By admin on May 26, 2023
Fajitas are a fan favorite at every Mexican Grille. Something about seeing a smoking skillet of grilled meat and vegetables passing by, or a mountain of fresh steamed tortillas in a cup, delights those who are eating them.
The Fajita is a delicious Mexican food, but it also has a fascinating history as well. Their origins begin in Northern Mexico, ranging all the way up into South Texas. Mexican ranch workers who took care of cattle in this area would sometimes receive skirt steak as payment.
At the time, the skirt steak was one of the less desirable portions of the cow. These workers quickly learned how to turn an average slice of meat into some of the most amazing foods out there, with a little marinade and seasoning.
As their methods caught on, the Fajita had a burst of popularity. By the 1970s, restaurants were regularly cooking and offering these fajitas in different ways. The fajita was now more than just a pile of meat on a tortilla—chefs were adding things like vegetables, cheese, and sour cream on the side.
Today, the new fajitas are so different, those first ranchers may not recognize it as the same dish. Despite becoming more elaborate than a simple meat and tortilla dish, the fajita is certainly as delicious as ever.
Fajitas are delicious even without all the fanfare, but they’re typically served on their own skillet, puffing away with clouds of delicious smelling steam. This incredible visual display came about from a German chef who started offering Fajitas at his restaurant.
George Weidmann was leading the Hyatt Regency in Austin in 1982 when he decided to put “Sizzling Fajitas” on the menu.
His idea was to take the popular dish, serve it with a more tender sirloin instead of skirt steak, and bring them out to the table steaming instead of simply on a plate. The smoking display not only assured the customer that it was hot and fresh, it amazed and delighted nearby customers, who suddenly decided they also wanted Fajitas for dinner.
His methods were so successful that he was often asked by other chefs in the surrounding area to teach them how to produce the same flavor and style.
Today, the fajita has changed since the first simple pile of meat on a tortilla made by cowboys. They now have vegetables as well as meat and can even be completely vegetarian. Other meats are also sometimes substituted for beef, including chicken and shrimp.
It has been close to a century since the first Fajita was made by a ranch hand somewhere along the Texas/Mexican border. Since that time the Fajita has gained in popularity and changed to fit the whims of the people eating it. If you are craving some fajitas, stop on by your local Mexican Grille and ask for sizzling fajitas today. Perhaps as you take your first bite of this delicious feast, you’ll be reminded of those cowboys who started it all long ago.
