Steak fajitas with peppers and onions
Serves 4 · 45 minutes · Round griddle
Spice-rubbed flank steak, peppers and onions seared on a smoking-hot round griddle. The meat and vegetables cook side by side and go to the table on the griddle.
Fajitas are thinly sliced, spice-marinated steak served with fried peppers and onions in warm flour tortillas. The secret is serious heat: the steak should sear fast and rest before being sliced thinly against the grain, and the vegetables should char at the edges while keeping some bite.
Ingredients
Serves 4
- 600 g flank or skirt steak
- 2 tbsp neutral oil
- Juice of 1 lime
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp chilli flakes
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 red, 1 yellow and 1 green pepper
- 1 onion
- 1 tbsp neutral oil for the vegetables
To serve
- 8 flour tortillas
- Guacamole
- 200 ml soured cream
- Tomato salsa
- Fresh coriander and lime halves
Method
- Mix the oil, lime juice, garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, chilli and salt. Rub it into the steak and leave to marinate at room temperature for 15 minutes.
- Cut the peppers into strips and the onion into wedges. Toss them with the oil and a little salt.
- Set the griddle on a kettle barbecue over hot coals, or on the largest burner over a high heat, and let it get really hot, about 10 minutes.
- Put the peppers and onion on one side of the griddle and cook, stirring, for 8–10 minutes until charred at the edges.
- Sear the steak on the hottest part for 3–4 minutes per side for medium-rare. Rest it on a board for 5 minutes, warming the tortillas briefly on the edge of the griddle meanwhile.
- Slice the steak thinly against the grain. Return it to the vegetables, scatter over coriander and serve straight from the griddle with tortillas, guacamole, soured cream, salsa and lime.
Why it works
Carbon steel handles the fierce heat fajitas need and sears the steak in minutes. The large round surface lets you cook meat and vegetables at the same time, and the rim area stays warm without getting as hot.
FAQ
What is the best cut for fajitas?
Flank or skirt steak is the classic choice. Sirloin or rump also work, as long as you slice the meat thinly against the grain.
How long should fajita steak marinate?
Fifteen minutes is enough for flavour. To get ahead, leave the steak in the marinade in the fridge for up to 8 hours.
Can I make fajitas on the hob?
Yes. Put the griddle over the largest burner or across two and heat it thoroughly. The centre gets hottest, so sear the steak there and the vegetables further out.
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