Shredded Beef Tacos - Tacos de Carne Deshebrada

 

Ingredients

Meat

2 lbs. flank steak, cut into 2-inch pieces against the grain

1/4 medium white onion, with roots intact

4 large garlic cloves peeled and halved

1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons Knorr Beef Bouillon powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black ground pepper

Water (enough to cover the meat)

Sauce

1/4 medium onion, chopped

1/2 medium white onion, feathered

1 lb. steak tomatoes (about 5) 

2 large garlic cloves

1 serrano chili, tips removed

3 jalapeno chilis, cut into thin slices ("rajas") 

1/8 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano

2 golden potatoes, cut into 1/4-inch cubes and par-boiled in salty water

 

To Serve

Corn tortillas

Limes cut into quarters

1 ripe avocado, sliced

Directions

Cook the Meat

• Traditional Method
  In a large pot, add the flank steak pieces, quartered onion, halved garlic cloves, bay leaf, Knorr Beef Bouillon powder, salt, and black pepper. Cover the meat with water.
  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and cover the pot. Simmer for about 2 hours or until the meat is tender and easily shredded with a fork.
  Once cooked, remove the meat from the pot and shred it using two forks. Set the shredded meat aside. Reserve 1-1/4 cup of the cooking liquid.

• Pressure Cooker Method
  If using a stove-top pressure cooker, add the flank steak pieces, quartered onion, halved garlic cloves, bay leaf, Knorr Beef Bouillon powder, salt, and black pepper to the pressure cooker. Add enough water to cover the meat. Lock the lid in place and bring the pressure cooker to high pressure over medium-high heat. Once at pressure, reduce the heat to low (2 out of 10), maintain high pressure, and cook for 50-55 minutes or until the meat is tender and easily shredded with a fork.
  After the cooking time, carefully release the pressure according to the manufacturer's instructions. Open the lid once it is safe to do so. Remove the meat and shred it using two forks. Reserve 1-1/4 cup of the cooking liquid.

Prepare the Sauce

• While the meat is cooking, place the steak tomatoes, chopped onion, 2 garlic cloves, and serrano chili in a blender. Blend until smooth.
• In a large skillet, heat some oil over medium heat. Add the feathered onion and cook until softened, about 3-4 minutes.
• Add the blended tomato mixture to the skillet, along with the cumin and Mexican oregano. Cook for about 10 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
• Stir in the jalapeño strips (rajas) and the par-boiled potato cubes. Cook for an additional 5 minutes, allowing the potatoes to absorb the flavors.
• Add the shredded beef to the sauce mixture and pour in the reserved cup of cooking liquid. Stir well to combine. Simmer on low for another 10 minutes, letting the flavors meld together.

Assemble the Tacos

• Warm the corn tortillas in a skillet or on a griddle.
• Place a generous amount of the shredded beef mixture onto each tortilla.
• Top with slices of ripe avocado and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.

Serve and Enjoy

• Serve the tacos hot with additional lime wedges on the side for squeezing.

Notes

Inspiration 1