Carne en su Jugo (Meat in its Juices)

Serves 4

Carne en su Jugo – (Meat in its Juices) is a concentrated flavorful broth of beef meat finely diced and served with beans plus a wide array of toppings served alongside.

Even though it’s a stew that you might enjoy during the cold months, this is my go-to recipe during the summer months as it is also delicious eaten cold with chips or in a burrito with a tortilla, making the perfect meal to take to the park or eaten the go.

Carne en su Jugo – (Meat in its Juices) is a concentrated flavorful broth of beef meat finely diced and served with beans plus a wide array of toppings served alongside. Even though it’s a stew that you might enjoy during the cold months, this is my go-to recipe during the summer months as it is also delicious eaten cold with chips or in a burrito with a tortilla, making the perfect meal to take to the park or eaten the go.

If you ever visit the state of Jalisco Mexico, make sure you look for this regional delicious dish.

Ingredients:

8 oz bacon finely diced

1 ½ pound top round sirloin or any other cut of meat without fat

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon of lime juice

Fresh ground pepper to season the meat

2 garlic cloves

½ medium onion

¼ cup cilantro

2 Jalapeño peppers

4 cups of chicken broth or 4 cups of water mixed with 4 teaspoons of chicken bouillon*

4 tomatillos

2 cups of cooked pinto beans warm

2 cups of cooked steamed Jasmin rice

Garnishes for topping:

Crispy bacon pieces from the recipe above

Chopped white onion

Chopped cilantro

Chopped or sliced radishes

Avocado slices

Juice of lime wedges

Tortilla chips or tortillas

Instructions:

Finely cut the meat into thin slices and then into small cubes. Place the meat in a glass bowl. Mix soy sauce, lime juice, and pepper and add to the meat. Let the meat marinate for a few minutes while you cook the bacon.

Fry bacon in a medium-size Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp, about 8 minutes.

Transfer bacon with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towel and pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from pot.

Add the meat to the pot and cook at medium heat for about 8 minutes, during this time the meat will release some of its juices.

While the meat is cooking, place garlic, onion, cilantro tomatillos and Jalapeño peppers into a blender with a cup of the broth and process until well blended.

Pour this mixture over the meat, add the rest of the broth, and taste to season with salt as well as ground pepper. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low, place lid to pot and simmer for about 20 minutes or more until meat is tender and liquid has been reduced.

This last cooking time will depend on the cut of meat you are using.

To serve divide the warm beans into serving bowls with some rice and afterward add the meat with its broth. Let everyone garnish with chopped onions, cilantro, and radishes along with some drops of lime juice.

Notes

*Chicken bouillon is very popular in many Mexican households; it is used to season the broth of this recipe, as well as for an endless number of stews and rice dishes, if you are using chicken bouillon in any recipe, be conscious of the amount of salt you use as these products are usually very high in sodium.

Wrap the summer in a tortilla!

Chef Martin Lopez

ChefMartinLopez.com