Guadalajara Beef Recipes

BEEF BIRRIA

Steps:

• Season the meat with salt and pepper, then place in a large baking dish.
• Clean and devein the peppers. Slightly toast them over a medium heat, making sure you do not burn them (burned peppers make the dish taste bitter). Soak peppers in a cup of hot water for 20 minutes. Roast the onion and garlic and place in your blender.
• Toast the whole cloves, cumin seeds, and black peppercorns (this is a quick step that only takes a few seconds). Place them in your blender along with the roasted tomatoes, herbs, onion, cinnamon and the vinegar.
• Once peppers are soft, drain, add to the blender and puree until you have a smooth sauce. Add a few tablespoons of water only if your blender is having a hard time processing it. Season the sauce with salt.
• Pour the sauce over the meat, making sure it is covered all over with this sauce of dried peppers and spices. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and refrigerate overnight or for at least 4 hours to allow all the meat to absorb the flavors. SEE NOTES about adding more water.
• Preheat the oven to 350º F. Bake the meat in the baking dish covered with the aluminum foil for about 4 hours or until it is fork-tender.

BEEF BARBACOA (BARBACOA DE RES)

Steps:

• Place brisket in a stovetop pressure cooker. Add onion, garlic, bay leaves, and salt; cover with water. Close cooker securely and place pressure regulator over vent according to manufacturer's instructions. Heat until steam escapes in a steady flow and makes a whistling sound, about 10 minutes. Adjust temperature until regulator is gently rocking. Cook for 60 minutes.
• Let pressure release naturally according to manufacturer's instructions, 5 to 10 minutes. Unlock lid and remove.
• Remove brisket from the pressure cooker and shred with 2 forks. Strain the cooking liquid, discarding solids. Measure 2 cups for the barbacoa sauce and save the rest for another use.
• Combine guajillo chile peppers and ancho chile peppers in a saucepan. Cover with water, bring to a boil, and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand in the hot water until softened, about 5 minutes. Drain.
• Combine softened chile peppers, vinegar, garlic, cloves, allspice, black pepper, oregano, thyme, cumin, ginger, cinnamon and reserved 2 cups cooking liquid; blend until thick and very smooth.
• Pour sauce into a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat and season with salt. Bring to a soft boil; reduce the heat to low. Stir in shredded beef, coating completely with sauce. Cover pot and cook until flavors combine, at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour.

TORTA AHOGADA

Steps:

• Make the salsa: Combine the chiles, onion, garlic and tomatoes with 1 cup water and a generous pinch of salt in a medium saucepan. Set over medium-low heat and simmer until the chiles are rehydrated and the other ingredients have softened, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Transfer to a blender or food processor along with the apple cider vinegar (reserve the saucepan) and blend until completely smooth. Return salsa to the saucepan and simmer over medium-low heat for 15 minutes to marry all the flavors. Taste for salt and adjust as needed.
• Meanwhile, prepare the onion: Toss the onion with the lemon juice, red-pepper flakes and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Let stand for at least 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the tortas: Combine the beans, red-pepper flakes, cumin, 1 cup water and a pinch of salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat and cook until heated through, 10 to 15 minutes. Once hot, carefully pour the mixture into the same blender or food processor used for the salsa (no need to wash in between uses) and blend until smooth.
• Heat a broiler to medium with a rack placed 6 inches from the heat source. To warm and crisp the bread, place the bread halves on a baking sheet cut sides down and broil until warmed through and slightly crusty on the outside, 2 to 3 minutes. Assemble the dish by spreading a thick layer of salsa on each of 4 serving dishes. Place the bottom pieces of bread on the salsa cut sides up and divide the beans, onion and bread tops among them. Ladle the remaining salsa over the sandwiches until they're completely soaked. Garnish with cilantro sprigs and lemon wedges, and serve.