I had attempted my Mom’s recipe for “Carnitas de Res” (beef carnitas) a few times before, but was not thrilled with the results. I tried using beef stew meat and a leaner cut of steak. The results were very dry carnitas. Rib short ribs on sale was the perfect excuse to try this recipe yet another time and I am so happy I did. Beef short ribs! Oh! Man!
I believe Mom may have used boneless beef shorts ribs originally for this recipe. As you can imagine, they were so tasty! Update! The photo above and the next few are the beef short rib version. It was amazing!
She served these tacos with a super easy toasted chile de arbol salsa and diced onions. This was one of the rare times she would use tomato sauce to prepare a salsa. I would imagine that she did this for convenience, but the results are delicious.
Once in a while, it’s ok to cut corners when preparing a recipe. For example, a huge pork shoulder roast can be replaced with a smaller package of boneless country-style ribs when a smaller portion is required. I do this all the time. I enjoy lean cuts of meats, but for some recipes, you must have the right cut of meat and some fat to yield a more flavorful and moist result.
Tacos de Carnitas de Res Al Vapor(Tender Rib-Eye Beef Carnitas)
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 2 lbs, boneless beef short ribs
- 3/4 tsp Kosher salt
- 3/4 tsp Fresh cracked pepper
- 2 cups water
- 4 large cloves of garlic slices
- 1 1/2 tbsps. avocado oil
Mom's Toasted Chile de Arbol Salsa
- 10 dried chile de arbol stems removed
- 8 oz. tomato sauce
- 1 clove of garlic
- juice of 1/2 lime
- Salt to taste
- 1/3 cup cilantro chopped fine
- 1 lime sliced into weges
Instructions
For Salsa
- On a griddle or skillet that has been preheated at medium for a few minutes, toast the chile de arbol peppers. Toss them often and toast to darken in some spots. Do not let them burn. Transfer to the blender, add all remaining ingredients and blend until smooth. Transfer to a pot and cook at medium/low heat for 7 minutes. Cool completely before storing in an airtight container.
Beef Carnitas
- If using boneless beef short ribs, slice the ribs into 1-inch pieces and season lightly with salt and fresh cracked pepper. Transfer to a deep skillet, spread out evenly and don't overlap.
- Season the beef lightly with salt and fresh cracked pepper. Pour in 2 cups of water.
- Cover and bring to a rapid boil at medium/high heat. Reduce heat to to below medium and continue cooking 45 minutes to 1 hour. Once the water has evaporated, mostly, drizzle in the oil. Continue browning, turning as needed for 5 minutes. Add sliced garlic the last few minutes.
- Remove from heat. Keep covered, let sit for 10 minutes before chopping for tacos. Mix chopped beef with some of the fat left in the pot. Serve with warm corn tortillas, fresh or caramelized garnishes, cilantro, and salsa!
Notes
Testing the recipe with rib-eye. It was delicious, but my favorite was with the beef short ribs. The beef really does need to have a bit of fat through out. Beef short ribs were great for this recipe!
These tacos were prepared with a taqueria(small) homemade corn tortilla. Type “corn tortillas” into the search bar to see full recipe on site. Garnish with diced, sliced and chopped onion, radish, cilantro and lime.
On the left a smooth chile de arbol salsa prepared with rendered beef stock. On the right, a toasted chile de arbol salsa.
Chile de Arbol Salsa-Two Ways
For Smooth Chile de Arbol Salsa (Bright Red/Orange)
1 cup dried chile de arbol, about 20
5 large Roma tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1/2-3/4 cup beef broth rendered from cooking barbacoa or beef roast.
Salt to taste
Directions
Transfer chiles and tomatoes to a pot. Cover with water. Bring to a light simmer, reduce heat and cook at a steady simmer for 10 minutes. Stir now and then. Drain water from chiles and tomatoes. Transfer to the blender. Add the garlic, beef broth, and salt to taste. Blend on high until smooth. Strain through a wire mesh strainer. This salsa must be used in a timely manner. The broth should have a little fat in it for this salsa. If it does not, drizzle in a little oil of your choice. I use avocado oil, about 2 tablespoons.
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It looks fine, thanks for sharing… I was looking for another recipe to reaffirm my knowledge of it since I want it rotate like the tacos I eat in my hometown in Cuernavaca, but it look like nobody has it on the internet…
I just would like to ask you, and maybe you can tell me, why it is always an ingredient in the salsas the vinegar or lime, we don’t use any of them to prepare salsas, only a little in the one with avocado so it doesn’t turn dark, but not any other, not even in Chihuahua (my father is from there), and I mention it just in case in Monterrey they do, but not in the rest of the country going down from the north..
Thanks!
Hi Veronica,
I cannot say how everyone else prepares their salsa. As you know it varies from region to region. Growing up visiting family in Monterrey, limes were always a staple. Not all salsa recipes called for lime. I found over time, that I liked the way the lime brought out more of the flavors in the salsa, so I admit that I may use it more than most. The vinegar is used a lot more in modern Mexican cooking. Not so much in older traditional recipes. I enjoy the balance of heat, savory and acid in all of my salsa recipes. Plus, because I was looking to preserve the salsa a bit longer, I use a little vinegar. But if you research salsa recipes on You Tube, you will see vinegar used more in the modern recipes. It’s not a must, must just a personal choice of the cook.
I didn’t make the carnitas but I did make the red salsa it turned out real good.
I love that salsa!