truebebeblue
Balls,I kicks em.
I thought it would be nice to start a suggestion and experiment/perfecting thread... I am always looking to streamline and improve my methods since I figure alot of stuff out on the fly and it isn't always the most efficient way...Also those recipes that are a great concept but just missing something?
Here is mine
Carne Guisada
I guess this is attributed to being Puerto Rican?But I always
knew it as texmex.... That's where I had it my whole childhood and learned to cook it... South Texas.
it a really well spiced dish with no heat... but that can be adjusted for those that choose...
Anyway this is the very basic recipe. You can add tons of things to it and make it more of a stew,Potato works awesome and may help with thickening. In my family we thicken the broth into a dense gravy and eat it rolled in flour tortillas or My fave is to have it over spanish rice with cheddar cheese. Very rich and filling. I make a big batch and freeze half of it.
This is also an adjust to common sense kind of recipe although I am
sure you can find a more exact recipe online
You will need
Stock pot
A big beef Roast... whatever you prefer or is cheap
Cumin ( i use a teaspoon at least-i love cumin)
Garlic (powder works but I use minced)
Salt
Pepper
Flour
Oil (or lard of so inclined)
Water
Tomato Paste
Amounts vary... its pretty hard to mess up though
Cube the roast into about 1 inch cubes
dredge in flour seasoned with salt&pepper
Put a couple Tablespoons Oil in bottom of stock pot
Brown the cubed/dredged meat
Cover meat in water
Add Cumin and Garlic
Boil/simmer until tender (3-4 hours usually does it) keeping roast covered in liquid...beef broth or water work fine...
Taste and add way more cumin and garlic if you are like me!.
As you approach the tenderness you want to have the meat just covered in liquid...Add 2 teaspoons of tomato paste and make sure it is incorporated.
Now this is where experience in thickening will help...
I use this method, kinda messy but works
I take a half cup of warm water and add two tablespoon flour to it
wisk until smooth then slowly add about a half cup of the hot
liquid from pan to the flour/water... Then I drizzle this whole mixture back into the stockpot slowly... stirring as I go. I haven't gotten lumps since doing it this way! this amount needs to be adjusted for volume.
This amount is for a 4 quart stock pot 2/3 full
Good thing is you can always repeat process if thickening is not enough.
I then bring the whole pot up to a good rolling boil to get the thiickeners to bloom I boil it for about 10-15 minutes that way...
When there is a noticeable thickening remove from heat.
Will thicken alot upon cooling and sometimes I will cool an hour or two before meal time so I can be sure the thickness is right and all starchy taste is gone.
Serve warm over rice or tortillas with cheddar cheese... add anything that looks good.
I am totally open to improvements on this .... a more exact thickening method would be cool.
I kind of pieced this method together myself and stuck to it because i was feeding picky kids at the time and it was a hit...
So suggestion and experiment very encouraged
I think this is a natural fit for slow cooking in a crockpot too once tweaked a bit!
Thanks
True
Here is mine
Carne Guisada
I guess this is attributed to being Puerto Rican?But I always
knew it as texmex.... That's where I had it my whole childhood and learned to cook it... South Texas.
it a really well spiced dish with no heat... but that can be adjusted for those that choose...
Anyway this is the very basic recipe. You can add tons of things to it and make it more of a stew,Potato works awesome and may help with thickening. In my family we thicken the broth into a dense gravy and eat it rolled in flour tortillas or My fave is to have it over spanish rice with cheddar cheese. Very rich and filling. I make a big batch and freeze half of it.
This is also an adjust to common sense kind of recipe although I am
sure you can find a more exact recipe online
You will need
Stock pot
A big beef Roast... whatever you prefer or is cheap
Cumin ( i use a teaspoon at least-i love cumin)
Garlic (powder works but I use minced)
Salt
Pepper
Flour
Oil (or lard of so inclined)
Water
Tomato Paste
Amounts vary... its pretty hard to mess up though
Cube the roast into about 1 inch cubes
dredge in flour seasoned with salt&pepper
Put a couple Tablespoons Oil in bottom of stock pot
Brown the cubed/dredged meat
Cover meat in water
Add Cumin and Garlic
Boil/simmer until tender (3-4 hours usually does it) keeping roast covered in liquid...beef broth or water work fine...
Taste and add way more cumin and garlic if you are like me!.
As you approach the tenderness you want to have the meat just covered in liquid...Add 2 teaspoons of tomato paste and make sure it is incorporated.
Now this is where experience in thickening will help...
I use this method, kinda messy but works
I take a half cup of warm water and add two tablespoon flour to it
wisk until smooth then slowly add about a half cup of the hot
liquid from pan to the flour/water... Then I drizzle this whole mixture back into the stockpot slowly... stirring as I go. I haven't gotten lumps since doing it this way! this amount needs to be adjusted for volume.
This amount is for a 4 quart stock pot 2/3 full
Good thing is you can always repeat process if thickening is not enough.
I then bring the whole pot up to a good rolling boil to get the thiickeners to bloom I boil it for about 10-15 minutes that way...
When there is a noticeable thickening remove from heat.
Will thicken alot upon cooling and sometimes I will cool an hour or two before meal time so I can be sure the thickness is right and all starchy taste is gone.
Serve warm over rice or tortillas with cheddar cheese... add anything that looks good.
I am totally open to improvements on this .... a more exact thickening method would be cool.
I kind of pieced this method together myself and stuck to it because i was feeding picky kids at the time and it was a hit...
So suggestion and experiment very encouraged
I think this is a natural fit for slow cooking in a crockpot too once tweaked a bit!
Thanks
True
