Name: Carne en su Jugo Tapatia
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 1 pound dried pinto beans, rinsed and picked over; 1/2 medium white onion, for the beans; 2 garlic cloves, for the beans; 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste; 8 ounces thick-cut bacon, diced; 2 pounds beef sirloin or top round, finely chopped into 1/4-inch pieces; 1 tablespoon manteca de cerdo, only if the bacon is lean; 1 1/2 pounds tomatillos, husked and rinsed; 1/2 medium white onion, for the broth; 3 garlic cloves, for the broth; 2 fresh chile serrano, stemmed; 1 dried chile guajillo, stemmed and seeded; 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems, packed; 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano; 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin; 4 cups bean cooking liquid, plus more as needed; 2 cups cooked pinto beans; Finely diced white onion, for serving; Chopped fresh cilantro, for serving; Sliced radishes, for serving; Lime halves, for serving; Salsa de chile de arbol, for serving; Warm corn tortillas, for serving

Question 1

What cut of beef is best for carne en su jugo?

Accepted Answer

Use beef sirloin or top round finely chopped into 1/4-inch pieces for carne en su jugo. The small knife-cut pieces cook quickly in bacon fat, release their own juices, and stay meaty. Ground beef is wrong for this Guadalajara-style dish because it turns the broth pasty.

Question 2

Can I use canned pinto beans for carne en su jugo?

Accepted Answer

Use dried pinto beans cooked from scratch for the best carne en su jugo broth. Canned pinto beans work as a compromise if you rinse them lightly and include a little canned bean liquid. Plain water weakens the tomatillo-beef broth and removes the body this recipe needs.

Question 3

How do I make the green broth for carne en su jugo?

Accepted Answer

Roast tomatillos, white onion, garlic, serrano chiles, and one seeded dried guajillo chile on a dry comal. Blend them with packed fresh cilantro, Mexican oregano, ground cumin, and 2 cups bean cooking liquid until smooth. The broth should taste tomatillo-forward with gentle chile depth.

Question 4

How spicy is carne en su jugo Tapatia?

Accepted Answer

Carne en su jugo Tapatia is moderately spicy from two fresh serrano chiles in the tomatillo broth, while the dried guajillo adds fruity depth instead of sharp heat. Serve salsa de chile de arbol at the table so each person controls the final heat level.

Question 5

What can I use if I do not have a clay cazuela or comal?

Accepted Answer

Use a heavy Dutch oven instead of a clay cazuela for rendering bacon, cooking beef, and simmering carne en su jugo. Use a cast iron skillet or another dry heavy skillet instead of a comal to roast the tomatillos, onion, garlic, serranos, and guajillo.

Question 6

How do I store and reheat carne en su jugo?

Accepted Answer

Store finished carne en su jugo in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat it gently on the stovetop until hot, and loosen the broth with a splash of reserved bean cooking liquid. Do not use plain water because it thins the flavor.

Ingredient	Quantity
dried pinto beansrinsed and picked over	1 pound
white onionfor the beans	1/2 medium
garlic clovesfor the beans	2

Culinary Explorer

Carne en su Jugo Tapatia

Ingredients

dried pinto beans

white onion

garlic cloves

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