Summer of POM
Not too long ago, I shared a recipe for a POMegranate-Soy-Garlic Marinade that I had created when POM Wonderful sent me a case of their tasty pomegranate juice. Since then, I have been cooking more and more with the juice; pomegranate has found its way into so many of the dishes I have been creating lately. It has proven to be even more versatile than I had originally thought.
So, when the kind folks at POM Wonderful asked if I would like to contribute to their first ever POM Summer Menu Series, it was a no-brainer! I had already accumulated several recipes and ideas, and it sounded like a lot of fun. Myself and three other creative food bloggers will be sharing recipes using POM Wonderful Pomegranate Juice each week during the month of July, providing you with a full menu of inspiration. We will rotate between entrees, salads, desserts and cocktails. It is my pleasure to introduce you to:
Danica’s Daily
Fitness & Spice
Being Chelsea
For this week’s kick off, I present you with an Entree.
When you think of pomegranate juice, it seems inevitable to pair it with alcohol, doesn’t it? I couldn’t help but do the same for my POMegranate-Beer Steak Fajitas. Using a tangy pomegranate juice with a good quality dark beer infuses steak fajitas with a deep, rich flavor that is a wonderful base for the bright, fresh and spicy bite of salsa and guacamole dressings. So go ahead and give some steak a nice drink of POM and beer – who says cows can’t get a little tipsy?
POMegranate-Beer Steak Fajitas
- 1 cup POM Wonderful Pomegranate Juice
- 1 cup dark beer (such as a stout)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 cup cilantro, minced
- 1-2 tablespoons Sriracha hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 2-3 lbs skirt or flank steak
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 lime, juiced
- olive oil
- flour tortillas
- your favorite toppings: fresh salsa, guacamole, sour cream, cheese
Combine marinade ingredients (from pomegranate juice to salt); this can also be done in a blender. Place beef in the marinade and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
In a bowl, toss thinly sliced red onions, lime juice, a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper. Set aside.
Drain the beef and season with salt and pepper. In a grill pan or an outdoor grill, grill the steaks, roughly 3 to 4 minutes per side. Allow to rest on a cutting board before slicing. Grill the red onions and toss with the sliced meat.
Warm tortillas in a microwave – place a stack on a plate, cover with a moistened paper towel, and microwave for about 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until warm.
Serve the fajitas by placing sliced beef and onions on a tortilla and dress with guacamole, sour cream, salsa and shredded cheese.
Oh my goodness… you just made me chuckle with your “tipsy” comment. This looks like a wonderful recipe and I’ll share it with my husband for the next time he plans on grilling. And, of course, the pictures are stunning!
Liren replied: — June 29th, 2010 @ 11:02 pm
Thanks Brian! I realized later that there could be double meaning behind cows being tipsy and being tipped, LOL. Never went cow tipping myself, but having gone to college in upstate NY, there was a lot of talk about that. ANYWAY, hope your hubs tries the recipe the next time he grills – it’s tasty!
what a great marinade! and those fajitas look delicious!! Now I am even more hungry than I already was……no licking the screen does not help…..sigh
Liren replied: — June 29th, 2010 @ 11:03 pm
LOL, I doubt the computer screen tasted very good, but hope you get to try the marinade soon. It’s nothing compared to your pomegranate cake though!
POM and Beer, now I am hooked. I love homemade fajitas and am definitely going to try this variation!
Liren replied: — June 29th, 2010 @ 11:04 pm
Hi Debbie! I hope you do – POM and beer work well together…at least in this!
wow i love fajitas but i’ve never heard of mixing pomegranate and beer together to marinade. It definitely sounds delicious. I use pineapple juice, lime, cilantro, and soy sauce for my fajitas.
Liren replied: — June 29th, 2010 @ 11:04 pm
Mmm, pineapple juice is great in fajitas! The POM has a nice tangy taste, so it works similarly to the pineapple. I think you’ll like it!
I love this marinate. Did the POM give the steaks a nice tangy taste? I wouldn’t have thought of using POM. Great add.
Liren replied: — June 29th, 2010 @ 11:05 pm
Actually, the tang mellows out, and the sweetness of the juice also plays a nice role in this marinade. It works so well on the beef!
Brilliant! I’m not a meat eater but there’s hope for me yet! ;-) I think I can make this marinade work for portabella mushrooms.
Thanks for the inspiration!
Liren replied: — June 29th, 2010 @ 11:16 pm
Yes! Love that idea – portobello mushrooms would work well with this!
Love this. I think it will be a great marinade for any type of protein.
