Cast Iron Fajitas

If you've been following along for any period of time, you've probably noticed that I love fajitas! Whenever I go to a Mexican restaurant, at least two things are almost guaranteed to happen. First, I'll probably look over the entire menu, only to go back and decide on fajitas. Usually beef, sometimes with shrimp, and sometimes a chicken and beef combo.

Cast Iron Fajitas

A few weeks ago, I got a sample of the Kingston 10 Jamaican Jerk Spice from Seasonality Spices. When I opened the package to get my first smell, I immediately realized that this spice mix would be perfect as a fajita seasoning! I got a skillet and made some Cast Iron Fajitas!

Kingston Spice Mix from Seasonality Spices

The Recipe:

Skirt Steak in the Cast Iron Skillet

• 10 oz Skirt Steak
• 1 Tablespoon of Kingston 10 Spice Blend
• 2 Tablespoons of Soy Sauce
• 3 Garlic Cloves - Minced
• 1 Onion - Sliced
• 1 Green Bell Pepper - Sliced
• Tortillas

Let the skirt steak marinate in the soy sauce, Kingston 10 spice mix, and garlic for about an hour.  Start heating a cast iron skillet over medium heat while you coat the skirt steak with the seasoning. 

It is important to remember to use a lower heat when you use a cast iron skillet. A good seasoning on your cast iron can take a long time to achieve. If the heat is too high, it can cook the seasoning right out of the cast iron. This took me a long time to learn.

Marinated Skirt Steak

When the cast iron is hot, it's time to put the skirt steak on. Cooking time is going to depend on personal preference and how done you want the meat. I like a nice crust on the outside, while it still pink in the middle, about a medium-rare.

When the steak is done, remove and set aside to rest. The cast iron is going to have retained a lot of heat from cooking the steak and will be perfect for the peppers and onions! As an added bonus, the peppers and onions will absorb some of the flavors left behind from the steak!

While the peppers and onions are cooking, slice the steak. I like to cut it in half and then turn it 90 degrees to cut across the grain. This makes the steak more tender and easier to eat.

Peppers and Onions in Cast Iron

With the peppers and onions removed, the last thing to do, is to put a couple of tortillas in the cast iron for a minute or so on each side to heat them up and get them a little crispy.

With all of your ingredients ready, it's time to assemble your fajitas with your favorite condiments. I like cheese, salsa, beans, and guacamole!

My Favorite Way to Cook Fajitas

Maybe I'm boring, but I almost always order fajitas when we go out for Mexican. What can I say, I know what I like. It's not that there aren't suitable options. I live in Texas after all, and where barbecue does not reign supreme, there's TexMex! So I decided to learn how to make my own fajitas at home. I started out just grilling the meat, but soon switched to cast iron.  If all of the restaurants are serving fajitas on a cast iron platter, there has to be a reason, right?

The Recipe:

Skirt Steak with Onions and Red Bell Peppers
on the Cast Iron Skillet. I threw in some
Chicken too!

• 1 Large Onion - Sliced
• 1 Large Red Bell Pepper - Sliced
• 1 lb Skirt Steak 
• Your Favorite Fajita Seasoning
• 1 Large Cast Iron Skillet 
• Olive Oil
• Salt and Pepper

Heat the cast iron skillet over a flame. I use a 15 inch cast iron skillet and an outdoor propane burner.

Marinate the onions and bell peppers in a gallon storage bag with olive oil and salt and pepper. Sometimes I'll throw in a few cloves of chopped garlic.

Season the skirt steak with your favorite fajita seasoning. I'm working on my own fajita seasoning that I'll share as soon as it is ready. Drizzle the steak with a little olive oil to prevent sticking.

When the cast iron is scorching, throw on the skirt steak. Put it all the way to one side. Flip the steak after just a few minutes. This is going to cook really fast. I like mine to be about a medium rare at most.

Add the onions and peppers on the other side. Make sure to stir those veggies often. You want them to blacken, without burning.

After clearing the meat and veggies from the skillet, I throw a few fresh tortillas on the skillet to warm them up. You can use the name brand tortillas, but most grocery stores make fresh tortillas in house these days so there's really no excuse. Just about a minute per side to get them to warm up

Slice up the skirt steak and pile it high on the tortillas with the onions and peppers. I like charro beans in my fajitas. Of course salsa and cheese, and sometimes guacamole. I've never been a sour cream fan. I don't like lettuce on my fajitas, because I'm not eating tacos. Fajitas go great with pico de gallo. I've got a great recipe for it here!

As always, happy eating!

This one tool will save your favorite cast iron pan | Fox News

I've written in the past about cleaning cast iron skillets. I use course salt to clean mine. I think I am going to have to try this tool out. From the first glance, it looks like it is course enough to help get the really hard cooked on food off, but delicate enough not to rid your pan of the perfect season you've taken years to create. I think I just might have to get one for myself!



This one tool will save your favorite cast iron pan | Fox News:



'via Blog this'

Cleaning Cast Iron Skillets and Carbon Steel Woks

It has probably happened to each of us at some point. You get a nice cast iron skillet seasoned to perfection and someone comes behind you and cleans it with soap or a degreaser. So how do you clean a cast iron skillet, or in this particular case, a carbon steel wok?

This Wok was dirty!

I reached for my wok the other day and it was nasty. It was dust covered, had food residue, probably some dog hair, and then towards the bottom, rust. A lot of people would probably throw it out at this point. But not me, I reached for the kosher salt.



First, I rinsed the wok in some water to remove as much of the dirt and grime as I could. I left about an inch water in the bottom of the wok and added some salt. The salt is going to act as an abrasive agent on the metal. Using a paper towel or rag, rub the salt around to remove the dirt, food and rust. When you're done, apply a thin coating of mineral oil to combat the elements. I like to let it sit on the stove to let all of the water evaporate off before I put my wok or cast iron skillets away.

Getting ready to scrub a cast iron skillet with Kosher sal

Clean Wok!

I was pretty excited to have a clean wok, so I made some stir fry that ended up as a fried rice. I checked out a few recipes for inspiration and got started.


The recipe:

• Peanut oil
• 1/2 pound skirt steak - cubed, marinated in soy sauce
• 1/2 onion - diced
• 1 bell pepper - diced
• 1/2 a package of mushrooms - diced
• 1 head of broccoli - trimmed and chopped
• 4 carrots - peeled and diced
• 4 garlic cloves - crushed and minced
• 1 cup rice - cooked (optional)
• 3 Tbsp butter
• Soy sauce
• White pepper
• Sesame seeds (optional)

Heat up the wok and add 1 Tbsp of peanut oil. Toss in the skirt steak and quickly stir around with a spatula. When the skirt steak is cooked through, add the butter and garlic. Toss around to coat and remove the skirt steak to bowl. 

Add all veggies, minus the mushrooms, and stir around until the color changes. Add the mushrooms and give a quick stir. Add the skirt steak back in and stir to mix. Sprinkle in some white pepper and some soy sauce. 

At this point, you can leave it as it is and enjoy it as a stir fry, or add the rice and make a fried rice dish. If you go the rice route, add it a little at a time so you stir it in and avoid it sticking. Once the rice browns a little, it's done. 

Plate it up and add some sesame seeds on top and enjoy.

Once it cools, be sure to clean your wok or cast iron skillet as described above so it doesn't end up in the same neglected state as mine.