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Carne en su Jugo
Carne en su jugo, or “meat in its own juices” translated from the Spanish, is from Jalisco state on the west coast of central Mexico. It’s a stewy, brothy meal in a bowl that, as its name suggests, derives its hearty, meaty flavor from beef simmering in the juices it releases as it cooks. Just a handful of other ingredients play supporting roles. The version of carne en su jugo shown to us by Paola Briseño-González includes tangy, vegetal tomatillos and takes the unusual step of pureeing a little of the sautéed meat with the aromatics to add body to the broth. Commonly used cuts for the dish are flank and skirt steak, but we prefer boneless short ribs, as they contain the right amount of flavor-enhancing fat and pack tons of meaty richness. The beef is cut into small pieces before cooking; freezing it for a few minutes firms it up so it’s easier to slice. For convenience, we used canned pinto beans instead of starting with dried beans, and we add them near the end of cooking so they spend some time in the broth turning tasty without becoming too soft. Carne en su jugo loves garnishes. In addition to the ones called for in the recipe, we like to spoon on some salsa macha. It’s a non-traditional pairing but an incredibly delicious one.
4 to 6
Servings
Don’t use a Dutch oven, as the surface area is too wide. A large pot with a smaller diameter is the better choice. We intentionally crowd the beef in the pot so the meat readily releases its juices and the juices remain in the pot rather than cook off.
1¾ hours
45 minutes active
Ingredients
-
1½
pounds boneless beef short ribs, trimmed
-
2
tablespoons worcestershire sauce
Directions
-
01Place the beef on a plate and freeze, uncovered, until firm at the edges, about 15 minutes. Remove from the freezer and slice ⅛ to ¼ inch thick against the grain. Now, cut the slices, stacking a few at a time, into small strips and bits (no need to be precise). In a medium bowl, toss the beef with the Worcestershire, soy sauce and ½ teaspoon pepper; set aside at room temperature.
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I made this recipe today exactly as written and thought it was very good indeed! I used an 8-inch dia. Dutch oven and the stew came up to just a couple of inches from the top. Perfect. I loved the subtle flavor that was unenhanced by the spices usually used in Mexican cooking. The flavor of the beef and tomatillo sauce really came through well, and the stew thickened up nicely with the addition of the beans as noted. I'll definitely be making this one again in the future. Thanks, Ms. Hill & Milk St. team!