Robin: Prepare to have your mind blown:
The truth is, there is not now and there never has been anything in real Mexican cuisine known as a “taco salad.”
I’m not saying that taco salad is a bad thing, just that it’s not really Mexican. The recipe I have for you here below definitely is. It’s somewhat more healthful than a “taco salad” and much more fresh-tasting.
Salpicón de res very well may have been part of the inspiration for the very Tex-Mex taco salad, but, despite its ingredients, it would probably not be thought of as a “salad” in its native land. The beef in this dish is shredded (not ground, as in taco salad, and certainly not mixed with a heavy seasoning), and there is no floury tortilla “shell” vessel to contain it. This mixture is simply but effectively dressed with a nice little vinaigrette mixture and served with crackers or corn tostadas on the side, which add a pleasantly crunchy element.
This is the perfect main dish salad for a hot day at home or on a picnic; it also makes a good homemade work-day lunch. I love to add a few jalapeño carrot slices to mine.
Other yummy recipes for hot weather:
- Rhubarb Ice Pops
- Watermelon and Strawberries Salad
- Fresh Pineapple and Bean Salsa
- Jicama and Carrot Slaw
Shredded Beef Salad (Salpicón de Res)
Ingredients
- 1 and 1/2 pounds beef – chuck roast, brisket, flank/skirt steak, or any cut that will allow easy shredding (about ¾ kilo)
- 1 and 1/2 medium-sized onions (white or purple)
- 3 medium-sized tomatoes
- 1 head of romaine lettuce
- 8 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons lime juice preferably freshly-squeezed
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 large avocado
Instructions
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1.) Place the meat in a pot with about 8 cups (2 liters) water and the half onion. Cover and boil gently until the meat is very soft, probably an hour and a half to two hours. (Alternate method: Use a slow cooker and 4 cups water; cook on high for 3 hours or so.)
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2.) Remove meat from water. Remove and discard onion. Save broth for another use (such as soup-making).
Once meat has cooled enough, shred it, using your fingers to pull it apart into pieces the size you desire. Remove and discard any fatty or nerve tissue.
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3.) Finely slice the whole onion. Leave as-is or rinse the slices briefly (in a strainer under running water) and drain well if you prefer a less-pronounced onion flavor.
Chop the tomatoes into “cubes” and the lettuce into short strips.
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4.) Make the dressing by combining the olive oil, vinegar, lime juice, oregano, and salt in a bowl and whisking well OR in a jar with tight-fitting lid and shaking.
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5. In a large salad bowl mix the shredded meat with the sliced onion and half the dressing. Add the chopped tomatoes and lettuce and toss well with salad forks or tongs, stirring in the rest of the dressing little by little as you go.
Slice the avocado and arrange the slices attractively on top of the salad.
Serve immediately. Provide corn tostadas or crackers and, if desired, pickled jalapeños or jalapeño carrots so that each person can add these to taste.
More beefy deliciousness:
Other Hearty Salads to Try:
Latest update: 22 May 2024
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