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The Kitchen Table

Fajitas ( Tender )

17 years ago

What's the best way, to cook them so they come out tender.

Thank's Olga,

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Comments (12)

nodakgal
17 years ago
Crockpot.
iowagirl2006
17 years ago
What kind? Beef? Chicken?

Depends a lot on the cut of meat you use. Cut across the grain with beef. You can put it in a marinade if you have some really tough meat. Skirt steak is the tradional cut of beef for fajitas.

I like Chicken fajitas - I just quickly stir fry thinly cut chicken breasts (leave them slightly frozen to easily slice) They are quite tender. I stir fry with onions, peppers, fresh garlic. I finish with a couple tablespoons of onion soup mix and a splash of water so they are juicy.
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Nunya - If it's taking you 3 seconds with kitchen shears, you might want to save half the time and try a knife. :) Jump to about 4:30 in the video below and Jacques Pepin shows how easy it is, pretty much what Ann posted above except he uses a knife. Keep watching and at about 5:08 he removes a second sinew in under 2 seconds. By the way, this is an excellent video to watch if you're interested in boning a chicken. Practice a couple times and it's every bit as quick and easy as he makes it out to be. Here is a link that might be useful: Jaques Pepin This post was edited by foodonastump on Sun, Jan 27, 13 at 16:18
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Funny you should mention braciole Ann I had this recipe drop into my inbox Braised Beef Braciola Stuffed with Basil and Mozzarella by Tony Rosenfeld from Big Buy Cooking This is a home-style version of the Italian-American classic. The traditional dish uses small roulades of beef round, but here we use a whole flank steak because it’s quicker and easier to stuff and roll one large cut and the flank offers a wonderful flavor. If you want to build up the stuffing, add prosciutto or hearty greens like kale. more about: flank steak kosher salt black peppercorns mozzarella Parmigiano Reggiano breadcrumbs basil olive oil onions tomatoes crushed red pepper flakes white button mushrooms One 2 lb. flank steak Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 cup grated mozzarella 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano 1/3 cup fine, dry breadcrumbs 12 large basil leaves, torn into pieces 1/4 cup olive oil 1 large yellow onion, cut into thin strips (about 1-1/2 cups) 1/2 cup red wine One 28-oz. can whole tomatoes and their juices (3 cups), puréed (preferably San Marzano) 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes 8 oz. white mushrooms, quartered Set the flank steak on a large cutting board. Using a chef’s knife, slice the steak lengthwise along one long side (without cutting all the way through the meat) and open it up like a book. Using a meat mallet, flatten the meat so it is about 1/4 inch thick. Sprinkle both sides of the meat with 1 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper. For the stuffing, put the mozzarella, Parmigiano, breadcrumbs, and basil in a mini chopper or food processor and pulse to combine. Sprinkle the stuffing evenly over one side of the beef, and roll it up lengthwise jelly roll�"style with the stuffing inside. Secure with kitchen twine in five or six places. Heat half the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it’s shimmering. Add the beef and cook until it browns and releases easily from the pan, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook the other side until browned, about 5 more minutes. Transfer to a large plate. Add the remaining 2 Tbs. oil and the onion to the pan, and lower the heat to medium. Sprinkle with 1/2 tsp. salt and cook, stirring, until the onion wilts completely and turns a light brown, about 8 minutes. Add the red wine and cook, stirring, until it almost completely reduces, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and red pepper flakes and bring to a boil. Reduce to a gentle simmer and tuck the meat and mushrooms into the broth. Cover and cook, repositioning the meat occasionally, until the meat becomes tender and cuts easily with a paring knife, about 1-1/2 hours. Set the meat on a cutting board and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Thinly slice and serve topped with the sauce and vegetables. Serve with Sautéed Broccoli Raab or Fennel Layered with Potatoes & Breadcrumbs (Tortiera di Finocchi e Patate). I also have a great recipe for a beef and broccoli Chinese dish that it may work for...marinated in soy sauce. Off to buy New York Strips.....
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Salmon Burgers with Herb Aioli 2 small cloves garlic Kosher salt 1-1/2 cups mayonnaise 1/3 cup finely chopped fresh chives 2 Tbs. finely chopped fresh dill 1-1/2 Tbs. Dijon mustard 1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice 1/8 tsp. cayenne Freshly ground black pepper 5 brioche or hamburger buns, 1 cut into large cubes, the other 4 split 1 lb. skinless salmon fillets, preferably wild, pin bones removed, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 2 cups) 2 oz. (4 Tbs.) unsalted butter Chop the garlic. Using the flat side of a chefÂs knife, mash the garlic to a paste with a pinch of salt. Transfer the garlic paste to a small bowl and stir in the mayonnaise, chives, dill, mustard, lemon juice, cayenne, 1/4 tsp. pepper, and salt to taste. Set the aÃ¯oli aside. In a food processor, pulse the cubed bun into crumbs. Set aside 1/2 cup of the crumbs and save the rest for another use. Pulse the salmon until coarsely chopped, about 5 pulses. Transfer the salmon to a medium bowl and stir in 3/4 cup of the aÃ¯oli, the reserved breadcrumbs, 1/4 tsp. salt, and 1/8 tsp. pepper. Shape into four 1-inch-thick patties. Heat 2 Tbs. of the butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When melted and hot (but not smoking or brown), add the patties and cook until they are firm and each side is crisp and golden-brown, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Meanwhile, position a rack 6 inches from the broiler and heat the broiler on high. Melt the remaining 2 Tbs. butter in a microwave or on the stovetop. Brush it on the insides of the split buns. Put the buns on a baking sheet, butter side up, and toast under the broiler until light golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve the burgers on the buns, spread with the remaining aÃ¯oli.
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maryanntx
17 years ago
We always cook our beef fajitas on the grill. We also marinate if time permits. Like iowagirl said, they must be cut in crosswise strips for serving. Also if the muscle/skin is still on them it should be removed.
sheilajoyce_gw
17 years ago
I grill the steaks on the BBQ. I use marinated flank steak because the traditional skirt steak is so thin it is hard to BBQ and it cooks too fast.

