Okay , So I call these IRISH PEROGIES because I had just fried up some frozen perogies for lunch and it was getting on to St. Patty’s Day
and I said , ” How can I put these two together ? “
So this is what I came up with. Now I know some of you are probly saying , “Calzone ….. or maybe Empanada
” well you might be right but I invented this so I’ll call it what I want ……….. So there! “
No matter what you want to call it , it turn out really good and it’s very easy to put together.
2 cup flour
1 cup rye flour
So this is what I came up with. Now I know some of you are probly saying , “Calzone ….. or maybe Empanada
1 tsp Caraway seed – crushed
1 packet yeast
1 cup beer ( real beer not lite)
1 tsp sugar
3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 lb. sliced deli corned beef
1/4 lb. deli sliced swiss cheese –
HEY, YOU ‘RE AT THE DELI , GET SOME GOOD CHEESE , NOT THE PRESLICED STUFF IN THE PLASTIC BAG
1 12 oz. can Franks sauerkraut
1 bottle thousand island
or Russian dressing ( which has a little more ZING to it and I like much better )
This isn’t as quick but it’s a heck of a lot better …. make your own :
Season with fine sea salt, if desired. DO AHEAD: The dressing can be prepared ahead and refrigerated
Warm 1 cup beer in microwave for 30 sec or until slightly warm
Mix in packet of yeast and 1 tsp sugar. let proof ( foam ) for 20 min.
Mix 2 cups regular flour with 1 cup rye flour, 1 tsp salt and caraway seed
Add 3 tbsp. olive oil and beer yeast mixture
Mix until you have a nice soft elastic dough.
Knead for 5 min. Watch the clock – this is a very key part of having a nice dough ( you really KNEAD to do this HA ! HA! I crack myself up )
Spread 1 tbsp. olive oil on dough and cover until double ( a couple of hours ) or you can do like I do . I make this in the morning and forgetaboutit until dinner time.
Heat oven to 425′
Roll out dough with a little flour and cut out 3 inch rounds
Wet the edge of 1 round with a little water on your finger . Put 3 pieces of corned beef on the round ( you may have yo cut it to fit – you don’t want it to hang over the edge
2 pieces of swiss cheese ( cut to fit )
1 tsp 1000 Island or Russian dressing
1 tbsp. sauerkraut
Top with another round and crimp edges to seal
Take a Fork or a knife and stick it in the top to make hole to let the steam out
and place on foil lined cookie sheet that you have greased.
( I usually use butter but I’m starting to like the spray )
Brush with a little butter – 2 tbsp.. butter melted
Bake about 20 minutes until golden brown.
Serve with a shallow bowl of Russian dressing for dipping and a
Ok, so we tried a meatball recipe that was on COOKS COUNTRY. They turn out good most of the time. Not so much on this one. It tasted like HAMBURGER in sauce .That’s how most of the recipes that I’ve tried turn out. Even the ones that are great AND GRAMMA BROUGHT OVER FROM THE OLD COUNTRY.
The reason for this is:
1. I think way back when, there wasn’t alot of meat to go around, So you only got a little beef in the stew or maybe killed ONE chicken on Sunday and Mom had to stretch it for the whole family.
2. Thats how it started and the 1 or 2 generations later with everyone eating Gamma’s and Mom’s recipe every Sunday with the whole family , it became great,, and also a tradition.
just my 2 cents
This had 1/2 hamburger, 1/2 Italian sausage , eggs Italian bread crumbs and a little cream and mozzarella cheese
So if any one has a dats a spicy meat – a – ball ( remember the commercial) recipe they want to share send it in
AND ALWAYS REMEMBER ::: SHARING IS CARING
Up Date ::
So having said all that at an earlier date , I….. Have the perfect Meatball recipe.
No I did not come up with it myself. It is from JOE. the Italian plumber friend of my – who got it from his grandmother NONNA.
He said he was happy to share it with me so that people would know what a REAL meatball was suppose to taste like. I have to agree. After eating Round Hamburger balls in red sauce for my whole life , these are REALLY GOOD !!!
1 lb. ground chuck
1 lb. ground round
1 /4 cup bread crumbs ( made from Italian bread – home-made if you can )
1 TBSP oregano
1 TBSP basil
1 TSP salt
1 TSP pepper
dash Worcestershire sauce( my add in )
3 Garlic cloves – smashed and minced
Garlic powder – alittle bit
Handful minced Italian flat parsley
Romano cheese – grated
Parmesan Cheese
So there is no amount on some of these ingredients, and the ones that are,……. – are sorta kinda ……… you gotta just see.
