Blog - Cooking On The Ranch

The Best Mexican Steak Marinade for Fajitas

May 8, 2024 By Lea Ann Brown 13 Comments

Imagine serving the best steak fajitas to your hungry family. Learn what it takes to turn a flank steak from good to great using this recipe for Mexican Steak Marinade for Fajitas. A recipe from the most popular Mexican Restaurant in Denver.

Flank steak fajitas with grilled vegetables and flour tortillas

Do you remember the first time you ordered fajitas in a restaurant? I most certainly do. It was at a popular chain restaurant and the presentation was a sizzling, head turning, theatrical production.

Now you can make restaurant style fajitas at home, that are even more delicious than those, and you won’t have to worry about burning yourself on that sizzling hot cast iron serving platter.

This grilled flank steak fajitas recipe is hands down the best fajita recipe I’ve ever made. And everyone I’ve served it to whole-heartedly agrees.

There are currently 30,700,000 Steak Fajitas Recipes on the internet. But there’s always room for one more. Especially when that “one more” is a recipe from one of Denver’s most popular Mexican Food Restaurants, The Rio Grande. Which boasts to have the best steak fajita marinade.

Let’s take a look at how to make homemade fajitas.

Rio Steak Fajitas with grilled vegetables and flour tortillas — This photo courtesy of the Rio Grande Restaurant, **Steak Fajitas**.

Tender juicy slices of grilled steak alongside grilled vegetables all wrapped in a flour tortilla and sprinkled with fresh pico de gallo = dynamite.

Ingredients You’ll Need To Make The Best Flank Steak Fajita Marinade

This flank steak fajita marinade comes together effortlessly, then all you have to do is sit back, relax and let it work its magic. The end result is a bright flavorful tender steak you’re going to love.

Ingredients to make the best steak fajitas marinade.

This marinade will make enough for four pounds of meat, with a little left over for basting as you grill.

Pineapple juice not only adds a wonderful tropical flavor, it also helps to tenderize the steak. The enzyme bromelain softens the meat while bringing a rich and tangy flavor. Lime and orange juice follow suit.
Soy Sauce acts like a good brine for this steak fajita marinade. Soy sauce not only tenderizes the meat, but also acts as a flavor enhance.
Worcestershire Sauce Does Worcestershire sauce tenderize meat? It’s full of so many wonderful flavors, and yes, the vinegar in Worcestershire sauce tenderizes meat. Sugar adds sweetness and shine, and the strong concentration of savory ingredients penetrate the meat.
Brown Sugar Does brown sugar tenderize meat? Sugar is a natural tenderizer, so you add it to effect the texture of the steak.
Kosher Salt Does Kosher salt work better for brining? Kosher salt simply has a more pure salty taste. Chefs prefer it. You can also use sea salt here.
Lime Juice: The acidity of lime juice will help tenderize the meat and brighten the flavor.
Garlic: Fresh chopped please.

Packages of chicken and steak marinating in flank steak fajitas marinade.

Step 1: Mix all marinade ingredients using a whisk, until sugar and salt are dissolved.. Set aside 1 cup of marinade to drizzle on top of your meat during and after cooking. Place flank steak into two zip-lock style bags. I’ve used 2 pounds flank steak and two pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs. You can also use skirt steak. Marinate for two hours. Discard marinade and grill meat.

Sliced vegetables to serve with flank steak fajitas.

Step 2: We like to serve flank steak fajitas just like the restaurant does, with grilled vegetables. Slice all vegetables into thick rings. Red bell peppers, green bell peppers, onions, jalapenos, plum tomatoes (halved) all work well here.

Questions You May Have

What Kind Of Steak Works Best For Fajitas?

Fajitas with flank steak are the norm for us. This steak fajitas marinade recipe will work for skirt steak, flank steak or even flat iron steak fajitas. If using skirt steak, marinade for 1 hour. If using flank steak or flat iron steak, marinade for two hours.

Is This Flank Steak Fajita Marinade Gluten Free?

