Tasty Tuesday – Steak Fajita Skewers with Cilantro Chimichurri

Welcome to Tuesday! Today I want to share a really, really delicious recipe that you will knock the socks off your dinner party guests. I was seriously impressed with myself when I made this recipe (ok, Mike did do the BBQing…). This was my first time buying sirloin steak (I actually am not sure I’ve ever bought steak at all?). I’m not afraid to eat red meat, in fact I do eat it on average once a week, but it’s usually when eating out.

I admit, I was a little intimated by the ingredient list when I first saw it, but luckily I had the majority of the spices. I also omitted a few things that I just didn’t have on hand (I’ll include the full recipe here and let you know what I left out) and it still turned out great. I don’t recommend doing this if you’re baking, but with cooking, improvisation is welcome!

BBQ Seasoning:

• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon oregano, rubbed between the palms of your hands (I used Italian seasoning as I didn’t have oregano)
• 1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
• Fresh ground black pepper to taste

Beef Skewers

• 2 pounds top sirloin steak, cut into approximately 1 to 1 1/2 inch cubes (I actually only bought 1 pound because it was just for me and Mike)
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
• 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
• 1 green bell pepper, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces (instead of green pepper I used mushrooms)
• 1 red onion, halved then each half cut into quarters
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided 

Cilantro Chimichurri:

The skewers were really good even without the chimichurri, although I really do think the chimichurri added some great flavor and I would recommend making it, assuming you don’t think cilantro tastes like soap. 

• 1/2 cup packed cilantro leaves
• 1/2 cup packed flat leaf parsley
• 1 jalapeño, seeds removed and finely chopped
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1 green onion, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar (forgot to buy, so used white vinegar instead)
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1/3 cup olive oil (I used about half of this)
• Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

Steak Fajita Skewers:

1. In a small bowl whisk together the ingredients for the steak and vegetable seasoning.
2. In a gallon sized freezer bag place the steak cubes, 2 teaspoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the seasoning mix.
3. Seal the bag, pressing out all of the air, then massage the oil and seasoning into the steak.
4. Let it rest for several minutes or even overnight if you want to make it ahead of time (I made it in the late morning and grilled in the evening).
5. In a medium sized bowl or another freezer bag, add the peppers, red onion, remaining seasoning mix and 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Toss to coat.
6. Preheat grill to medium-high heat and brush the grates with oil.
7. Thread 8-10 metal or (soaked) wooden skewers evenly with the steak and vegetables. Sprinkle with a little extra salt and pepper before placing them on the grill.
8. Grill the skewers, turning them occasionally, until grill marks appear. Approximately 7-9 minutes for medium-rare.
9. Serve the skewers topped with the cilantro chimichurri or alongside them for dipping.

Cilantro Chimichurri

1. Place all of the ingredients into a food processor and purée until smooth.
2. Pour into a small bowl and set aside until ready to serve. Makes 1 cup.

I served this with a side of roast sweet potatoes (slice and cover in olive oil and cinnamon and roast for 20 minutes at 400) and garlic green beans. It was DELICIOUS!

How often do you barbecue at home? What is your favorite thing to BBQ when you want to impress people?