Braised Beef Blade Mini-Enchiladas (Enchiladitas)

I was craving some homemade brisket enchiladas for the past several days so I had to make them this weekend.  But, I found these very small corn tortillas I thought I would downsize and make a pan of mini-enchiladas...or would that be enchiladitas?  Has anyone coined that term yet? 

We made the trip over to the best meat counter in the area, La Azteca in Denton.  It smells like Mexico in there and you can find pretty much anything you need for Tex-Mex feast.  I was looking for a trimmed brisket flat to braise and I saw what I thought was brisket but the little senor behind the counter said it was "blade meat".  I had never cooked that cut  but it looked like a cross between trimmed up brisket and a thick skirt steak.  So I bought it.  The plan was to braise it for a couple of hours to soften it up. What I did was season it heavily with olive oil, coarse ground black pepper, paprika, salt & cumin then pop it into my oven at 400 degrees for 20 minutes to get some color on the meat and get the seasonings set.  Then I pulled it, flipped the meat, added some beef broth and topped it with a can of El Pato Salsa de Tomate con Jalapeno. I then covered it in foil, lowered the temp to 325 and braised it for 2.5 hours.  Once the meat was tender and pulled apart easily I broke it up in to smaller pieces and tossed it around in the braising liquid so that it was all well coated.  Back on with the foil and back into the oven for 30 more minutes. The meat was super tender and very moist.  I transferred the meat to a bowl, leaving the liquid behind.  With a fork and pair of tongs I shredded the meat, sampling as I went.  All of the fat was completely rendered out.  Needless to say I was very happy with the results.  I think the blade but has a little more flavor than the brisket but it is a slight bit tougher and needs to cook a little longer.

I made the chile paste the day before.  I had 8 or 9 ancho chiles that I had bought the week before for just this purpose. I scanned the recipes I had from Robb Walsh & Rick Bayless.  I checked a few online and took what sounded good from all of them to come up with something that would be my own.  The first thing was to prep the chiles.  I removed the stems and any seeds that would come out easily. Then I dry roasted them in an iron skillet for a minute on each side, until the color started changing and they became very fragrant.  Then I soaked them in hot water for 30 minutes to soften them up. 

While the chiles were soaking I decided that i wanted to do something different with the garlic so I pan roasted it.  I took the same iron skillet that I used for the chiles and dry roasted several cloves until they were spotted brown all over. The aroma was amazing.  Tossed those into the food processor.  Then seeded the chiles and added those to the food processor along with 2 teaspoons of ground cumin, 2 teaspoons dried oregano, black pepper, a pinch of kosher salt, a splash of olive oil and about 1/4 to 1/2 cups of chicken stock.  This was all blended until for about a minute to make a nice paste. I then pressed it through a metal strainer to remove any left over seeds, skins or other particles that would not break down.  Wrapped it up and into the fridge to sit over night.

The sauce was pretty simple and straight forward. I made a roux from 1 tablespoon of flour and 1 tablespoon of oil, cooked/whisked it until it started to brown then added 2 teaspoons ground cumin, 2 teaspoons dried oregano, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper and a small pinch of sugar.  Whisked that all in then added 2 tablespoons of the chile paste.  Whisked that in, cooked it for a minute or so then added 2 cups of water, whisking the entire time.  Added the rest of the chile paste (about 1/2 a cup I would guess), whisking, making sure it dissolves and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes.  The sauce should thicken up nicely but not get too stiff.  As it sits and cools you'll get a film on top. I just scraped it off with a spoon but you can just stir it and blend it back in.  Set the sauce aside and let it cool just a bit.

The enchilada assembly was my typical method. I used the microwave (don't knock it!) to steam my mini-tortillas. I just put a handful of them into a seal able plastic bag and nuke them for 30-45 seconds until they soften up enough to roll.  Then I spoon some sauce into the bottom of whatever pan I am using, lay a tortilla in the pan to get sauce on the bottom side, flip it, fill it with meat and a touch of cheese, roll it up and gently push it to the end of the pan.  Repeat until you fill the pan.  Then I spoon the sauce over the rolled enchiladas. I don't drown mine in sauce.  Just enough to coat the center of them while leaving the edges exposed so they get slightly charred.  I topped these with grated Asadero cheese which is between a Jack and a Mozzarella. It's a really good cheese for enchiladas, tacos & quesadillas.  To top these off I sauteed some white onion and chopped jalapeno until they just started to soften up.  Finally, I put these in a 400 degree oven for about 15 minutes until the cheese was bubbling. 