That’s how his NONNA explained to him , and that’s how he told it me.
Of course he was able to be in the kitchen with his grandmother growing up so his are a lot closer to the real thing than mine
BUT ….
These came out really good.
Mix every thing together.
I used about 1/4 cup fresh grated Romano and Parmesan cheese……. maybe a little more …. eh?
(NOTE : This is really the only way to have cheese . Buy a wedge and grate it with a micro planer
each time you need cheese.
{ also good for lime ,lemon, orange ZEST }
The pre- grated cheese has got some weird chemical stuff on it so that it doesn’t stick to ether and it costs more and it ‘s just not as good…. THERE!)
” These will be cooked in the oven as only all meatballs should ” quote from Joe and his GRAMMA.
Pre- heat oven to 400′ middle rack
make the meatballs about the size of a golf ball
Put on a parchment lined cookie sheet ( not foil — it makes a difference )
about an inch apart cook for 20 min.
Use as you see fit in pasta sauce , sandwich. spaghetti or just in a bowl with a little sauce
Okay, so I made a batch of these last night, and I have a little update :
This recipe actually makes
2 PANS OF CANNELLONI ( 13 X 9 BAKING DISH )
That’s if you make the rolls using approxn deli. I did, and found them to be not as good as using the lasagna pasta.
DO NOT GO OVERBOARD ON THE LEMON ZEST – – MORE IS NOT BETTER IN THIS CASE !!!
Also, I have added about 1 cup of shredded Mozzarella cheese on top, sprinkle Parsley on top right before serving.
Ok, this is Cannelloni …but not really.
But hey, this is pretty good, and I’ve never had it.
Actually, the first time I heard it was on a Sopranos show. This goes pretty well with it if it’s cold and rainy and you have nothing else to do. Yeah, a big pan of Cannelloni and a Sopranos film fest
KAPEESH
Okay, So I am using 4 – 6 cups of homemade spaghetti sauce. — I’m not real fond of bechamel Sauce( kinda like flour water), or if you don’t have homemade, I’m real fond of pretty good for store bought.
1 1/210-oz lb Italian sausage
3 cloves garlic ( you always have to use at least 3), minced
2 10 oz pkg chopped spinach – thawed, squeezed tight in a tea towel to get rid of most of the water
2 cups shredded parmesan cheese — use the micro planer –
2 eggs
1 tsp fresh ground nutmeg
1 tsp lemon zest – NOT MUCH AT ALL
2 lbs lasagna noodles – fresh or from the Box, use a good brand like Barilla
Heat oven to 350′
Heat 2 tbsp virgin olive oil ( the only kind to use) in frying pan
Add garlic, saute 1 min add sausage and brown
Remove from heat and let cool
Add to spinach mix in eggs , nutmeg and zest
Salt and fresh ground pepper
Add cheese
Mix well
Cook pasta according to instructions – cut each lasagna noodle into thirds ( about 4 inches )
Spread a little sauce over a 9×13 baking pan
Put 1 tbsp. filling one 1 square of pasta, roll up, put seam side down in a baking dish.
Continue until the dish is full – pack them in tight
Pour the rest of the sauce over the top
Sprinkle with a little more cheese and Parsley
Put in oven on middle rack for 40 min until hot and bubbly
Okay, so Carne Adovado is a favorite of New Mexican cuisine.
New Mexican cuisine is not just the food from New Mexico, it is actually a whole region including Arizona, Colorado, Utah, and Nevada .
It is not Tex- Mex and it isn’t Mexican, really a mix of Native and Hispano, with a dash of Anglo thrown in — and includes some of the most intensely spiced dishes in the Americas.
So if you read yesterday’s blog entree , BOWL OF RED , I believe this comes even closer or maybe it IS THE ” MEAT IN THE BROWN GRAVY TACOS ” from San Antonio.
I think I found it Pops
Adovada / adobada is Spanish for “marinated”, which in general means to cook something in an adobo sauce—a sauce made with chiles, flavored with spices and vinegar.
Carne Adovada is a specialty usually served as a main entrée similar to a stew , also in tacos and burritos .
.
2 1/2poundspork shoulder orpork butt, cut into bite size chunks.
I used Country ribs because that was all they had.
After I have trimmed most of the fat ( a little is okay and good to help the browning)
Taking a trick from my Italian Nonna and her tomato sauce recipe ,
I Adobo (salt ) and pepper the bone.
and roast it on a foil covered cookie sheet at 425′ for 40 min or until brown.
