By January 2026. Winter in Memphis, 67 years old, and the cold has settled into the house on Deadrick Avenue the way cold settles into old bones — persistently, without malice, just the physics of aging and December. Rosetta has the thermostat set at 74, our eternal compromise, and I cook warming things: stews and soups and slow-braised meats that fill the house with steam and flavor.
Walter Jr. came by with the grandchildren, bringing the noise and energy that grandchildren bring, the house expanding to hold them the way a good pot expands to hold a good stew. Trey at the smoker, learning, absorbing, his hands getting steadier each visit, the fire recognizing him the way fire recognizes those who are meant to tend it.
I experimented this week — smoked pork belly burnt ends, cubed and re-smoked with sauce and butter until they were sticky, caramelized, and indecent. The kind of food that makes Rosetta say "Earl, your arteries" and then eat three more pieces, because even nurses have limits, and the limit of smoked pork belly burnt ends has not yet been found by human science.
I sat in the lawn chair next to Uncle Clyde's smoker as the dark came on, and I thought about what I always think about: the chain. From Clyde to me. From me to Trey, maybe, or Jerome, or whoever comes next with the patience and the hands and the willingness to stand next to a fire at three in the morning and wait for something good to happen. The chain doesn't break. The fire doesn't stop. And I am here, 67 years old, in a lawn chair in Orange Mound, Memphis, Tennessee, watching the smoke rise, and the rising is the living, and the living is the gift.
After a day like that one — the smoke, the grandchildren, Trey’s hands getting steadier at the fire, the pork belly gone indecent — the next evening calls for something that keeps that same energy but moves it inside where Rosetta has the heat set to 74 and the cold stays outside where it belongs. Beef fajitas do exactly that: high heat, sizzling iron, bold seasoning, and the whole family crowding the kitchen the same way they crowded the smoker. The chain keeps going, one meal at a time.
Fantastic Beef Fajitas
Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 15 min | Total Time: 35 min | Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs flank steak or skirt steak, sliced thin against the grain
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 large red bell pepper, sliced into strips
- 1 large green bell pepper, sliced into strips
- 1 large yellow onion, sliced into half-rings
- 12 small flour tortillas, warmed
- Sour cream, shredded cheddar, salsa, and lime wedges for serving
Instructions
- Marinate the beef. In a large bowl, combine 2 tablespoons oil, lime juice, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Add the sliced steak and toss to coat. Let marinate at room temperature for at least 15 minutes, or cover and refrigerate up to 4 hours.
- Cook the vegetables. Heat a large cast-iron skillet or heavy pan over medium-high heat. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil, then add the sliced peppers and onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 6—8 minutes until softened and lightly charred at the edges. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Sear the beef. Return the skillet to high heat. Working in batches if needed, add the marinated beef strips in a single layer. Cook without stirring for 2 minutes to develop a good sear, then stir and cook another 1—2 minutes until the beef is just cooked through.
- Combine and serve. Return the vegetables to the skillet with the beef. Toss together over high heat for 1 minute so everything is hot and the flavors meld. Serve immediately on warmed flour tortillas with sour cream, shredded cheddar, salsa, and lime wedges on the side.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 480 | Protein: 34g | Fat: 18g | Carbs: 42g | Fiber: 3g | Sodium: 620mg