Liren replied: — June 29th, 2010 @ 11:16 pm
Thanks Chelsea! Yes, it would work well with all kinds of meats (and tofu!).
Wow! With the cumin, cloves, stout and everything else..these fajitas would have packed in a real flavor punch!
Love your creativity with POM! And you’re getting healthier. =)
Liren replied: — June 29th, 2010 @ 11:11 pm
LOL, you noticed! But no worries…I’ll be making a dessert with it soon ;)
Oooh Yum!! Haven’t had fajitas in years!! I love the marinade and I’m sure the steak appreciated a drink before landing on the grill too ;)
You make me soooooo wish I had a real, proper grill *sigh*
Liren replied: — June 29th, 2010 @ 11:12 pm
LOL, I like to think the steak enjoyed their final drink. As for a “proper” grill – that’s what I love about fajitas – you can do this on the stove!
Cut post…The fajitas look amazing!
Mmmm, sriracha… I bet that gives it some heat! Awesome use for the POM, I cant wait to follow your other recipes from this summer series. :)
Liren replied: — June 29th, 2010 @ 11:14 pm
The sriracha does give off heat, but not too much (I think next time, I’ll put more on mine!).
Beautiful fajitas, great dish for summer!
Liren replied: — June 29th, 2010 @ 11:06 pm
Thank you Patty!
Yum, I like the flavor combo in the marinade. Can’t wait to see the other POM-themed posts. :-)
Liren replied: — June 29th, 2010 @ 11:06 pm
Thanks Jean! I can’t wait to reveal my other POM ideas!
Oh what a great use of POM juice, pomegranate juice makes such a delightful marinade and dipping sauce! Lovely recipe!
Liren replied: — June 29th, 2010 @ 11:09 pm
Thank you Silvia! I wish I had some fresh pomegranates to incorporate with the POM juice – when will your tree start to bear fruit?
A beautiful dish, Liren. Wouldn’t have thought of using POM juice, but it must taste wonderful and in combination with the dar beer! I look forward to the rest of the summer menu series. =)
Liren replied: — June 29th, 2010 @ 11:09 pm
Thanks Cristina! The summer menu series is such fun – I’m enjoying it and it’s great to see what everyone else is creating.
I just drink the darn juice…..thanks for the ideas.
I just drink the darn juice.LOL …thanks for the ideas.
Liren replied: — July 1st, 2010 @ 9:45 pm
LOL, I agree, that’s good too!
That’s a bold choice and you have made me very hungry. TKS GREG
Liren replied: — July 1st, 2010 @ 9:56 pm
Hi Greg, I’m happy to make people hungry, LOL!
So you are at it again! Fortunately hubby’s fave is Pomegranate. Gonna try this one too! keep ‘em coming!
Liren replied: — July 1st, 2010 @ 9:57 pm
Hi Angela! Yes, I am – hope you like this one as much as the other marinade!
What a creative use of Pomegranate juice! Good idea. :)
Liren replied: — July 5th, 2010 @ 9:29 pm
Thanks, Lauren! Hope you try it sometime.
I LOVE the idea of pairing Beer with POM! Fantastic presentation too. I definitely NEED to try your fajitas, let me know when you make them again and I’ll come on over ;)
Liren replied: — July 5th, 2010 @ 9:30 pm
LOL, it would be fun if we could get all the POM Summer Menu contributors together, wouldn’t it? My fajitas would go PERFECTLY with your cocktails, yum!
Hey Liren! Awe, you make me miss home in sunny CA. I’m on vacation right now, but wanted to drop a line and thank you for the lovely b-day wishes and I hope that yours was just as great (if not greater ;) Yay for Geminis! Delicious photos, as always, Liren!
Liren replied: — July 5th, 2010 @ 9:30 pm
Hey there! So you’re on vaca? Lucky duck! Wish I were, too, but I can’t complain if I’m stuck in California, huh? Thanks for the birthday wishes :)
Congrats on the affiliation with POM!!! How exciting!
And btw, I’ve used your marinade so many times this summer on chicken skewers, pork ribs… not beef yet, though that’s next on the list. We christened our grill with your Pom-marinaded pork ribs and they turned out lovely and charred.
Cannot wait to try these fajitas!!!
Liren replied: — July 15th, 2010 @ 7:05 pm
Thanks, Jenn! I’ve been having so much fun with the POM, and it’s a great project for this month. I’m so glad you’ve been enjoying the other marinade, it has become one of our faves here, too. Haven’t tried the pork ribs yet though! Can’t wait :) Congrats on getting the grilling on!!