So, where does the fajita meat at your local spot actually come from? In the U.S., most of it starts at massive cattle ranches in Texas, Nebraska, or Kansas. The cows live on grass for a while, then get fattened on grain. Those big, happy (ish) bovines get processed at packing plants, where the skirt steak gets separated from the rest of the cow.
But here’s the funny part: Americans love steak, but we eat the tender cuts like ribeyes and T-bones first. The skirt and flank steak used to be leftovers. Now, thanks to fajita mania, demand for those cuts has skyrocketed. The price has gone up too. You might pay more for a single skirt steak than for a fancy ribeye. Irony, much?
The International Connection
Did you know that a huge chunk of the fajita meat in the U.S. actually comes from other countries? Specifically, Mexico and Australia. Mexican skirt steak is often leaner and grass-fed, with a beefier flavor. Australian beef is similar — grass-fed and full of character.
Why import it? Because Americans can’t get enough. We’ve turned fajita night into a religion. So ranchers in other countries raise cattle just for our sizzling cravings. It’s like having a distant cousin who sends you a care package of exotic snacks, except it’s beef.
Fajita Word Origin at Dennis Penn blog