I really liked the final results.  The mini-enchiladas were just the right size. Had they been full sized I don't think you could have cut the meat with a fork.  Blade meat, like brisket, is a little stringy and the more you put in there the harder it is to cut through it, no matter how long you cook it.  If I was making full size enchiladas I would have opted to chop the meat before I filled them.   

All the secrets to these are here.  Its a long process but worth it in the end.  You have enough to make probably 30 or 40 minis or maybe a couple dozen full size enchiladas.  I would suggest making tacos with any left over meat but I am thinking it would be great with eggs also.  I hope someone else enjoys these as much as I did.

Pepper Crusted Beef Tenderloin

The only type of culinary "training" I have is a couple of cooking classes with local chef Grady Spears.  If you know me then you know I am a big fan of his food.  I learned this method in his class but my steaks come out very different from his.  That said, almost every time I go to "Grady's" I end up ordering the tenderloin because if I'm eating steak that I didn't cook, I want a steak that Grady made.

What you need for this to work well is a very, very hot skillet. I have used cast iron and non-stick for this and I will say the cast iron gives a better sear but no matter how well its seasoned the brown sugar is going to stick to the pan and you'll end up re-seasoning after you finish.  I suggest a non-stick pan but one that can go in the oven. If you don't have a vent hood that is vented outside your house then you will need to open some windows.  This is going to get really smokey due to the sugar caramelizing.  Don't worry, it's going to smell like its burning but its not.  You want a crust to form on the steak.

Your oven times may vary. My times are based on my oven. Nothing like a little trial and error with an expensive cut of meat right? 

I like to make a pan sauce to go along with these steaks.  De glaze the skillet with some red wine (I usually use Sangre Del Toro from Spain, it makes a nice sauce) and toss in some garlic, onion, unsalted butter and a sprig of rosemary.  Remove the rosemary before you serve.  I put a couple spoonfuls under the steak on the plate.

Ingredients

2-4  2 inch tall Beef Tenderloins (Filet Mignon)
1/2 cup brown sugar or shaved Mexican Piloncilla
1 tablespoon course ground black pepper
1 tablespoon (scant) kosher salt

Method

Let your steaks sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Dry the steaks with a paper towel.
Place a skillet on your hottest burner and turn it up to high. You want a smoking hot pan.
In a large bowl mix together brown sugar, pepper and salt.
Roll the steaks in the mixture, pressing it into the meat. Coat heavily on all sides.
Place the steaks in the skillet and cook for about 2 minutes or until the bottom surface is completely seared.
Turn the steak over and start searing the other side. Cook for another minute in a half to 2 minutes.
Place the skillet in the oven and cook as follows:

        Rare:    7 minutes
        Medium Rare:  8 minutes
        Medium:  9 minutes
        Medium-Well: 10 minutes
        Well:  10+ minutes. (Not suggested)

After the selected amount of time has passed remove steaks from the skillet and place on a plate to rest.  Let the steak rest for at least 10 minutes before you serve it to allow the juices to settle.

TexMex Oven Brisket

Brisket has a long history in Texas. Its a very tough cut of meat but if prepared in the right way you would swear there was nothing better.  The keys to cooking a good brisket are time and temperature, regardless of the method. 

Nothing fills the neighborhood air like meat in the smoker and I do love to smoke a brisket but for this we need to move it to the oven. I wish you could bottle the smell this puts off. The whole house smells like meat fiesta. The spices mix with the aroma of the meat cooking down and the bite from the chile sauce starts your glands to working overtime.  It will have you drooling like Pavlov's Dog.

I would suggest making your chile sauce a day ahead so that the flavors get a chance to blend together. You will have a much bolder sauce if you do this. 

I like to use this for brisket tacos but its a good filling for anything really.  Brisket tacos don't have a bunch of fluff added to them so no lettuce or cabbage. Keep the cheese simple and only use diced white onion. I do, however, like mine with a spinkle of chopped cilantro and a squeeze of lime. 