Not if you’re using soy sauce. To make this a gluten free fajita marinade, use Tamari Sauce. Doing so will not change the flavor.

Tips For Success:

On Grilling Vegetables: Slice the bell peppers into thick rings. This will offer more grilling surface and there will be less risk in over cooking. Same for onions. Slice them into thick rings or wedges. Once grilled, serve them whole or rough chopped
On Grilling Flank Steak: We love cooking with flank steak because it’s a quick cooking piece of meat. Flank steak fajitas are customarily served cooked medium rare. Use a digital read steak thermometer to indicate an internal temperature of 130 – 135 degrees. This will take about 5 minutes per side, and just 2 – 3 minutes per side if using skirt steak.
Slicing Steak For Fajitas: Using a very sharp knife and slice the steak against the grain as thin as you can.

What To Serve With Flank Steak Fajitas

Warmed flour tortillas. Or use warmed corn tortillas for a gluten free meal.
Black Beans
Spanish Rice
Gulf Coast Style Baked Rice
Pico de Gallo
Guacamole (or slices of avocado)

More Western Steak Recipes

Taqueria Style Grilled Carne Asada, Carne Asada cooked on the grill takes the humble flank steak to a whole new level of greatness. A bold marinade adds flavor, moisturizes and tenderizes the meat.
Grilled Flank Steak with Chimichurri Sauce, A bright zesty, herb packed sauce that will blow you away. Also used as a marinade, the fresh vibrant flavors bring a zest of flavor to any type of meat.
Grilled T-Bone Steaks with Cowboy Butter, T-bones are simply and served with a Cowboy Butter dipping sauce for a perfect steak dinner.
Pan Seared Bison Steak Recipe, Served on a bed of red and yellow bell peppers that have been stir-fried and tossed with a grainy mustard sauce.

Flank Steak Fajitas are pure Tex-Mex cuisine. The work fajita means “little strip” Once that steak is marinated, this is a quick fix dinner. And a delicious one, at that. I hope you give this special steak fajita marinade recipe a try.

Especially if you’ve been making homemade fajitas with store-bought fajita seasoning. You’re about to elevate your fajita game.

And if you’re looking for more beef recipes, don’t miss my Beef Category, you’ll find lots of great recipe ideas, including the most popular beef recipe on my site for Beef Tagliata, a unique and easy flank steak recipe that will win your heart.

If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.

And, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter for more delicious recipes and cooking tips. Make it a delicious day … every day.

Flank Steak Fajitas with grilled vegetables, avocados and flour tortillas

Print Recipe

5 from 6 votes

The Best Mexican Marinade For Steak Fajitas

Prep Time15

Cook Time10

Marinade time1

Course: Main Course Beef

Cuisine: Tex-Mex

Servings: people

Calories: 114kcal

Author: Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

¾ cups pineapple juice
½ cup soy sauce or tamari sauce to make this gluten free
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
4 cloves garlic peeled and rough chopped
2 Tablespoon Brown sugar
¾ cups orange juice
4 Tablespoons lime juice fresh, from two limes.
½ cup water
1 Tablespoons kosher salt

Instructions

Mix all marinade ingredients using a whisk, until sugar and salt are dissolved.. Set aside ½ cup of marinade to drizzle on top of your meat during and after cooking.
Marinate 2 pounds flank steak in the marinade for two hours. Two zip lock style bags work well here. Simply place the meat in the bags, and divide the marinade between the two bags. Squeeze the air out, squish the marinade around several time to distribute and refrigerate.
Preheat grill to 500 degrees. Remove the steak from the marinade and let excess drip off. Reduce the grill heat to 400 degrees. Cook the Flank Steak, about 5 minutes per side. Skirt steak, a much thinner cut of meat, will only take about 2-3 minutes per side. You want a good sear on the outside and medium rare on the inside.
I like to drizzle on a little of the reserved marinade once I place the steaks on the grill and again when I turn them.
About half way through the cooking time, place vegetables in a grill basket and add them to the grill. I like to drizzle them with a little olive oil to help the browning process.
Using tongs, toss the vegetables often to get a good char. If using plum tomatoes, cut them in half and cook them cut side down, without turning. If they get charred before the other veggies, just move them to a cooler part of the grill.
Remove the meat from grill, tent with foil and let rest for 10 minutes.
Slice meat as thin and you can and against the grain, drizzle with some reserved marinade and serve with your favorite accompaniments like a "build your own fajita taco."
Serve alongside grilled vegetables.
Serve flank steak fajitas with warmed flour or corn tortillas, black beans, Spanish rice, pico de gallo and guacamole.

