Howdy,
The other day I was hunting through the deep freeze and I came across our last Tri Tip roast that we brought back from Fargo last September when we were down there for EggFest.
But before I get started on the fajitas, gotta get started on the Friday night beverages. To go with the steak fajitas I figured I needed something refreshing with Tequila to go with it. The clear answer was a classic lime Margarita.
It’s a simple recipe
2oz 100% Agave Tequila
1oz Orange Liqueur
1/2 Lime freshly squeezed
Ice
The recipe is 2 to 1 Tequila to Orange Liqueur. If you are making a pitcher, do 8oz – 4oz for example.
It is important to use a GOOD Tequila. Forget anything that says GOLD on the label. That’s what is called a Mixto Tequila and uses sugar sources other than Blue Agave. It is cheap, gut rot Tequila. ALWAYS make sure your Tequila says 100% Blue Agave on the label. It is of better quality. From there, you have the option of aging, which will give it a more mellow but more oak influence.
Load ice into a Margarita glass, then dump into a cocktail shaker. Add Tequila, Orange Liqueur and fresh lime juice and shake for about 10-15 seconds and finally pour back into Margarita glass. If you use the glass to measure the ice you will be sure not to over fill it.
So after making some refreshing libations, took the Tri Tip that I had thawed it out in the fridge over night and then I hit it with a little olive oil and then Dizzy Pig Cow Lick and put it back in the fridge while I prepped everything else.
Next up was the Guacamole. Avocado, tomato, green onion, cilantro, lime juice and a hit of salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder and Tabasco.
I then fired up the XL. Got it going to about 600 where I could sear the Tri Tip
When the steak was ready I put it on the raised grid, dropped the temp to about 400F and put the cast iron skillet on to heat up. I had cut up some onions, bell pepper and jalapenos.
Onions went on first
When they were getting caramelized
I added the peppers
And then let them cook down for a bit
I pulled the Tri Tip off at about 130F and let it rest for about 5 minutes, but it wasn’t long enough. This is what happens when you don’t let your meat rest!!!! Be warned!!!
Finally made up some Fajitas
Tri Tip, in my opinion, is the BEST cut of meat for making Fajitas. Sure you could use flank or skirt, but Tri Tip just has so much beefy flavour and stands up to the spices very well! I highly recommend it if you can find it!!!
Happy Egging!
Brian
Gotta get to the tri tip one day. I do not see it much around here though. Nice cornbread scars on your Ci.
Yeah, I never used to get tri tip here either, which is why we brought this one back from North Dakota. However, my new butcher will get if for me now, but normally you never see it in any of the standard grocery stores.
And yup, you called it, corn bread scars
Hey Brian, love your blog! I’m also a Winnipeg Egg Head, i feel your pain cooking at -20C, but using the Egg is so much better than the gas grill (and it works so much better in the cold). Keep up the good cooking, and let me know if there is going to be a Wpg EggFest
Thanks John! I seriously need to get a patio heater for some of those -20 cooks!!! Get some warmth coming down from above and find a use for my old propane tanks
As for a local EggFest, I asked the folks over at Hearth & Patio if they would consider doing an EggFest but they said that you need to have your food handler’s certificate in order to cook for the public. So that kind of throws a monkey wrench in for most people.
Keep Eggin!!!
Brian
Tri-tip for fajitas? Really? I think the cold is starting to affect your brain, Brian. Skirt steak is the only acceptable meat for a fajita (which means little strap, btw). And going further, there is really no such thing as chicken or shrimp fajitas (where’s the little strap or skirt on a chicken or shrimp). Take it from a native born Texan.
Nah, I’m just giving you a hard time. Your fajitas look good. We have the same problem finding tri-tip down here as well, although it is starting to show up from time to time.
I can never find skirt steak up here. I could ask my butcher to get me some but I have never seen in it anywhere and I have looked. I do sometimes use flank steak for fajitas as well, but find it to be much tougher and chewier than tri-tip, which is why I now prefer tri-tip for fajitas. HOWEVER, I will take it from a native Texan (IE you) that skirt is the way to go and I will ask my butcher to get me some for next time