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Buffalo Fajitas

(recipe, Carrie Floyd)


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Introduction

This recipe can be adapted to grilling: Marinate and cook the meat whole, let it rest a few minutes, then cut into thin strips for the fajitas. If you are cutting the meat into strips, the meat will be easier to cut if it is slightly frozen.

Ingredients

    Marinade
    1. Juice of 2 limes
    2. 2 garlic cloves, smashed and minced
    3. 1 tsp. ground cumin
    4. 1 tsp. Spanish paprika
    5. 1 tsp. brown sugar
    6. ½ tsp. black pepper
    7. ½ tsp. kosher salt
    Fajitas
    1. 1 lb. buffalo skirt, flank, or top sirloin steak, cut into ½-inch slices
    2. 4 flour tortillas
    3. Vegetable oil
    4. 1 yellow onion, cut into thin slices
    5. 3 bell peppers (red, yellow, and/or green), trimmed of seeds and cut into thin slices
    6. Cilantro sprigs (optional)
    7. Sour cream (optional)
    8. Salsa (optional)

    Steps

    1. In a shallow bowl, mix together the marinade ingredients; add the meat and toss. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator overnight. (You could also pour the marinade into a Ziploc bag to marinate the meat.)
    2. When you're ready to prepare the fajitas, take the meat out of the refrigerator and set on the counter to warm up. Wrap the tortillas in foil and warm in a 275-degree oven, while you prepare the other ingredients.
    3. In a large skillet, add enough vegetable oil to film the bottom of the pan. Sauté the onions and peppers over medium-high heat, stirring often, until they begin to soften and brown, about 15 minutes. Remove from pan and keep warm while you cook the meat.
    4. Wipe any residue from the skillet, then add 1 to 2 tablespoons of oil to the pan. Remove meat from the marinade, discarding the marinade. Pat the meat dry, then add to the skillet and cook over medium-high heat, stirring as you would stir-fry, for about 2 to 3 minutes or until the meat is medium-brown on the outside, but still pink on the inside. Err on the side of undercooking, cutting into and tasting a strip if you are unsure of its doneness.
    5. Assemble the fajitas: Place meat on a warmed tortilla and top with sautéed onions and peppers. Garnish with fresh cilantro, sour cream, and salsa, if you like.

    Note

    For more information about buffalo, read Carrie Floyd's Culinate 8 on the subject.