Notes

This fajitas marinade recipe is a restaurant recipe used to prepare steak fajitas to feed a crowd. It makes e cups of marinade, or enough to marinade 4 pounds of flank steak, skirt steak or even chicken.

This recipe is compliments of the Popular Denver Mexican Restaurant, The Rio Grande.

Tips For Success:

On Grilling Vegetables: Slice the bell peppers into thick rings. This will offer more grilling surface and there will be less risk in over cooking. Same for onions. Slice them into thick rings or wedges. Once grilled, serve them whole or rough chopped
On Grilling Flank Steak: We love cooking with flank steak because it’s a quick cooking piece of meat. Flank steak fajitas are customarily served cooked medium rare. Use a digital read steak thermometer to indicate an internal temperature of 130 – 135 degrees. This will take about 5 minutes per side, and just 2 – 3 minutes per side if using skirt steak.
Slicing Steak For Fajitas: Using a very sharp knife and slice the steak against the grain as thin as you can.

Nutrition

Mexican Steak Marinade for Fajitas …. It’s Whats for Dinner

Beer Braised Pulled Pork Enchiladas Verde

May 1, 2024 By Lea Ann Brown 18 Comments

A single bottle of beer turns these Braised Pulled Pork Enchiladas Verde into a magical Mexican Meal. The slow cooker insures a steamy blend of well balanced exciting flavors. And Simply warming the tortillas to make them pliable to roll, makes this an easier enchilada recipe over those where corn tortillas are fried and dipped.

My post has all the process shots, hints and tips for you to make the very best pulled pork enchiladas with Mexican green sauce. Let's get started.

There’s nothing we love more than homemade Mexican Food. You should try my super easy recipe for Chili Burrito. With cheese and rice, it’s a great way to use left over chili con carne.

Pulled pork enchiladas verde served on a rustic plate with black beans.

What You Can Expect From This Recipe

If you’re craving something cheesy, comforting and just right spicy, Pork Enchiladas Verde are easy enough for a weeknight dinner.

Juicy pulled pork that’s been cooked tender in the slow cooker, is shredded and wrapped in warm corn tortillas. Smothered in green enchilada sauce and baked until bubbly hot, it’s a flavor packed meal that the family will love.

So, let’s talk about enchiladas. What do you like in yours? Chicken? Beef Machaca? Cheese? My answer is a resounding yes. To all.

My latest enchilada project found inspiration in a single bottle of beer. Using my slow cooker, a pork roast, a combination of some of my favorite warming spices, and canned green enchilada sauce made for a very flavorful and tender filling for pulled pork enchiladas.

Enchiladas fall into the comfort food category in a big way. When someone makes you enchiladas for you it means they love you. Enchiladas are a labor of love and can quite frankly be time consuming.

That’s because traditional enchilada recipes call for frying and then dipping the corn tortillas in sauce before rolling. For this recipe, we’re taking an easier route by simply warming the corn tortillas to make them pliable and rollable.

These pulled pork enchiladas with green sauce is a happy tangy switch well balanced blend of flavors, a nice switch from traditional red-sauced enchiladas. I hope you give these slow cooker pork enchiladas it a try.

Let’s take a look:

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Ingredients You’ll Need

Ingredients to make beer braised pulled pork enchiladas verde.

