Two & A Knife

Crispy homemade corn sopes topped with shredded barbacoa and creamy eggs.

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Barbacoa is one of my favorite dishes to make and it is a regular for us. If you’re unfamiliar barbacoa is typically beef cheeks, which can sometimes be hard to find so it’s often swapped with other cut of meat. Which is then simmered till fork tender with peppers, onions and spices. From there I like to throw the shredded meat into a screaming hot pan and really season and also rendered down the fat. Top with a simple pico de galllo and enjoy! You can enjoy barbacoa rolled up as a taco or in a burrito, stuffed as a tamale filling or enjoyed on a tostado.

Today I decided to do something different and make my own sope. Sopes are a basically a fried corn cake with a little impression on the top to make kind of a shelf for all the fun toppings. It’s super simple on four ingredients and is really fool proof. The batter is really simple no wet ingredients, dry ingredients. You just mix all the ingredients together give it a stir and you’re done! If you’ve had tamales or pupusas the taste is practically the same. This recipe is a major victory after many fails making tamales.

TIPS AND TRICKS:

Cant find barbacoa meat? That’s okay! I cant always when I need it either. Swap the meat out with a beef roast of your choice.

For some barbacoa has one major problem and that is it can be very fatty. Due to the cut of the meat. Two ways to combat this is to either add another cut of meat. You can add a chuck shoulder or roast to add to the meat to fat ratio. Just remember to adjust the seasonings to accommodate the extra meat. Another option is and my personal favorite is searing the meat adding it to high heat and frying the shredded meat in the fat its attached to. It makes for a really crispy taco.

SERVE THIS RECIPE WITH:

1. CILANTRO CHIMICHURRI SAUCE

SIMILIAR INGREDIENTS TO:

1. NOPALES (CACTUS) BREAKFAST TACOS
2. CARNE PICADA STEAK TACOS

INGREDIENTS

• 2lb Barbacoa
• 1 Yellow Onion, chopped
• Salt
• Pepper
• 12oz Beer
• 1 Lime
• 1 Jalapeno, chopped
• 1tsp Mexican Oregano
• 1tsp Cumin
• 1tsp Ancho Chili Powder
• 1tsp Adobo
• Cooking Oil

Sope dough

• 1/3c Margarine, melted
• 2c Corn Meal
• 1tsp Salt
• 1.5c Water, warm

DIRECTIONS

• PREPARE POT: To make barbacoa start off by seasoning the meat generously with salt and pepper then place it in a pressure cooker or pot with a beer and a lime.
• PRESSURE COOK: Pressure cook for 1 hour. If you’re boiling it on the stove boil till for tender.
• HEAT SKILLET: Heat a cast iron skillet on high. Discard liquid. Add in barbacoa, onions and peppers.
• SEASON: Season with adobo, Mexican oregano, chili powder and cumin.
• FRY IN FAT: Barbacoa should release a lot of fat keep it boiling till all liquid in a pan is gone.
• MAKE SOPE: To make sope dough combine all ingredients and let rest for 30 minutes.
• ROLL: Roll into 10 balls and place between parchment then lightly press down.
• FRY: Heat a frying pan with lard and fry sopes on both sides for 1 minute till golden brown.
• ENJOY: Once barbacoa is ready. place generously on top of a sope with eggs down you way. Add on your favorite salsa or pico.