Thin Fajita Steaks

[raselkirk]

Hi All,

Gonna do up some some beef fajitas this afternoon, they are pounded out round steaks that are too thin to get a thermometer in, maybe 3/8" or so. Seems like everything "thin" that I try ends up like (tasty) shoe leather. Would there be some tricks I could try to make them retain a little more moisture? I usually do them 4 hrs or so at 175° with the vent half open and no water in the pan. I've tried water/no water and it doesn't seem to matter at sub-boiling temps...

TIA!

Russ

 

[justplainbob]

cook them a lot less

 

[chilerelleno]

#1 Trick
Buy some good flank steak

Marinate it and cook over very high direct heat, i.e. grill it and get some good charring on it.
Slice it thin across the grain

 

[raselkirk]

What, like 2 hrs instead? Will they still have a smoked flavor with that much less time?

Russ

 

[mike243]

Season roll up and pin,insert thermometer,cook to desired temp,slice while still rolled,easy peesay

 

[chilerelleno]

Okay, so you have what you have.

Marinate them in a tasty fajita sauce for at least four hours, then grill over very high heat (scorching hellfire) till you get some good grill marks on one side.
Hopefully they're now no more than Medium.
Now slice thin across the grain, load on hot tortillas with salsa and grilled peppers/onions.

Cook up some beans and rice to go with.

 

[raselkirk]

#1 Trick
Buy some good flank steak

Marinate it and cook over very high direct heat, i.e. grill it and get some good charring on it.
Slice it thin across the grain

We looked, the market didn't have flanks. We've done chicken exclusively for better than 15 years, last time we did beef was way before the smoker. Been marinating it overnight, I feel the need to try smoke this time. Expectations are low by everyone except me, but I'll eat anything smoked...

Any ideas on time/temps?

Russ

 

[raselkirk]

Season roll up and pin,insert thermometer,cook to desired temp,slice while still rolled,easy peesay

Sounds like a great idea, thanks!

Russ

 

[okiefisher]

What, like 2 hrs instead? Will they still have a smoked flavor with that much less time?

Russ

They're only going to take smoke for so long anyway. Being that thin @175 I would think that's all the time that would be needed.

 

[chilerelleno]

Russ,
I simply would not put the meat you have in the smoker in a traditional manner.
Not for fajitas or anything else, but maybe jerky.

If you must use the smoker for flavor then I suggest a quick Browning in a cast iron skillet, slice into strips and back into skillet.
Then into the skillet atop the beef add fajita sauce and veggies, then braise the meat in the smoker for a couple hours with very light smoke.
Temp 300°-350°
Time 2 hours

 

[Unique Name]

Throw those bad boys DIRECTLY on lump mesquite for 30 seconds per side and call it a day.

 

[raselkirk]

I should have mentioned, my MES has an external smoke box so getting lower temps + smoke isn't a problem. Our only other outdoor cooker is a Weber gas grill. We do the chicken fajitas on it and they are excellent, but minus any smokiness...

Russ,
I simply would not put the meat you have in the smoker in a traditional manner.
Not for fajitas or anything else, but maybe jerky.

If you must use the smoker for flavor the I suggest a quick Browning in a cast iron skillet, slice into strips and back into skillet.
Then into the skillet atop the beef add fajita sauce and veggies, then braise the meat in the smoker for a couple hours with very light smoke.
Temp 300°-350°
Time 2 hours

Now that's an interesting concept, I have frog mats and a SS sieve so putting cut strips in there wouldn't be a problem (minus the veggies and sauce though).

Russ

 

[chilerelleno]

Now that's an interesting concept, I have frog mats and a SS sieve so putting cut strips in there wouldn't be a problem (minus the veggies and sauce though).

Russ

Strips in the smoker, that's an even worse idea.

 

[raselkirk]

Alright, I give up. I'll just turn 'em to shoe leather. At least I'll eat them.

Russ

 

[Unique Name]

Alright, I give up. I'll just turn 'em to shoe leather. At least I'll eat them.

Russ

Maybe eat them underwater?
; )

 

[chef jimmyj]

You did not say where you live but much of the country is cold today. If your out door temp is 40°F or less you can Cold smoke them, using the injector no heat, as long as you wish. If less than 70°F but above 40, you can cold smoke up to 2 hours. The meat will take on a smoke flavor then you can Sear med/rare on the grill or indoors on a screaming hot Cast Iron Pan. No leather and will be smokey...JJ

 

[HalfSmoked]

Welcome to the forum as you have seen you can get all kinds of support and ways to do things just ask.

Warren

 

[raselkirk]

You did not say where you live but much of the country is cold today. If your out door temp is 40°F or less you can Cold smoke them, using the injector no heat, as long as you wish. If less than 70°F but above 40, you can cold smoke up to 2 hours. The meat will take on a smoke flavor then you can Sear med/rare on the grill or indoors on a screaming hot Cast Iron Pan. No leather and will be smokey...JJ

We're actually nice for a change, these are almost done and it's 71° outside. I rolled them and pinned with toothpicks. 3 hrs at 165° and all I see is 126°. I unrolled them and ran it up to 210° with the probe tip somewhere (not out either side). Will post back results...

Welcome to the forum as you have seen you can get all kinds of support and ways to do things just ask.

Warren

Ah, you called it! Thought there would be more of a consensus than a raft of different ideas. Anyway, you made me realize I'd never config'ed my personal info so that's updated...

Russ

 

[raselkirk]

They came out pretty good! Sorry no pix. I'd do them the same again but start at a higher temp so the probe might see 150° after 3 hrs. They looked kinda gray where they'd been rolled in, but laying them out flat afterwards for a bit fixed that.

Russ

 

[Dantij]

I have had tremendous success smoking fajitas on the WSM and the Lang 48. I buy my meat (arrachera) at a Mexican market close by. What I do differently is I do not have the meat sliced in half and tenderized. I smoke the whole pieces of beef. Once they reach 135°, I pull them, slice against the grain and throw them in the crock pot with the vegetables for about an hour. If you have a Mexican market nearby, talk to the butcher. Ask for the thickest pieces of beef. Remember: do not slice in half, do not run the meat thru the tenderizer, cook it whole. You will not be disappointed.