Bone-in or boneless pork shoulder roast.
Mexican Oregano
New Mexico Chimayo Chile Powder, Chimayo preferred
Chili seasoning powder
Sweet smoked paprika.
Green Enchilada Sauce, canned to make this an easy recipe.
Fresh Garlic Cloves
Sweet Onion
Beer, your favorite brand
Cheese: A good white melting cheese. I like Pepper Jack. You can use Monterey Jack or Muenster cheese.
Yellow Corn Tortillas

Mexican Oregano is preferred for this recipe. It's peppery, grassy, earthy flavor is a good compliment for Mexican Food. If you don't have Mexican Oregano, substitute Marjoram. Known for its aroma and delicate flavor, its related to Mexican oregano and will bring a sweet undertone to any recipe.

Ingredient Notes and Swaps

About Chile Powders: You’ll notice this recipe calls for both Chili (with an “i”) and Chile (with an “e”) powders. Chili powder or seasoning is a blend of seasonings commonly used to season Tex-Mex Chili type soups. Chile powder is a single blend red chile powder made from red chile peppers. To learn more about the differences, please refer to my article Chili vs. Chile.
Smoked Paprika: Adds a beautiful layer of smoky flavor to this recipe. Since we’re using chile powder, which can be spicy, I’ve specified sweet smoked paprika. If you want to add more heat, substitute hot smoked paprika.
I used a large can of Las Palmas Green Enchilada Sauce. You can make a double batch of this Homemade Roasted Tomatillo Salsa for the verde topping.
Purchase a block of cheese and grate it yourself. Packaged pre-grated cheeses contain additives that will keep the cheese from clumping. They can also cause the cheese not to melt smooth and creamy.

Step by Step Instructions

Step 1: Make The Seasoning Rub For The Pork: In a small bowl, use a fork to combine to combine the chile powder, chili powder, smoked paprika and Mexican oregano.

Searing a pork roast to make pork enchiladas verde.

Adding spice mix to the top of a pork roast to make pork enchiladas verde.

Step 2: Sear the pork roast. My slow cooker has a removable insert that can be used to sear and brown meat stove-top. If you don’t have an insert, use a large skillet to brown the pork roast on both sided before continuing.
Step 3: Add the spice mix: Sprinkle the spice mix on top of the pork roast. Use your fingers to gently pat the mix on the pork.

Pro Tip: Don't skip searing the meat. This is a crucial step in getting the most flavor out of this meal. Searing creates what is technically called Maillard reaction. Maillard reaction is the process where a crust is created. Simply stated, it's responsible for the complex flavors and aroma that makes bread taste toasty, and a grilled or pan seared seared steak, like my recipe for Denver Steak, taste charred. It's a technique that brings science to your cooking skills.

Shredding pork to make pork enchiladas verde.

Step 4: Shred the pork. Let the pork cool and and place meat onto a large surface that you can fine shred the meat with two forks. I like to use a disposable foil roasting pan for pulled pork enchiladas. At this point I like to sprinkle on more red chile powder to add more heat. Use a slotted spoon to fish out the onions from the crock pot and add them and 1 cup of the liquid from the slow cooker to the pork. Shred the pork removing and discarding any large chunks of fat.
Step 5: How To Fill and Roll Enchiladas Verdes. I like to use the casserole dish I’m going to bake them in. Add about ½ cup of Green Enchilada Sauce to the bottom of the casserole dish. Swirl it around to coat the bottom. Add a good pinch of shredded pork to the middle of a warmed tortilla. Add ¼ cup of shredded cheese and very gently roll the tortilla, placing it seam side in the casserole dish. Continue, using the casserole dish as your platform. Keep pushing the enchiladas to the end to make room for 8 enchiladas.

Pork enchiladas verde in a casserole dish ready to bake.

Pork Enchiladas Verde topped with shredded cheese ready to bake.

Step 6: In the end you’ll have two casserole dishes of 8 each pork and cheese filled enchiladas, seam side down, ready to top with cheese.
Step 7: Smother With More Shredded Cheese: Pour the remainder of the Green Enchilada Sauce over the enchiladas and top generously with more shredded cheese.

