Fajita?

[Patrick_CT]

I have been gone for a while working on remodeling our kitchen and other projects around the house. MAK gets plenty of use all week, but not online so much lately to share.

I need a little inspiration...
This weekend I am making food for a small group for my wife's birthday. (about 20 adults) She said she would like something in the fajita family for the food. I was thinking that a pulled chicken might be good for this and then some kind of beef. Then have all the toppings around for people to build it them selves.

I never did pulled chicken and I would ideally like to prep it cooked before the party to reduce the stress.
Anyone have some good ideas for this?

Thanks

 

[Big Poppa]

you can pull it but you can also saute strips with peppers and onions and fajita seasoning on the mak griddle or a cast iron pan inside1

 

[TentHunter]

Patrick, long time no see - Welcome back buddy!


Ironically, I plan to cook Fajitas this weekend.

First, the MAK Griddle is great. We use it often when cooking fajitas for the family. But I don't know that it will hold enough for 20 guests. You could try it.

Here's my 2¢ and how we do it for guests.

Fajitas do not take long to cook at all. I like to prep it all ahead of time and have it ready to cook before the guests arrive.

Slice all the meat into strips and put everything on skewers. Use whatever meat & veggies you like: beef, chicken, pork, shrimp, onions, peppers, tomatoes (I love grilled tomatoes). Keep the meat & different veggies on separate skewers to allow for different cooking times (tomatoes cook very quickly).

Marinate the meat in fajita seasoning, a little veggie oil & lime juice (the lime juice is key).

Shortly before the guests arrive, fire the MAK to get it hot. Shortly before it's time to eat, throw the fajita meat & veggies on the MAK.

Now, when that lime juice hits the hot grill... the intoxicating smell wafting through the air will drive your guests nuts with hunger! STAY AT THE GRILL, they will cook very quickly.

When cooked, we keep them on the skewers and put the meat & veggies on separate serving platters with tongs and let the guest pick what they like and assemble when they sit down at the table. We put a couple bowls of cheese, salsa & guacamole at the table(s). This gets everyone through the line and eating fairly quickly.


All the work is in the prep, so when the guest arrive, all you have to do is grill them off and serve them hot & fresh.

 

[TrickyDick]

I love chicken fajitas.

Here is a recipe I use for marinade (from memory, though I have made it so many times..) which my family really enjoys. We do this once every week or two.

1/4 cup lime juice (fresh of course)
4 cloves crushed or pressed garlic.
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper ground
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper ground
Fresh cilantro, chopped to preference.
Since you've got a smoker, you can omit the generous dash or three of liquid smoke I used before I also got a smoker.

Sometimes ill add a splash of tequila or maybe use a dash or OJ or something to add variety. If I'm making beef fajitas, ill usually rub down the beef skirts with cumin coriander and ancho chile the day before I marinate. You can omit the cilantro if you dislike, but I think there is something missing if I leave it out. Sometimes ill add some water if the limes didn't yield enough juice, or if I have more chicken than will submerge below the liquid.

I usually let marinate four hours if I can. I reserve the marinade and boil on high to reduce to a thick sauce, straining out the cilantro and garlic, which I then use as a condiment, though I know the NFS is going to hunt me down and shoot me for this someday.

TD

 

[Patrick_CT]

you marinate the steak in the same as the chicken?

 

[TrickyDick]

Works good for steak chicken or shrimp.
I like to rub the steaks first through, but not the shrimp or chicken. To clarify, if I was doing different meats, they'd each get their own marinade, so no co mingling IN the marinade,but they would be made up the same way.
Of course the rub becomes part of the marinade when doing steak then, so I guess technically, no, they aren't the same. Usually use skirt steak, but getting very hard to find where I live.

 

[NorCal Smoker]

I will have to try fajitas on the griddle. Added to the list!

 

[Tatonka3A2]

Great recipe, thanks for sharing.

 

[Patrick_CT]

Crap... Wife bought a 6.5 lb brisket flat instead of flank steak. Need to regroup and figure out what to do to make this into fajita still. Ideas?