It is round-up time at the King Ranch and when lunch rolls around the chuck wagon cook butchers a cow or two to feed the hands.  The  cowboys and Mexican vaqueros get the tough steaks, including the fajita or the skirt steak.  Throwing the thin flavorful meat directly over hot coals, the cook sears it quickly, wraps it in tortillas to catch the dripping juices, and serves it taco style.  Fajitas were born.

Then in 1993, fajitas really came into existence and now hotels and restaurants through out Texas smoke billows through the air as servers rush from the kitchen bearing sirloin fajitas sizzling in their juices on cast-iron comals.  Alongside the meat are mounds of guacamole, grated cheese, chopped tomatoes, and sour cream.

To say that fajitas are in is to understate the obvious.  Their origin was an obscure, unpronounceable throwaway cut of beef.

Now fajitas have become, after hamburgers and chile – Texas’ third contribution to the all-American foods.  They have challenged the expensive cuts of meat in backyard grilling.  I like to tenderize the meat by using a teaspoon of vinegar on the meat since it is tough (also good to use in stews or on regular steaks).

Back in the old days, fajita had a very specific meaning.  “Faja” is Spanish for “belt” or “strip” and “fajita” is the smaller form of that word.  It is a skirt steak and resembles a cummerbund.  Now there are other types of fajitas – chicken, pork or shrimp fajitas.  My favorite is the chicken fajitas.

If you have not eaten fajitas, try them, they are delicious.

kommonsentsjane