2tablespoonlard
FOR THE RED CHILE GRAVY
3tablespoons lard ( don’t be ascared it’s really not bad for you.)
(Check it out in Scotty’s Place – HINTS AND TIPS album )
( if you are still scared use 4 strips bacon diced )
1large onion-chopped
1poblano pepper-chopped
1 jalapeno peppers-minced
1 serrano pepper -minced
4clovesgarlic – smashed and minced
3 tablespoonsflour
3cupschicken broth
Juice from 1 orange ( this a good thing to have )
3/4cupNew Mexico red CHILE powder
( yes 3/4 CUP ,Don’t be ascared it will be alright)
(Spicy , but not hot !)
I’m not talking about
CHILI with an I. It’s CHILE with an E
CHILI powder is a blend with cumin and other Tex-Mex spices .
I’m talk’in about pure CHILI powder from long green chiles, or their more mature,
mellow counterpart, red chiles.
The state of New Mexico and the surrounding Southwest use the varietal known as the New Mexican chile almost exclusively — most often in the form of the signature cooked sauces of either chopped, fresh green pods or their dried red cousins.
Green and Red chiles are from the same plant; if not picked while green, they eventually turn red.
Chili is a stew with meat and beans.
Chile is a vegetable (technically a fruit, ).
Chile can be turned into chili, and you can make Chili without Chile but you can’t make a Chile from Chili.
So, that should clear things up .
( But you can use Chili powder if that’s all you got )
1Tbsp. Mexican oregano
2 Tsp ground coriander
2 Tsp. cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
2tablespoonsapple cider vinegar
1tablespoonhoneyor more to taste
1 ) Heat 2 tablespoons lard in a large pot to medium-high heat
I use my Dutch oven for this. Pat the chopped pork dry with paper towels.
Season with salt and pepper and brown the pork a couple minutes per side.
Do this in batches.
2) Remove the pork and set it aside.
.3) Heat 2 tablespoon olive oil or lard in the same pot and add the onion and peppers.
4 ) Stir cook them down for 5 minutes to soften.
5 ) Add the garlic and cook another minute, stirring, until the garlic becomes fragrant
6 ) Add the remaining 2 tablespoon olive oil and stir in the 3 tablespoons of flour.
7 ) Cook, stirring constantly for 5 minutes to cook out the raw flour flavor.
8 ) Add the chicken broth, orange juice, chile powder, oregano, coriander, cumin and a bit more salt and pepper to taste.
9 ) Cook for 5 minutes to thicken the gravy and develop the flavors.
10 ) Return the browned pork and roasted bone to the pot bring the pot to a boil.
11) Reduce the heat, cover, then cook the entire pot of pork in the gravy for 2 hours, or until the pork is fall-apart tender.
Okay, so I always use EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL and maybe you are wondering why? Or maybe not. Well this is just a little schooling on why you should only use this kind of oil.
There are many different kinds of olive varieties from which oil can be produced, and each brings a unique flavor and quality to the oil. While some olive oil is made by blending different olive varieties together, mono-varietals or monocultivar olive oils, are made using just one. It is the variety of olive, along with the maturity of the fruit, that contributes most to the flavor of the oil.
Olive oils described as ‘virgin’ are those that have been obtained from the original fruit without having been synthetically treated. Once the olives have been picked, pressed, and washed, no other process has taken place other than decantation, and centrifugation to extract the oil, and filtration.
The best quality of olive oil available is described as ‘extra virgin’.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
. Extra virgin is the highest quality and most flavorful olive oil classification. In chemical terms it is described as having a free acidity, expressed as oleic acid, of not more than 0.8 grams per 100 grams and a peroxide value of less than 20 milliequivalent O2. It must be produced entirely by mechanical means without the use of any SOLVENTS and under temperatures that will not degrade the oil (less than 86°F, 30°C).
Yes, ladies and gentlemen they said SOLVENTS ( as in aromatic compounds and other hydrocarbons, alcohols, esters, ethers, ketones, amines, and nitrated and halogenated hydrocarbons. Their chief uses are as media for chemical syntheses, as industrial cleaners, in extractive processes, in pharmaceuticals, in inks, and in paints, varnishes, and lacquers. ) MORE ON THIS IN A BIT
Here is some info if you are interested ….if not skip to the next paragraph.
Cooking with Olive Oil
. As a finish and condiment, high quality extra virgin olive oils are poured over everything from rices, potatoes vegetables and beans to meats, poultry and fish.
Olive oil is a versatile ingredient that has been used in cooking for thousands of years. It has broken down a lot of boundaries in recent times, becoming a staple in kitchens well beyond the area of its Mediterranean roots. Not only can you cook just about anything with olive oil, you should cook just about everything with olive oil instead of using less healthy fats or butter.
