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Hilachas
Shredded beef in tomato sauce
Hilachas: Guatemala City's shredded beef in tomato, tomatillo and guajillo sauce
The name means 'threads', and that is how the beef should look: pulled into fine strands and simmered with potato and carrot in a brick-red sauce of tomato, tomatillo and dried guajillo chilli. Hilachas is everyday food in Guatemala City, served at lunch counters with white rice and tortillas, and it is a thrifty way to stretch a piece of flank. Rushing the first simmer is the classic mistake: if the beef doesn't fall apart easily, it shreds into chewy chunks instead of threads. Chef's tip: shred the meat along the grain with two forks while it is still warm; cold beef tears unevenly.
- Total time
- 120 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ lb beef flank or skirtin 2–3 pieces
- 1.5 litres water
- 1 ½ tsp saltdivided
- 2 waxy potatoespeeled, in 2 cm cubes
- 2 carrotsin 2 cm cubes
For the sauce
- 3 dried guajillo chilliesstems and seeds removed
- 3 tomatilloshusked
- 1 onionquartered
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 corn tortillatorn, to thicken
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Simmer 1 ¾ lb beef flank or skirt with 1.5 litres water, 2 bay leaves and 1 tsp of ⅞ tsp salt in a covered pan until it pulls apart easily with a fork. Skim at the start.
75 minStep 2: Lift out the beef, keep the broth and shred the meat finely along the grain with two forks.
Step 3: Toast 3 dried guajillo chillies in a dry pan for 20 seconds a side until fragrant, then soak in hot broth for 10 minutes. Simmer 4 ripe tomatoes, 3 tomatillos and 1 onion in a little broth until soft.
10 minStep 4: Blend the chillies, tomatoes, tomatillos, onion, 2 cloves garlic and 1 corn tortilla with 300 ml of broth until smooth.
Step 5: Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a wide pan, add the sauce and fry it for 3–4 minutes, stirring, until it darkens. Add 2 waxy potatoes, 2 carrots, the rest of ⅝ tsp salt and 250 ml of broth, and simmer until the potato is just tender.
15 minStep 6: Stir in the shredded beef and simmer for 5 more minutes until the sauce clings to the threads. Taste for salt and serve.
5 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 410 kcal
- Protein
- 44 g
- Carbs
- 22 g
- Fat
- 15 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does hilachas take?
- About 120 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 100 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of bay leaves?
- Leave it out, or a pinch of dried thyme (it's a background flavour).
- What can I use instead of waxy potatoes?
- Sweet potato, same weight (sweeter, cooks a little faster).
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