Pork Enchiladas Verde topped with sliced jalapeno peppers and chopped cilantro.

Step 8: Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, or until everything is bubbly and cheese is melted.
Step 9: Top with chopped cilantro and sliced jalapenos to serve. Or pass these items at the table.

Questions You May Have

Can I Use A Pork Loin Roast?

I highly recommend you use a pork shoulder roast to make this pork verde recipe. Avoid a pork loin, or pork tenderloin. They are leaner cuts of meat and will tend to dry out. Pork shoulder roast has enough fat to keep the meat tender and juicy and very shreddable.

Can I Use Cheddar Cheese?

Absolutely. I used a white melting cheese for this recipe to compliment the lighter flavors and color of the Green Enchilada Sauce. Choose whatever good melting cheese you’d like.

Can You Use White Corn Tortillas?

I prefer yellow corn tortillas for the corn forward flavor and their sturdy nature. White corn tortillas are somewhat more delicate than yellow corn tortillas, so you’ll need to be more careful during the rolling process. But yes, you can use white corn tortillas.

Can You Use Flour Tortillas?

No, then you’d be making a smothered burrito rather than Pulled Pork Enchiladas Verde. An enchilada is made with corn tortillas, a burrito is made with flour tortillas.

Can You Use A Dutch Oven to Make This Recipe?

Yes. Simply follow the directions and allow about three hours of oven cooking time for the pork.

How To Serve It

Serve it with black beans, canned chile beans, or my recipe for Oven Baked Rice for side dishes. Instant Pot Refried Beans are always a popular side.
Once the enchiladas are out of the oven, top them with chopped cilantro, sliced fresh jalapeno peppers, or sliced Pickled Jalapeno Peppers before serving. And pass a bowl of chopped fresh onion, a customary topping for Mexican enchiladas.

Make Ahead

Unfortunately this is not a great recipe to make ahead and bake the next day. Why? If the enchiladas are prepared and allowed to sit overnight, the green enchilada sauce will cause the corn tortillas to become soggy. And baking will not help crisp them up. It’s best to make this the day they are served.

Tips For Success

You simply can’t take a corn tortilla out of the bag and use it to make enchiladas or tacos. You have to warm the tortilla to make it pliable. Use the instructions in the recipe card for warming corn tortillas.

Storage and Leftovers

Store any leftover enchiladas verde in the refrigerator well covered with either foil or plastic wrap.
I recommend the best way to reheat enchiladas is in individual serving portions. A microwave oven works well here.
Left over enchiladas will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can freeze them for 3 months.
Depending on the size of pork shoulder you purchased, you may have left over shredded pork. Place any leftovers in a freezer safe zip-loc style bag. Always remember to label the bag using a sharpie marker. Use these leftovers to make more Pork Enchilada Verde in the future.

Recipe for Beer Braised Pulled Pork Enchiladas Verde

Baked pork enchiladas verde served with black beans.

This Beer Braised Pork Enchilada Verde recipe is a great dish over which to unwind and catch up with friends. It’s creamy, savory, full of flavor with just enough spicy pizazz.

And if you’re a fan of Mexican food, don’t miss my Mexican Southwest Recipes Category. You’ll find lots of great recipe to spice up your meal plans. Including the most popular on my site for Hatch Green Chili with Pork.

And don’t miss this one for Mexican Chicken Casserole with Tortilla Chips . A crowd cheesy creamy crowd pleasing recipe.

If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.

And, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter for more delicious recipes and cooking tips. Make it a delicious day … every day.

Pork enchiladas verde served with a side of black beans.

Print Recipe

5 from 4 votes

Beer Braised Pulled Pork Enchiladas Verde

A single bottle of beer turns these Beer Braised Pulled Pork Enchiladas Verde into a magical Mexican meal. The slow cooker insures a steamy blend of flavors.

Prep Time30

Cook Time30

Total Time1

Course: Main Course Pork

Cuisine: Mexican

Diet: Gluten Free

Servings: Enchiladas

Calories: 137kcal

Author: Lea Ann Brown