BajaNomad

Machaca

tigerdog - 4-9-2009 at 02:24 PM

Ever made your own machaca? Here's a recipe that is so easy to make and so superior to ground beef for nearly any Mexican food requiring a filling that I can't imagine why anyone would choose hamburger once they've learned about it. It is beef that has been braised until tender, shredded, then cooked in its juices until the desired consistency is achieved, which can be dry, medium or soupy according to personal taste. Like meatloaf or chili, no two recipes are alike.

BEEF MACHACA:
I like to make a big batch of machaca and freeze most of it in ziploc bags for later use (there are just the two of us, so we get several meals out of this). It comes in very handy when you don't feel like cooking. I like mine a little soupy but DH likes his dry, so we have compromised on a medium texture. This basic recipe will get you going, and you can adjust it any way that pleases you.

INGREDIENTS:

DIRECTIONS:
In a large heavy pot, heat a few tablespoons of vegetable oil over medium-high heat until very hot. Place a few pieces of beef at a time in the hot oil and sear until they (and the pan's bottom) have developed a rich brown color. Repeat until all the meat has been nicely browned; remove beef from pan.

Add the onions, peppers, and garlic to the hot pan and saute for a few minutes, stirring constantly until the onions are translucent. Place the beef back in the pan and add the remaining ingredients. Bring to a slow boil, scraping the browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Reduce heat to low, cover and braise at a slow simmer for about 2 hours. The meat should be tender enough to easily fall apart when tested with a fork.

Remove pot from heat, remove peppercorns, remove meat to a cutting board and let it cool a bit. Shred meat with a pair of forks, then return to the pot and bring back to a simmer, uncovered. Reduce the liquid until it is as thick/dry as you prefer. Add salt, pepper and additional "heat" to taste.

You can serve it right away or refrigerate (or freeze) for later.

Some history and a bit more info can be found on my blog if you are interested. http://rptides.blogspot.com

Buen Provecho!

tigerdog - 4-9-2009 at 03:50 PM

It used to be, and you can still find commercially packaged "carne seca" in Mexican tiendas to rehydrate and pound until it's tender. But since the advent of refrigeration, that process has lost favor and cooking a tough piece of meat to make your own has become the defacto method.

Many people marinate the meat before cooking it, but I'm usually too lazy or impatient to go through that step first. :)

vandenberg - 4-9-2009 at 05:24 PM

Machaca is still dried meat, whether burro, beef or pork and can be purchased at almost any store in Baja.
I prepare beef and pork your way all the time, mainly for burritos, but it's not machaca.

capt. mike - 4-9-2009 at 05:35 PM

that is a great start but i agree with 'berg that it needs to be dry with a hint of edge crispness.
so what works for me is to prep it pretty much as you've laid out - then spread it on a cookie pan or pizza stone and back it low for a while to dry and sort of toast the meat on one side - that usually does it for me.
i'd like to do it in a wood fired oven sometime...yumm

Pompano - 4-9-2009 at 05:38 PM

Thanks for the great recipe and I agree on the good eating part.

One of my Mulege amigos, Manuel Cuesta, makes machaca from roosterfish..pez gallo. Very good stuff. Been eating that for many years. Other ways are beef, pork, mantaraya, etc. It's the process that makes it machaca...improvise and have fun with anything edible.

I've made it pretty much the same way from moose, elk, deer, antelope, goose, duck, and sandhill crane.

The crane recipe I call Crane Candy. Now you should really try some of that...stop by after next fall's hunting season is over and I'll have some here.

tigerdog - 4-9-2009 at 06:26 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by vandenberg
Machaca is still dried meat, whether burro, beef or pork and can be purchased at almost any store in Baja.
I prepare beef and pork your way all the time, mainly for burritos, but it's not machaca.


You're a purist. ;D

Russ - 4-9-2009 at 06:39 PM

It all sounds too good. I just got a pork loin from our pork guy and will work with the ideas mentioned tomorrow for a camping trip after Samana Santa. Thanks to all. ;D

Paula - 4-9-2009 at 06:50 PM

Tigerdog, that is a great sounding recipe for carne deshebrada-- shredded beef, or pork, or whatever.