Ingredients

2 Cups Red Chile Sauce (Click for recipe)
1 5-7 lb Brisket, Flat only, trimmed of most of the fat.
32 oz Beef Broth/Stock
2 tablespoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 large white onion, peeled, cut in half and sliced



Method

Preheat oven to 400
Heat chile sauce in a small sauce pan.
In a bowl mix together garlic powder, paprika, salt & pepper.  Rub generously all over the brisket.
Place the brisket fat side up in a brasing pan or large baking dish and bake for 1 hour.  Remove from the oven and reduce heat to 300.
Add the beef broth to the pan, spread the onions around the brisket and pour the chile sauce over the top of the brisket.  Cover tightly with foil and bake for another 3-5 hours or until the meat is fork tender and pulls apart easliy.  Check every 2.5 hours for done ness.
Once the brisket is done let it cool enough so that you can handle it.  Cut off any remaining fat from the top. Pull apart or cut in to chunks and move to a large bowl and start pulling it apart by hand (or use 2 forks if you like). Spoon in several tablespoons of the braising liquid so that the meat is moist but not soaked in sauce.  You are ready to serve.

Carne Asada Part II - The Meat

After I re-reading the street taco post I found it was really geared toward people that lived only in my area. So, I thought I would also include how I make the meat for the tacos when I can't get to the carniceria. 

I almost always use skirt steak for Carne Asada or Fajitas. The meat is thin so it cooks fast and it has a good amount of fat so it stays moist. If you have a choice, go with the outside skirt. It is more tender than the inside skirt and has less to trim off. If you can get your hands on it, try using flap meat in place of the skirt. Flap meat comes from the sirloin and is very good for this recipe.

As with the meat in the original post, trim excess fat and tenderize with a meat mallet. Even though this is a thin cut a couple of whacks with a meat mallet makes all the difference.

Ingredients

3-5 lbs of Outside Skirt/Flap Meat
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/3 cup lime juice
1 cup orange juice
1 1/2 cups water or 1 bottle Mexican Beer
2 tablespoons fresh garlic - crushed
1 tablespoon white pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons of kosher salt
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon chile powder
1 tablespoon dried oregano (Mexican if you have it)
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 of a large orange, sliced


Putting it together
Place the meat in a large bowl.

You have 2 marinade options here. One is to mix all ingredients in a large bowl until well combined. The other is put everything except the orange slices into a blender or food processor and blend until slightly chunky. Add the rinds from the limes that you squeezed plus the orange slices to the marinade and pour it over the meat. Make sure the beef is completely covered by the marinade. Use your hands to mix the beef around and get it all wet. Cover and let sit for at least 24 hours, about every 4 hours or so mix the meat around so that the marinade gets into all the nooks and crannys. Large ziplock bags work well also.

When ready to cook, remove the meat from the marinade and let it sit at room temperature while you get the fire ready. Finish the meal the same as the Carne Adasa Street Tacos.

Hickory Smoked Pepper Crusted Tri-Tip

It takes patience to use a smoker. You can't get in a hurry with it or let the
fire get too high or low. If you don't pay attention your whole meal could end up dried out and chewy.  It doesn't matter if its a $50 smoker or $5000 smoker, once you figure it out and know how to work it you will be hooked.  Nothing makes a tough cut of meat taste better than a smoke with low steady heat and a few sticks of wood. Nothing makes the neighborhood smell better either.

When I lived in Southern California Tri-tip was already a very popular cut of meat out there. Finding it here in North Texas was, at first, difficult at best.  It is slowly starting to show up all over the place now. You can get it at Costco in a 2 pack, Market Street has it but you'll have to ask for it because its not in the display case.  Central Market has recently started carrying it as well. 

Tri-tip, or Triangle Roast, comes from the bottom of the sirloin.  It is a very tender piece of meat with a low fat content. You really need to watch the internal temperature when you smoke a Tri-tip roast or it will dry out and get tough on you. 

Ingredients

     2 Tri-tip roasts
     1/2 cup course ground pepper
     2 teaspoons kosher salt
     1 tablespoon garlic powder
     1 tablespoon olive oil

Prep

     Light a charcoal/lump fire in your smoker. Once the coals are glowing
     white, spread them out and place a split hickory log across the middle
     of them.  Once the white smoke subsides adjust your vents to maintain
     a temperature of 225 degrees but not hotter than 250. 

