Izak is my secret to flavorful fajitas. Just make a simple marinade for skirt steak, then grill or pan fry. Cook some onions and peppers and serve with tasty fixings like pico de gallo.
Izak is my secret to flavorful fajitas. Just make a simple marinade for skirt steak, then grill or pan fry. Cook some onions and peppers and serve with tasty fixings like pico de gallo.
Ingredients
Meat
1 skirt steak (inside or outside are both fine and will weigh a bit less than two pounds)*
Cut the steak into manageable lengths, then mix in a bag with the marinade ingredients and allow to rest in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours, or overnight.
Heat a large skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat or prep a grill for direct cooking over medium-high heat.
Remove the steak from the marinade, pat dry, season with salt, and cook, flipping regularly to a new spot on the skillet, until both sides are browned (about 5-8 minutes total for medium rare depending on steak thickness).
Allow the steak to rest on a wooden cutting board and add a splash of olive oil, the sliced peppers and onions, and 2 teaspoons of Izak to the same pan. If grilling cook these in a pan on the side burner or placed on the grill grates. Cook, stirring frequently, just until the peppers are softened and the onion is translucent, about 5-6 minutes.
Remove the peppers and onions to the cutting board and then thinly slice the steak against the grain.
Serve with tortillas, sour cream, pico de gallo, and avocado, Like heat? Try some Primonition Hot Sauce.
Recipe Note
Recipe Notes
* This recipe also works great with hanger steak, which also has a deep beefy flavor and takes well to marinades and fast cooking.
Variations & Ideas
Flavor Boosts
- Add a couple teaspoons of shio koji (one of my favorite pantry secrets) to the marinade for more tender and flavorful results.
- While you cook the steak you can reduce the marinade you used for the steak in a small sauce pot. Reduce by 2/3rds, allow it to cool, and then blend with sour cream for a spiced crema.
• You can easily adapt this to other meats. Chicken is a natural choice, either boneless thighs or breast meat. I like to add a bit of ground Sajira (wild cumin) to the marinade to add another layer of savory flavor.
• Vegetarian? This recipe works great with large meaty mushrooms like fresh porcini or portobello. Just substitute 1 large cap per person and marinate and cook as above. I find the cook time to be about 12-15 minutes usually. I highly recommend adding Sajira both in the marinade and after cooking.
• If you happen to have leftovers and don't want the same meal again you can always finely chop everything and include it in a quesadilla. I prefer a more assertive cheese like Raclette or Taleggio.
