the original marinade method. It’s quick, easy, and efficient. From a commercial kitchen perspective, I can understand the switch from a marinade to a salsa. However, in busy kitchens, cooks could occasionally forget to take the skirt steak out of the marinade before becoming over-saturated or cooked in the sherry vinegar solution. The Salsa Negra eliminates this potential since it is applied at the moment you cook the skirt steak.
The Salsa Negra is straightforward to make and is good on the beef fajita and fantastic on skewered (peeled and de-veined) jumbo shrimp, semi-boneless grilled quail, chicken, duck, or even adequately cleaned octopus or squid. I suggest making the Salsa Negra the day before you need it to let the flavors blend and develop.
How to Cook
I set my propane grill close to high, which does a fine job searing in those good char marks. However, if you want to go super authentic, a bed of coals made from mesquite wood is the most original and traditional way to go. Mesquite burns very hotly, which makes it the perfect wood for quick grilling fajitas, boneless chicken breast, shrimp, and more.
Not to confuse you, since I love fajitas, I’m using both outside and inside skirt steak cuts in the images below. Each type of skirt is prepared identically.
The original Ninfa’s on Navigation-Houston’s 2nd Ward.
Few foods are as satisfying as a great plate of fajitas.
The typical outside skirt steak (preferred) comes in a long rectangular chain of meat. Typically in finer stores, this comes pre-tenderized. If it is not, then tenderizing is are an excellent idea. Remember, this was initially cheaper scrap meat that turned into ground beef. Prepared correctly, it’s tender, flavorful, and incredibly juicy.
The inside skirt steak generally has a triangular shape. In this image, I’m tenderizing by had with a heavy weighted tool designed for that purpose.
Before you start grilling the fajitas, make sure to have everything else prepared. The guacamole, pico de gallo, tortillas are all prepared and ready to go. Fajitas are best served hot off the grill. Slice and prepare the onions and peppers according to the recipe and keep warm.
Char-grilling Inside Skirt Steak preferably over mesquite charcoal, once you place the skirt steak on the hot grill, season with the Southwest Seasoning Mix, sear the skirt over high heat with a couple of jalapeños and thick-sliced tomato.
Let the fajita rest for a minute and cut the skirt steak into serving size. Then, turn and cut across the grain.
I like to serve my fajitas over grilled onions and peppers. But, of course, grilled tomato and jalapeño don’t hurt either. Notice the two shots of Esperanto Seleccion Anejo because I deserve it.
Beverage Pairings: This meal is a cold beer, Michelada, Margaritas, or chilled shots of Tequila. My two favorite beers for fajitas are Shiner Bock and Dos Equis Amber. My current favorite Tequila is Esperanto Seleccion Anejo served chilled in shot glasses.
Houston Style Fajitas-the original Arracheras!
Equipment
- gas or charcoal grill
- cutting board
- chef knife
- Tongs
- meat tenderizer
- basting brush
Ingredients
Fajitas
- 1-2 lbs steak, skirt (outside) trimmed of silver skin and tenderized (Inside skirt can be substituted)
- ½ cup salsa negra (Please see recipe in this blog)
- 2 tbsp southwest seasoning (Please see recipe in this blog)
Garnish
- 1-2 whole jalapeno, grilled
- 1-2 whole tomatoes, fresh halved and grilled (optional)
- 1 cup Oaxaca cheese shredded (shredded sharp cheddar cheese is great as well)
- 1 cup guacamole (Please see recipe in this blog)
- ½ cup sour cream (Mexican crema, French Crème Fraîche)
- ½ cup green sauce (Please see recipe in this blog)
- ½ cup pico de gallo
- ½ cup cilantro/onion mix (optional) mince and mix with a squirt of lime juice
- 4 12" Tortillas, Warm flour (traditional) or corn
Pepper and Onions for Fajitas
- 2 tbsp oil, vegetable
- 2 whole pepper, green or red or combination bell pepper stemmed, cored and sliced thin
- 1 whole onion, peeled, cored, and sliced thin Use Yellow, White or Red onion
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 tsp southwest seasoning (Please see recipe in this blog)
- 1 tsp sherry vinegar
- 2 tsp lime, juiced
Instructions
Preparing the Skirt Steak
- Preheat propane grill or start a fire with Mesquite wood/charcoal in Weber type outdoor grill.
- Clean silver skin (if any) from the skirt steak
- Place the skirt steak between two pieces of plastic wrap to prevent splattering.
- Tenderize skirt steak with a meat mallet or heavy wooden rolling pin - I've even used a large unopened soup can or heavy iron skillet in a pinch.
- On a large oven sheet pan, spread the Salsa Negra over one side of the skirt steak. Season liberally with Southwest Seasoning. Reserve
Preparing Peppers and Onions
- Core and seed the peppers and slice thin lengthwise.
- Peel and core a whole onion. Slice in half and then slice thinly lengthwise.
- Use a saute or frypan over medium-high heat, add the vegetable oil and bring it up to temperature. Add the sliced onions and sliced peppers and saute until tender. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant 1-2 minutes. Add the southwest seasoning mix and toss to coat the vegetables well. Deglaze with the sherry wine and cook for another minute. Turn off the heat and cover with a lid or aluminum foil to keep warm. Reserve. (Before you serve, squeeze the fresh lime juice on top)
Grilling the Skirt Steak
- Prepare a gas grill by turning on a high or Mesquite charcoal grill. Then, using Mesquite, start the fire and allow the nice bed of hot coals to form.
- Over a hot grill, carefully place the skirt steak with the Salsa Negra over the hot coals or grill. Promptly cover the other side of the skirt steak with more Salsa Negra using a basting brush. Apply more Southwest Seasoning.
- Cook the skirt steak until good char marks show. The meat should be sizzling hot through the process. On my grill, it takes about 3-4 minutes per side. (This is a thin cut of meat, be mindful of overcooking.)
- Remove the skirt steak from the heat when it's cooked. Allow the meat to rest on a cutting board for 2-3 minutes before slicing.
- Cut the skirt steak down to workable portions about 4 inches long. Turn and slice against the grain to ensure tenderness.
- Serve immediately over the cooked onions and peppers on a pre-warmed platter or dish.
- Serve with the condiments you desire. Serve the fajitas with one or all of the following: green sauce, pico de gallo, onions and peppers, fresh grilled tomato and jalapeño, shredded Oaxaca or sharp cheddar cheese, guacamole, sour cream, finely minced onions mixed with cilantro, thinly sliced radish or pickled Nopales, wedges of lime and warm flour or corn tortillas.