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

FAQs

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

Steak for fajitas should be cooked to rare or medium-rare for the best texture and flavor. 3. Slice thinly, against the grain. Cutting meat against the grain into thin strips shortens the muscle fibers, reducing the amount of work you have to do to chew them, and making even tough cuts taste tender.

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.

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.

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.

For your next fajita night, you can just stick to the affordable inner skirt steak. For perfectly tender steak fajitas, the secret is in the slice. To ensure your skirt steak doesn't turn out chewy, cut the meat against the grain.

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

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.

This recipe promises to be a one-pan dinner, but to ensure that the chicken's juices don't steam the vegetables — making them soggy — cook the vegetables first. Transfer them to a plate or cutting board, then cook the chicken in the same pan before bringing things together.

The difference is in the way you cut the meat. Asada is the complete cut of meat, marinated and then grilled. Fajitas is the grilled cut of meat sliced into strips that are perfect for tacos. Chicken fajitas are made from grilled chicken breast sliced to fit your favorite tortilla concoction.

Do I put oil on steak before air frying? ›

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Pat them dry with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture. 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.

Don't use steaks that are less than an inch in thickness. Thin steaks are prone to overcooking quickly and becoming chewy. To enjoy the best flavor and texture, allow the steaks to come to room temperature for at least 30 minutes before cooking them in the air fryer.

Air Fryer is a Healthier Option

Air fryers require little or no oil, which makes them a healthier option compared to traditional frying methods. Using an air fryer to cook your steak reduces fat and calories without sacrificing flavor. But that's not all air frying has to offer.

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.