Machaca is machaca, a whole different and delicious thing. Just buy it from a good butcher, and then fix it as you like it. It's really good cooked with onions, garlic, chiles, tomatoes, and shredded cabbage, and a little water, then rolled into burritos.:dudette:

Hmmm... I wonder how it would be if you replaced the water with beer... anyone tried that?

Hook - 4-9-2009 at 07:57 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Pompano
Thanks for the great recipe and I agree on the good eating part.

One of my Mulege amigos, Manuel Cuesta, makes machaca from roosterfish..pez gallo. Very good stuff. Been eating that for many years. Other ways are beef, pork, mantaraya, etc. It's the process that makes it machaca...improvise and have fun with anything edible.

I've made it pretty much the same way from moose, elk, deer, antelope, goose, duck, and sandhill crane.

The crane recipe I call Crane Candy. Now you should really try some of that...stop by after next fall's hunting season is over and I'll have some here.


Actually, whooping crane is even better, but it's gotten rather pricey on the black market. I guess they are getting harder to find than................well, than sandhill cranes.

Bob H - 4-10-2009 at 10:11 AM

Tigerdog... I don't care what it's called.. the receipe looks very tasty.

My favorite marinade would be to soak the meat overnight in Mojo Criollo marinade sauce!

I may try this recipe this weekend.
Bob H

Cypress - 4-10-2009 at 10:28 AM

Carne seca aka jerky can be found in nearly every grocery, quick stop, truck stop, etc.

vandenberg - 4-10-2009 at 11:46 AM

While we're on the subject of dried meat, how many of you Nomads make your own jerky?
I've been making it for eons, here and up north and found that the local beef is excellent for making jerky.
Just stringy and tough enough.:biggrin:

Curious about your recipe/marinade and drying technique.

[Edited on 4-10-2009 by vandenberg]

Bob H - 4-10-2009 at 12:07 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by vandenberg
While we're on the subject of dried meat, how many of you Nomads make your own jerky?
I've been making it for eons, here and up north and found that the local beef is excellent for making jerky.
Just stringy and tough enough.:biggrin:

Curious about your recipe/marinade and drying technique.

[Edited on 4-10-2009 by vandenberg]


Hey, that would make for an interesting new thread. Why don't you start a "home made jerky" thread?
Bob H

vandenberg - 4-10-2009 at 12:44 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Bob H
Quote:
Originally posted by vandenberg
While we're on the subject of dried meat, how many of you Nomads make your own jerky?
I've been making it for eons, here and up north and found that the local beef is excellent for making jerky.
Just stringy and tough enough.:biggrin:

Curious about your recipe/marinade and drying technique.

[Edited on 4-10-2009 by vandenberg]


Hey, that would make for an interesting new thread. Why don't you start a "home made jerky" thread?
Bob H


Your wish is my command:biggrin::biggrin:

fixtrauma - 4-10-2009 at 08:42 PM

I haven't made a lot of Jerky but have made a lot of Summer Sausage. Last batch was 1,200 pounds. All stuffed in 3 foot long sausages and cured for 8 weeks in my shop. Best smelling shop in the state of Oregon. Obviously that amount was for several of the family who got together to stuff sausage and have a good time.

Should have brought you a chunk by the other day if I had my head on straight.

capt. mike - 4-11-2009 at 08:04 AM

'trauma - do you sell mail order?
i'm a sucker for home made summer sausage.

had some elk in colo that i still drool over in my mind's tongue....

LOSARIPES - 4-11-2009 at 12:53 PM

Tiger... that ain't machaca... ask the local BCS people what the real thing is... rumor has it the best machaca is made out of burro... burro meat, that is..
but seriously, what you describe is a delicious "carne deshebrada" or shredded beef...

tigerdog - 4-12-2009 at 08:27 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by LOSARIPES
Tiger... that ain't machaca... ask the local BCS people what the real thing is... rumor has it the best machaca is made out of burro... burro meat, that is..
but seriously, what you describe is a delicious "carne deshebrada" or shredded beef...


OK, OK, :lol: I yield.

