Fajitas

Working-class origins

Fajitas began as a cattle-country dish in the Rio Grande Valley of south Texas. Mexican vaqueros (cowboys) working on Texas ranches were sometimes paid partly in beef — specifically the less desirable cuts, including the skirt steak (the diaphragm muscle). This tough, flavourful cut was marinated, grilled over an open fire, and served on a tortilla.

The dish was largely unknown outside south Texas until the 1970s when Sonny Falcon started selling fajitas at rodeos and festivals, and Ninfa’s restaurant in Houston popularised the format.

The sizzle

The defining theatrical element of restaurant fajitas is the cast-iron skillet — preheated until extremely hot, then loaded with the sliced meat and peppers. It arrives at the table still sizzling and smoking. The spectacle became a major draw.

Skirt vs. flank vs. chicken

• Skirt steak — the original; intensely beefy flavour, coarser grain, benefits most from marination
• Flank steak — now more common as skirt became expensive; leaner
• Chicken thighs — widely adopted; marinates well, stays moist
• Portobello mushroom or peppers — vegetarian versions in modern Tex-Mex

Assembly

The components arrive separately: meat, vegetables, warm tortillas, and condiments (guacamole, salsa, sour cream). Diners assemble their own portions — part of the appeal.