Marinate the flank steak in Wishbone Italian dressing for a few days to a few hours. Overnight is best, and a few days seems to tenderize it. Dry it off well with paper towels before you put it on the grill.

While the steak is cooking on the grill, I fry sliced onion and peppers on high heat in my largest frying pan or wok. As soon as the steak is done, I slice it very thinly across the grain with a sharp, long knife and toss it into a big bowl with the cooked vegetables.

Serve with salsa, guacamole, and warmed tortillas.
yayagal
17 years ago
If you take chicken and use a meat pounder to tenderize it, you'll have the best chicken you've even had. I dip them in eggs and then breadcrumbs that have emiril's bam seasoning in it and pan fry. Quick and easy. I make a big stack and then put them in freezer bags so I have a supply on hand.
olgaflowers
Original Author
17 years ago
Thank's everyone for all of your suggestions !!
It has helped a lot !
Olga,
glenda_al
17 years ago
Ya'll made me hungry!
msmarion
17 years ago
OMG! I must live in a thermos bottle! I had to google fajitas. I've never heard of it before. Sounds interesting but DH wouldn't like it. He's so fussy about food.
missindia2020
17 years ago
You know, some of the best fajitas are made in a little city in Texas called Tyler. They are the fajita supplier to restaurants in the Southwest. Since we don't live in TX anymore and the Mexican restaurants here leave a lot to be desired, I buy them at Sam's Club. The brand is John Soules. They come in chicken or beef. Preseasoned and fully-cooked, all you have to do is heat them up. I do it on a comal, which msmarion may have to google, too! :) I add a little oil and "grill" them on it. It's all done on top of your stove. I just did this again a couple of days ago. We just finished them. I make an authentic Mexican rice and refried beans. My rice recipe was given to me by a Mexican-American friend back home in TX. I watched her make it and it comes out perfect everytime! :) Yummy!
Jasdip
17 years ago
Missindia,
My DH lived in North Carolina for a few years then in Euless for 4 then Houston for 7 years, all before I knew him. He really misses the tex-mex food, living in Ontario. I make fajitas and we both love them, but would really love to be able to make other authentic foods.

I would love to be able to buy a lot of foods here in Canada, that you guys have access to. I would LOVE to buy butter in sticks, but would hate to have the milk in jugs. Ourmilk in bags is so much handier. You are lucky to have so many choices in flavour, just in simple canned tomatoes.
missindia2020
17 years ago
Hi Jasdip,

I am a native Dallasite who lived in Euless, then North Richland Hills (down the freeway from Euless - all between Dallas & Ft. Worth) We then moved 5 years ago with my DH's job to lonely NC. We have relatives in Toronto. What authentic foods would you like to make? I might can help you out there. I don't remember milk being in bags in Canada, but I do remember them in Brazil - we had to pasteurize them ourselves by boiling the bags and cooling them before drinking the milk. I don't remember how it came in India. Do y'all keep the bags in some kind of holder? - kinda like those plastic ones we used to use for holding quart containers of orange juice & milk back in the 60's - 70's..
Jasdip
17 years ago
Hi MissIndia!
Thanks for your message!! Where in NC do you live? DH lived in Carey before he went to Texas.

We have pitchers where the litre/quart of milk fits into nicely. So handy, rather than lifting a gallon milk jug. Snip the corner of the bag, and pour.

Not sure what I can make, but Mexican rice sounds good. We like quesadilles and fajitas. I'm thinking I'd like to make enchiladas (chicken) so if you have a good one, that would be terrific.

I don't mean to steal the thread away from the subject, so hopefully we can talk offline.

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