I will say though that I got the initial recipe many years ago from the chef at a hotel in Los Cabos. He cooked it until it was very very dry, almost crispy, and he called it machaca and it was listed on the menu as such. He was from some small town in Sonora (I can't remember its name) and claimed it was his mother's recipe. He showed me how to make Huevos Rancheros and a couple of salsas, too (I was new to Mexico at the time and eager to learn). He was a very nice young man (well, he wasn't actually any younger than I was, but looking back I think of him as young) and a very good cook.

Also in my defense, I did mention in the original posting of this recipe on my blog that machaca is traditionally made from dried, spiced meat (most commonly beef) that had been rehydrated and pounded to make it tender AND that such carne seca is still commercially available in many tiendas.
http://rptides.blogspot.com/2009/04/how-to-make-beef-machaca...

I didn't figure I'd need to explain that to Nomads, though, y'all being seasoned Baja/Mexico hands and all. ;D

Oh, and yes I do know that the word machaca comes from the verb "to pound".

[Edited on 4-12-2009 by tigerdog]

capt. mike - 4-12-2009 at 09:43 AM

Oh, and yes I do know that the word machaca comes from the verb "to pound


cool - now i have a new term to use.

machaca arena, pendejo! not you t-dog, just when i would otherwise tell someone to #$%^ off.:lol::lol:

BajaNuts - 4-12-2009 at 03:23 PM

Here's what I did based on the recipe. I started with a rump roast. When it came time to shred the beef, I just used the potato masher and did a smash-and-twist kind of motion. I had to add a bunch more seasoning, I think the roast was close to 5#.



The kid says it looks like barf in the photo but it actually tastes really good! Hubby thinks it tastes good also.:tumble:

What do ya think? Is this how it's supposed to look?

(once again, missing the smell-a-vision to share with y'all)

[Edited on 4-12-2009 by BajaNuts]

BajaNuts - 4-12-2009 at 03:26 PM

sorry 'bout the big photo, I'll resize it later.....got a "time out" from photobucket due to too many failed logins!!!:mad:

I couldn't remember the password:lol:

Pompano - 4-12-2009 at 03:33 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by BajaNuts

The kid says it looks like barf in the photo but it actually tastes really good! Hubby thinks it tastes good also.:tumble:

What do ya think? Is this how it's supposed to look?

[Edited on 4-12-2009 by BajaNuts]


BajaNuts, I think that is exactly how it should look, and will taste great I am sure.

I do feel that perhaps we may both be in need of some 'better photo composition.'

Maybe something with a flowery table cloth or ? will help. Here's my photo of a recent gravy and meat recipe. Tastes great, looks like roadkill. :rolleyes:

BETTER PHOTO COMPOSITION PERHAPS.jpg - 46kB

Paula - 4-12-2009 at 03:41 PM

Pomp, that makes me think of steak and kidney pie:barf:! And your cooking usually looks so good!

I think I'll thy some of that machaca deshebrada though :bounce: It looks delicious!

BajaNuts - 4-12-2009 at 04:43 PM

after I posted, I realized the OLD fluorescent lights in my kitchen are making it look horrible. My kitchen lights are probably 20 yrs old. Not good for photos.

Yea, Pompano, a photo composition class would definitely help me!

We just had some soft tacos with cabbage and cheese and a little hot sauce. YUMMY!!!

tigerdog - 4-12-2009 at 05:12 PM

My photo is here, Baja Nuts. http://rptides.blogspot.com/2009/04/how-to-make-beef-machaca...

Yours looks very similar, only not as brown-- that's probably because of those flourescent lights, lol. Anyhow, it doesn't matter too much what it looks like as long as it tastes good. That's my theory, anyway, and I'm sticking to it. Well, maybe with the exception of Pompano's photo... :lol:

A potato masher; that's a good idea! I never would have thought of it!

vandenberg - 4-12-2009 at 05:15 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by BajaNuts
We just had some soft tacos with cabbage and cheese and a little hot sauce. YUMMY!!!


What did you do with the barf.:?::?::biggrin:

For you, Paula

Pompano - 4-12-2009 at 05:57 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Paula
Pomp, that makes me think of steak and kidney pie:barf:! And your cooking usually looks so good!

I think I'll thy some of that machaca deshebrada though :bounce: It looks delicious!



Is this better? It's the same meat, just dressed up a little for lunch. Take a sheet of paper or book..first cover one side, then the other. Viola..!