     Combine the pepper, salt and garlic powder in a bowl. Rub the roasts
     with olive oil then coat them all over with the mixture.  Insert an instant
     read/digital thermometer into the thickest part being sure that the end
     of the probe is in the center of the meat.

Cooking

     Place the roasts in the middle section of your smoker.  Close the door
     and let the smoke and heat do its magic.  You are looking for an internal
     temperature of about 155-165 degrees (Medium Well). If you go much
     higher than that you are going to dry it out and turn it into leather.  You
     can pull it at 145 degrees if you like it a little more rare but any pockets
     of fat may not render out completely.  Pull the meat and let it rest for 15
     minutes before you cut into it.  With a long, sharp knife cut thin slices
     across the grain for maximum tenderness.
 

Carne Asada Street Tacos with Texas Pico

If you happen to find yourself up around the Denton area you might want to stop in to La Azteca Market. Walk inside and head to the back of the store where you will find any cut of meat you can think of, and many you have never thought of. Take a number and when called just ask for 3 lbs (or however much you might need) of marinated beef. I have tried many of the Latin markets and various meat counters in the area and so far La Azteca has the best beef and chicken you can get when it comes to TexMex or Mexican cooking.

For those not in the North Texas area I have posted my recipe for a carne asada recipe that I also use for these tacos. Click here: Carne Asada

I call these "Street Tacos" because they are inspired by the tacos you get in Mexico from street vendors. They come in beef, chicken, pork, goat and seafood, depending on the region you are in. Some are better than others but the beef seems to always be good. The squeeze of lime gives it a touch of Baja.

You are going to want to cook this meat over a very hot charcoal and/or wood fire. The faster it cooks the more tender it will be. Never use any sort of lighter fluid or instant starting charcoal. All you will taste is the chemical flavor and not the meat and smoke. If you can adjust the position of your fire, move up as close to the grilling surface as possible and open your air vents all the way to allow maximum air flow. Let the fire and grates get very hot before you put the meat on.

Remove the steaks from the packaging and trim off any excess fat or anything else that is attached to the meat. With a meat mallet or the back of a sturdy knife, tenderize the meat on both sides. This is not absolutley necessary but it can make a big difference in the tenderness of the meat. Set aside at room temperature and let it warm up a bit.

Now on to the good stuff. This recipe is for 2-4 people so adjust your amounts accordingly.

Texas Pico

1 small red onion, finely diced
1 jalapeno, seeded and finely diced
1 tablespoon of chopped cilantro
2-3 large Roma tomatoes, drained and chopped
1 green onion, chopped
1 teaspoon of your favorite Mexican seasoning
juice from half a lime
pinch of Kosher Salt
A couple of grinds of fresh cracked pepper.

Mix everything together and let is sit until the meat is ready.

Tortillas

Find the smallest corn tortillas you can get. La Azteca has them as
does Fiesta. If you can only find large corn tortilla, cut them down
to 3 inch diameters with a cookie cutter. You want to steam these.
The easiest way is to put up to 9 of them in a ziplock back and
microwave for 30 seconds. Another way is to wrap them in foil and
put them on the grill next to the meat as it cooks. Be sure to turn it
over from time to time. You will want 2 tortillas per taco.

Limes

Look for limes that are darker green in color and that are soft to the
touch but not mushy. A hard lime will not give up much juice. Cut a
couple of limes into wedges and have them ready to go.

Putting it all together

Place the meat on the grill directly over the hottest part of the
fire. Flip it over when the bottom side is dark brown and starting
to char on the edges. When the meat is all cooked, let it rest for
a few minutes then slice it across the grain into 1/4 inch wide strips.
You can serve it this way or cut these strips into cubes. If the steak
is tender enough I prefer the strips.

Assembling the taco is simple. Take 2 tortillas and stack them up, place a
good amount of meat in the center but be sure you can fold up the ends around it.
Squeeze some lime onto the meat and top with a spoonful or two of the
pico. Repeat for as many tacos as you need, then eat and enjoy.