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Discada norteña

Mixed-meat skillet with peppers and onions

Chihuahua's mixed-meat feast cooked on a plough disc with peppers and onions

In Chihuahua and across the northern ranchlands, discada is party food: a worn-out plough disc is set over a wood fire and filled, one by one, with bacon, pork chorizo, beef, ham and sausages, then peppers, onions and tomatoes, while everyone stands around with tortillas. It is a big, smoky, pork-heavy dish, made with pork bacon, pork chorizo and ham, and many cooks splash in beer near the end, for which stock is a fine alcohol-free swap. At home, a large wok or your widest heavy skillet does the job. Serve it straight from the pan with corn tortillas, salsa and lime. Chef's tip: add the meats in order, fattiest first, so each one browns in the fat of the last.
Total time
70 min
Difficulty
easy
Serves
8
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Ingredients

Serves8

For the meats

For the vegetables

To serve

  • 16 corn tortillas (optional)warmed
  • 2 limes (optional)cut into wedges

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Fresh ingredients (7)

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Method

0/7 done
  1. Step 1: Set a disc, large wok or your widest heavy skillet over a medium heat. Add 9 oz smoked pork bacon and cook, stirring now and then, until the fat has run and the bacon is golden and crisp.

    8 min
  2. Step 2: Push the bacon to the sides, add 9 oz fresh pork chorizo and fry, breaking it up, until it is cooked through and no longer pink (160°F), and the fat runs red.

    6 min
  3. Step 3: Turn the heat up to high and add 1 ⅓ lb beef sirloin or rump steak with 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp ground black pepper. Cook, stirring only every minute or so, until browned on all sides. Don't crowd the pan with all the meats at once: that is the usual reason discada stews grey instead of browning; cook in two batches if your pan is small.

    8 min
  4. Step 4: Add 5 ½ oz cooked ham and 4 frankfurter-style sausages and fry until the sausages are browned at the edges and piping hot throughout (160°F).

    5 min
  5. Step 5: Add 2 white onions, 2 green peppers and 2 jalapeño chillies and stir-fry until softened and lightly charred at the edges.

    6 min
  6. Step 6: Stir in 3 tomatoes and the beer or stock if using, scrape up the browned bits from the bottom and simmer until the juices have reduced to a glossy coating.

    8 min
  7. Step 7: Taste for salt and serve straight from the pan with warm tortillas and lime wedges, so everyone makes their own tacos.

Nutrition per serving

Calories
520 kcal
Protein
36 g
Carbs
9 g
Fat
38 g
Fibre
2 g

Nutrition values are estimates.

K
Recipe by

KrazyBadal

All recipes by this chef →

Good to know

How long does discada norteña take?
About 70 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 45 minutes to cook.
How many people does it serve?
8 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
What can I use instead of ground black pepper?
Black peppercorns, freshly ground, same amount.
What can I use instead of white onions?
2 shallots per onion.

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