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I made a bunch of kabobs. Now I want to turn the leftovers into fajitas. How can I keep the meet tender for the second dish? I'm using beef and chicken.

The kabobs were (slightly over) cooked on a BBQ.

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    Please provide more detail of what you have "Kabob" (kebab) is not a technical term, and means many different things depending where you live. Are the Kebabs raw or cooked? Why do you think it will not be tender?
    – TFD
    May 11, 2011 at 4:53
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    Sorry I've edited my question
    – three-cups
    May 12, 2011 at 1:52
  • What type and cut of meat did you use for the kabobs? Was it whole pieces of meat (e.g., shish), sliced meat (e.g., döner), or a mincemeat (e.g., köfte)? Also, please clarify what you mean by "BBQ". Do you really mean, "slow cooking using wood or charcoal to impart smoke to the food"? I'm guessing you actually mean "grilling". The combination of meat type and original cooking method might inform a better way to repurpose the meat.
    – ESultanik
    May 12, 2011 at 12:50
  • Wow! I'm learning a ton just reading your comment. I guess I meant grilling. I used ~1" cubes of meat on the grill.
    – three-cups
    May 13, 2011 at 20:44

3 Answers 3

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  1. Slice it thinly across the grain.

That's it.

If it's properly sliced, it'll be tender, as there isn't enough internal structure left for it to resist it falling apart.

Even though it's not technically the correct way to to cook fajitas, I'd go with a mix of Bruce's #1 and 2 : simmer it 'til warmed through in an appropriately flavored liquid (a mix of lime juice and any generic italian salad dressing works well), then drain, and give it some some fast heat to sear.

Of course, this assumes that they're already cooked ... if they're not, then just marinate, cook, and slice (again, against the grain).

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  • Thinly sliced it against the grain, and it worked great. Thanks!
    – three-cups
    May 13, 2011 at 20:45
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A few options:

  1. Low and slow. Reheat the meat slowly in the oven (or slow cooker) at a low temperature (above 165F) in a tasty liquid.

  2. Faster + hackier. Store overnight in something like the braising liquid from #1, with some acidic base (lime, for example). Reheat normally.

  3. Smash to bits. Before reheating, put the meat in a baggie and smash with the butt of your knife (or some other smashing tool). You could also use a rolling pin.

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You can take any meat and slice it thinly to make it instantly tender, adding an au jus or sauce and voila!

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