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-Eye on sale was the perfect excuse to try this recipe yet another time and I am so happy I did. But then I tried the recipe with 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 short rib version. It was amazing!
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 is the short rib version and 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 rib-eye steaks total 2 pounds
- Kosher salt
- Fresh cracked pepper
- 2 cups water
- Olive oil or oil of choice
Mom's Toasted Chile de Arbol Salsa
- 1 cup dried chile de arbol stems removed
- 2 cups tomato sauce
- 1-2 cloves of garlic
- juice of 1/2 lime
- Pinch of oregano
- Salt to taste
Instructions
Directions
For Carnitas, Rib-Eye
- Slice the rib-eye into 2 inch pieces and season lightly with salt and fresh cracked pepper. Transfer to a skillet, spread out evenly and don't overlap.
- Pour in the 2 cups of water. Cover and bring to a rapid boil. Reduce heat to medium and continue cooking at a steady boil for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Once all the water has evaporated, drizzle meat with olive oil and stir to turn meat. Continue cooking to sear the carnitas, turning as needed for a few minutes. Ready to serve! Yields 4 to 6 servings for tacos.
For Salsa
- On a comal or skillet that has been preheated, toast the chile de arbol peppers. Stir them often and toast to darken in most spots. Transfer to the blender, add all remaining ingredients and blend until smooth. Transfer to a pot and cook at medium/low heat for 7-10 minutes. Cool completely before storing in an airtight container.
Notes
Testing the recipe with rib-eye. It was delicious, but my favorite was with the beef short ribs.
In the past I have attempted this recipe with other cuts of beef, but did not have the great results like this one. 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.
Store bought tortillas are thinner than the homemade and may not hold up as well to salsa being brushed onto them. You can double up on the store bought ones for a heartier taco that won’t fall apart.
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 chile de arbol
4-5 roma tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, sliced
Splash of white vinegar
1/2-3/4 cup beef broth rendered from cooking barbacoa or beef roast.
Salt to taste
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*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 olive oil, about 2 tablespoons.
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Directions
Transfer chiles and tomatoes to a pot. Cover with water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook at a steady simmerfor 10 to 12 minutes. Stir now and then. Drain water from chiles/tomatoes and transfer to the blender. Add the garlic, vinegar, 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.
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Tips~Because of the added beef stock/fat, it will not last as long, but you can freeze it.
To serve “taqueria-style” tacos, brush tortillas with oil, preferably and fat renedered from cooking carnitas, barbacoa or roast. Warm on preheated comal(griddle). When ready to flip, brush tortillas with either salsa(I used the smooth). Flip and cook just for a few more seconds. Place onto plate, salsa side up and build your taco.
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.