The Ugly Duckling ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The Swan

Pompano - 4-12-2009 at 06:09 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by BajaNuts
after I posted, I realized the OLD fluorescent lights in my kitchen are making it look horrible. My kitchen lights are probably 20 yrs old. Not good for photos.

Yea, Pompano, a photo composition class would definitely help me!



BajaNuts, your remark reminded me of something about Ad Tricks I heard from a friend's father years ago. He was in advertising and once told me this about beer ads and other products he was involved in with the making of commercials for tv or magazines. (He was a top advertiser for Olympia and Coors)

For years, static pictures of a glass of beer were made with a light-grade motor oil in the bottom of the glass and a foamy head of whipped-up detergent on top. Looked better and richer than the real thing could ever do.

Also soap chips were sprinkled on cereal because they look more like sugar then sugar does. Lard was used for ice cream because of the hot lights, which would melt ice cream.

Models washing thier hair for some shampoo commercial would use laundry detergent, because it whipped up creamy and frothy..plus sometime beaten egg whites would be laid on the hair. Icing on the cake!

Want your homemade french fries to look as good as your favorite cafe's? Do like they do, dust them in sugar first for that golden brown color. :biggrin:

So..our photos are pretty good, after all..because they are the real McCoy!

[Edited on 4-15-2009 by Pompano]

Paula - 4-12-2009 at 07:14 PM

" It's the same meat, just dressed up a little for lunch"

Thank you Roger, It looks delicious now!

Care for dessert?

Pompano - 4-12-2009 at 07:31 PM


.

I'm having seconds.
.

tigerdog - 4-13-2009 at 08:18 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Pompano

Care for dessert?

I'm having seconds.
.


Save some for me, Pompano, I'll be right over! Yum!

Bob H - 4-15-2009 at 11:50 AM

I have this recipe cooking over a nice small flame right now. It's 1-1/2 hours on there and now it's starting to look really nice. I'll cook it another 1/2 hour and then see how tender the meat is. The flavor is wonderful!
Bob H

Cypress - 4-15-2009 at 12:31 PM

BajaNuts, It looks perfect!!:bounce: Wish I had some.:)

Bob H - 4-15-2009 at 08:41 PM

Constantly stirred this as it cooked... Took the lid off after two hours, a little too much liquid - cooked it for another 1-1/2 hours without the lid on, continuing the stirring around... spiced it up a bit more... OUTSTANDING! I'll post a photo later.
Thanks a million for just a great recipe.
Bob H

[Edited on 4-16-2009 by Bob H]

BajaNuts - 4-17-2009 at 12:54 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by vandenberg
Quote:
Originally posted by BajaNuts
We just had some soft tacos with cabbage and cheese and a little hot sauce. YUMMY!!!


What did you do with the barf.:?::?::biggrin:


:lol::lol: I should have said we had "barf" soft tacos with cabbage, cheese and hotsauce.:lol::lol:

Kids.... they just call it as they see it.:yes:

I didn't get my beef chunks to really brown up and get crispy to start with. I think that's why it didn't get as dark of color as the other photo in the blog. It was really yummy and we polished it off in 2 days.

I was tied up Tuesday/Wednesday doing taxes, sorry I couldn't get back to post sooner.

Pompano, I think we'd be surprised to hear all the tricks of the trade that are used in photography. Even more so now with the advent if digital technology.

[Edited on 4-17-2009 by BajaNuts]

Heather - 4-23-2009 at 10:25 AM

My brother-in-law just drove up from La Paz with a "care package" for my hubby (from his mother)...machaca de burro and machaca de pescado and homemade tortillas de harina. The tortillas were great, but I think hubby is the only one who'll be eating the machaca!! It's the dried kind and the girls and I don't really like the flavor! He can put it in the freezer and use at will (or when he gets homesick for his mommy!)

My friend from Tijuana calls machaca what is described in the first recipe here. She was appalled when she went to Cabo and they served her the dried machaca. I guess the name changes with the local!

That fruit above looked yummy!! H.

Bob H - 4-29-2009 at 08:32 PM

OK.... tonight I had thawed out leftovers of this recipe... it just gets better and better. OMG... WONDERFUL stuff.

I would be inerested to know how everyone eats this ... tortillas, what?

Bob H