Pork Fajitas — The Chain From the Smoker to the Table

January 2025. Winter in Memphis, 66 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.

Rosetta beside me through the week, steady as ever, the woman who runs this household with the precision of a hospital ward and the heart of a mother who has loved fiercely for 41 years of marriage.

Comfort food this week: a big pot of collard greens with smoked turkey neck, simmered for three hours until the greens were dark and silky and the pot liquor was a treasure. The kitchen smelled like Mama's kitchen in the shotgun house, and I stood at the stove and stirred and thought about hands — her hands, small and strong, teaching mine everything they know about turning humble ingredients into something that feeds not just the body but the soul.

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, 66 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.

Sitting next to Uncle Clyde’s smoker that night, watching the smoke rise over Orange Mound, I kept thinking about the same thing I always think about when fire is involved — how heat transforms the humble into something memorable. These pork fajitas are my weeknight version of that same truth: seasoned strips of pork, cooked fast and hot in a skillet, filling the kitchen with the kind of sizzle that calls people to the table before you even say a word. It’s not Clyde’s smoker, but the spirit is the same — good pork, good fire, good people.

Pork Fajitas

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 15 min | Total Time: 30 min | Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lbs pork tenderloin, sliced into thin strips
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 green bell pepper, sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• 1 large yellow onion, sliced
• 8 flour tortillas (8-inch), warmed
• Sour cream, salsa, shredded cheese, and lime wedges for serving

Instructions

1. Season the pork. In a large bowl, combine chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, salt, and black pepper. Add pork strips and toss until evenly coated. Let sit for at least 10 minutes to absorb the flavors.
2. Heat the skillet. Heat a large cast iron skillet or heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and let it get hot until it just begins to shimmer.
3. Cook the pork. Add the seasoned pork strips in a single layer — work in batches if needed to avoid crowding. Cook for 3–4 minutes per side until nicely browned and cooked through. Remove pork to a plate and tent loosely with foil.
4. Cook the vegetables. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the same skillet. Add the sliced bell peppers and onion. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, for 5–7 minutes until softened and lightly charred at the edges.
5. Combine and finish. Return the pork strips to the skillet with the vegetables. Toss everything together and cook for 1–2 minutes more so the flavors come together. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
6. Serve. Spoon the pork and vegetable mixture into warm flour tortillas. Serve with sour cream, salsa, shredded cheese, and lime wedges alongside.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 520 | Protein: 38g | Fat: 16g | Carbs: 52g | Fiber: 4g | Sodium: 780mg