Air Fryer Beef Fajitas (Ninja Foodi Recipe) (2024)

FAQs

How do you cook fajita meat so it's not tough? ›

Make your cuts perpendicular to it (this rule applies if you are making chicken fajitas too). Marinade with an Acid. Acids like citrus juice or vinegar tenderize meat by breaking down its fibers. Even 30 minutes of marinade time makes a difference.

The cooking time for a steak in the Ninja Foodi Air Fryer depends on the thickness and desired level of doneness. As a general guide, for a 1-inch thick steak, cook it for about 9-12 minutes for medium-rare, 12-15 minutes for medium, and 15-18 minutes for well-done.

You can use either skirt steak or flank steak for fajitas. Although the two cuts come from different parts of the cow, both skirt and flank steak soak up marinades well, cook quickly, and, when sliced thinly against the grain, taste tender and flavorful.

Preheat air fryer to 205 degrees C. Season the steak on both sides with a generous pinch of salt and several grinds of black pepper. Place the steak in the center of the air fryer basket and cook until desired doneness, about 10 minutes for medium-rare, 12 minutes for medium and 14 minutes for medium-well.

Flank steak is one of the most well-known kinds for anything that requires thin steaks. This thin cut works well for slicing, as required for tacos and fajitas. It's also relatively affordable compared to top-of-the-line steaks like ribeye and New York strip.

Steak Fajitas: While skirt steak is the traditional cut of meat used in fajitas, other cuts of steak can also be used, such as flank steak or sirloin steak. The steak is marinated in a mixture of lime juice, garlic, and spices, then grilled with onions and peppers.

Yes, that's right. You can cook raw meat in the air fryer.

The best way to ensure a juicy steak is to use high heat to cook the steak quickly, which will bring it to the proper temperature without drying it out. Remember to rest your steak after air frying to allow the meat to reabsorb juices and complete its cooking time without direct heat.

SLICE: Slice the meat against the grain into thin slices. I like to do so on an angle so the meat slices are tender and thin. Add it back to the veggies if you'd like. ASSEMBLY: Serve fajitas in tortillas or on rice bowls topped with your favorite toppings!

Fajita meat is marinated and grilled before it is cut into strips and served. The best way to get a tender slice of meat is to cut perpendicular to (across) the grain of the meat. Sometimes the grain is not straight across the whole piece of meat and can change direction several times, presenting a challenge.

Should I cut fajita meat before cooking? ›

While it's possible to cook the steak as a whole strip, I find it better to slice it with the grain into five- to six-inch pieces, which are easier to handle on the grill.

Your steak will cook through, if left on just one side. However, because flipping can place a different part of the steak closer to the heating element (for an air fryer, this is at the top), a steak will cook more evenly if flipped halfway through.

Season both sides generously. Let the steaks sit for 15-20 minutes to allow the flavors to penetrate the meat. To prevent the steaks from sticking to the air fryer basket, lightly grease it with olive oil or cooking spray. This will also aid in achieving a crispy crust.

Skirt steak is thin and lean, so going past medium-rare or medium doneness will yield an extremely dry and chewy steak. Cook it hot! Cook it fast with high heat, instead of low heat for slow cooking. There is not much connective tissue in skirt steak.

The first is to submerge meat in cooking oil (sunflower or olive oil) before you start cooking. The oil is absorbed and softens the meat. The second method is to add some vinegar while you're cooking and the vinegar will begin to tenderise the meat.