Citrus-Chile Steak Fajitas with Lime Butter

Dinner · Main Dishes

Citrus-Chile Steak Fajitas with Lime Butter

Skirt steak takes on a bold citrus-chile marinade before it hits the grill. Grilled peppers and onions, a little garlic-lime butter and a table full of toppings turn it into a generous fajita spread.
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Serves
6 servings

Bring it to the table

About this recipe.

Marinated skirt steak, grilled onions and peppers with a garlic-lime butter finish.

Before you start

Gather your ingredients.

Check your pantry before you begin. Full quantities and serving adjustments are in the recipe card below.

See the ingredient checklist

Marinade

  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/3 cup red chile powder (preferably sun-dried Hatch)
  • 4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 6 large garlic cloves
  • 3 limes (finely grated zest)
  • 1/3 cup fresh lime juice
  • 3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
  • 1 1/3 cups soy sauce
  • 2/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tablespoons light or dark brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
  • 2 cups water

Steak and vegetables

  • 2 1/2 lb trimmed skirt steak
  • 1 tablespoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt (or 1 3/4 teaspoons Morton for the base recipe)
  • 1 tablespoon red chile powder
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 4 1/2 teaspoons vegetable oil (plus more for the grill)
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 limes (finely grated zest)
  • 2 garlic cloves (finely grated)
  • 2 large onions (cut into 1/2-inch rings)
  • 2 large red bell peppers (seeded and cut into 1/2-inch rings)

To serve

  • flour tortillas (for serving)
  • salsa and guacamole (for serving)
  • sour cream (for serving)
  • shredded iceberg lettuce (for serving)
  • lime wedges (for serving)

Slice across the grain

Look at the direction of the skirt steak fibers before slicing. Cutting thinly across them makes each bite easier to chew.

At the table

Set out the warm steak and vegetables with tortillas and toppings so everyone can build their own fajitas.

The cooking plan

How to make Citrus-Chile Steak Fajitas with Lime Butter.

  1. Warm the marinade oil in a small saucepan, then remove from the heat. Stir in its chile powder, black pepper and cumin. Let stand for 30 minutes to infuse and cool.

  2. Blend the infused oil with the marinade garlic, lime zest, lime and orange juices, soy, Worcestershire, brown sugar, celery salt and water until smooth. Cut the steak crosswise into 4-inch sections and prick lightly on both sides with a paring knife. Put in a large nonreactive container or food bag with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 4–6 hours.

  3. Mix the steak-and-vegetable salt, tablespoon chile powder and granulated sugar in a large heatproof bowl. Remove the steak from the marinade and pat dry; discard the used marinade. Sprinkle the steak with almost all the seasoning mixture, leaving a little in the bowl for the vegetables. Refrigerate for 15–45 minutes.

  4. Prepare a grill for high heat and oil the grate. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining lime zest and grated garlic.

  5. Toss the onions and bell peppers in the bowl with the remaining seasoning and vegetable oil. Grill, turning as needed, until lightly charred and tender, beginning to check after 2–4 minutes. Return to the bowl, toss with about 2 tablespoons lime butter and keep warm.

  6. Grill the steak, turning about every minute, until evenly browned and it reaches at least 145°F in the thickest part. Transfer to a clean tray, brush with some lime butter, tent loosely with foil and rest for 5 minutes.

  7. Slice the steak thinly across the grain. Serve with the grilled vegetables and warm tortillas, drizzling the remaining lime butter over the steak and vegetables. Put the salsa, guacamole, sour cream, lettuce and lime wedges alongside.

Let’s cook

The full recipe.

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Citrus-Chile Steak Fajitas with Lime Butter

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Marinated skirt steak, grilled onions and peppers with a garlic-lime butter finish.
Print Recipe
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Ingredients Instructions Notes

Ingredients
  

Marinade
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  •  
    ⅓ cup red chile powder preferably sun-dried Hatch
  •  
    4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  •  
    6 large garlic cloves
  •  
    3 limes finely grated zest
  •  
    ⅓ cup fresh lime juice
  •  
    3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
  • 1 ⅓ cups soy sauce
  • ⅔ cup Worcestershire sauce
  •  
    2 tablespoons light or dark brown sugar
  •  
    ½ teaspoon celery salt
  • 2 cups water
Steak and vegetables
  •  
    2 ½ lb trimmed skirt steak
  •  
    1 tablespoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt or 1 3/4 teaspoons Morton for the base recipe
  •  
    1 tablespoon red chile powder
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 4 ½ teaspoons vegetable oil plus more for the grill
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
  •  
    2 limes finely grated zest
  •  
    2 garlic cloves finely grated
  •  
    2 large onions cut into 1/2-inch rings
  •  
    2 large red bell peppers seeded and cut into 1/2-inch rings
To serve
  • flour tortillas for serving
  •  
    salsa and guacamole for serving
  • sour cream for serving
  •  
    shredded iceberg lettuce for serving
  •  
    lime wedges for serving

Instructions
 

  1. Warm the marinade oil in a small saucepan, then remove from the heat. Stir in its chile powder, black pepper and cumin. Let stand for 30 minutes to infuse and cool.
  2. Blend the infused oil with the marinade garlic, lime zest, lime and orange juices, soy, Worcestershire, brown sugar, celery salt and water until smooth. Cut the steak crosswise into 4-inch sections and prick lightly on both sides with a paring knife. Put in a large nonreactive container or food bag with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 4–6 hours.
  3. Mix the steak-and-vegetable salt, tablespoon chile powder and granulated sugar in a large heatproof bowl. Remove the steak from the marinade and pat dry; discard the used marinade. Sprinkle the steak with almost all the seasoning mixture, leaving a little in the bowl for the vegetables. Refrigerate for 15–45 minutes.
  4. Prepare a grill for high heat and oil the grate. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining lime zest and grated garlic.
  5. Toss the onions and bell peppers in the bowl with the remaining seasoning and vegetable oil. Grill, turning as needed, until lightly charred and tender, beginning to check after 2–4 minutes. Return to the bowl, toss with about 2 tablespoons lime butter and keep warm.
  6. Grill the steak, turning about every minute, until evenly browned and it reaches at least 145°F in the thickest part. Transfer to a clean tray, brush with some lime butter, tent loosely with foil and rest for 5 minutes.
  7. Slice the steak thinly across the grain. Serve with the grilled vegetables and warm tortillas, drizzling the remaining lime butter over the steak and vegetables. Put the salsa, guacamole, sour cream, lettuce and lime wedges alongside.

Notes

Makes 4–6 servings; the serving adjustment starts at 6. Allow 4–6 hours for refrigerated marinating, plus the spice-oil rest and final seasoning rest.
Use a thermometer for the steak: 145°F followed by at least a 3-minute rest. The instructions allow a 5-minute rest.
Keep the raw-steak marinade separate from cooked food and discard it after use.

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