Robust extra virgin oils are perfect for cooking seafood, to make marinades, or on strongly flavored ingredients such as peppers or garlic. A medium intensity oil is delicious with mozzarella and for dipping bread, for frying and sautéing. More mild olive oils work well when used in baking. Whatever the use, the most important thing is to find an oil that tastes great to you. Have several different kinds on hand and experiment pairing oils with your dishes. When it works, you’ll know it. The flavor of fresh olive fruit will shine through adding a new sublime dimension to your creation.
Frying with Olive Oil
. A cooking oil’s smoke point is the temperature at which the oil begins to break down and smoke. A high-quality extra virgin olive oil has a higher smoke point than other oils, making it very suitable for many forms of cooking, including frying, and cooking doesn’t destroy an EVOO’s healthful polyphenols.
“Extra virgin olive oil’s smoke point is generally given as 410 degrees Fahrenheit, which gives plenty of room for the 250-350 degrees Fahrenheit that covers most cooking,” says Karen Collins, a nutrition adviser for the American Institute for Cancer Research, a nonprofit which funds cancer-prevention research.
Other Grades of Olive Oil
. In addition to extra virgin olive oil, there are a number of other grades which define chemical and organoleptic qualities.
Virgin olive oil: This is virgin olive oil which has a free acidity, expressed as oleic acid, of not more than 2 grams per 100 grams and a median organoleptic defect value of 2.5 or less.
Ordinary virgin olive oil: Virgin olive oil which has a free acidity, expressed as oleic acid, of not more than 3.3 grams per 100 grams and a median organoleptic defect value of 2.5 or less than 6.0.
Olive oil: A blend of both virgin and refined olive oil. It has a free acidity, expressed as oleic acid, of not more than 1 gram per 100.
Refined olive oil: This is the olive oil obtained from virgin olive oils by refining methods which do not lead to alterations in the initial glyceridic structure. It has a free acidity, expressed as oleic acid, of not more than 0.3 grams per 100 grams.
Olive-pomace oil is the oil obtained by treating olive pomace with solvents or other physical treatments, to the exclusion of oils obtained by re-esterification processes and of any mixture with oils of other kinds. It is marketed in accordance with the following designations and definitions:
Crude olive-pomace oil is olive pomace oil whose characteristics correspond to those fixed for this category in this standard. It is intended for refining for use for human consumption, or it is intended for technical use.
Refined olive pomace oil is the oil obtained from crude olive pomace oil by refining methods which do not lead to alterations in the initial glyceridic structure. It has a free acidity, expressed as oleic acid, of not more than 0.3 grams per 100 grams. Olive pomace oil is the oil comprising the blend of refined olive pomace oil and virgin olive oils fit for consumption as they are. It has a free acidity of not more than 1 gram per 100 grams. In no case can this blend be called olive oil.
Now maybe you are wondering why I am sharing this info , well for years I used a POMACE olive oil and thought that was good and healthy and .. …. ……oh yeah it was cheaper.
One day I came across this site and started reading about this and found out that the Brand I was using got into trouble with the World Olive Oil Council because of not meeting it’s standards. On further research I found that the solvent is used to extract the oil from the POMACE ( the left over pulp) was Hexane.
Hexane is an organic compound made of the elements carbon and hydrogen primarily produced through the refining of petroleum. It has many uses, including that of a vegetable solvent, cleaning agent, and thermometer liquid. Its toxicity is considered to be relatively low, though the effects of extremely high exposure can include irritation, dizziness, headache, and slight nausea.
This compound has many uses, but is best known for its role as a solvent. Many types of plants and vegetables are treated with it in order to extract their oils and proteins for use in other products. Produce treated include soybeans, peanuts, and corn. Hexane is also used as a cleaning solvent and as an industrial degreaser .
Maybe more than you wanted to know,…. but being the inquisitive Sherlock Holmes wanna- be kinda guy, I am I went and asked some of the world’s top scientists.
Oh… how did I do that? Well….. I work at ARGONNE NATIONAL LABORATORIES , Department of Energy, in the Chemistry Division and so, I am lucky enough to be able to ask the scientists about this. “Oh yeah, we use Hexane all the time in our experiments in vacuum hoods in controlled areas with strict procedures}
So I put 2 and 2 and HEXANE together and come up with ….. I DON’T THINK THIS IS VERY GOOD FOR ME !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hence, I only use EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL. The taste and the quality is worth the price .. you WILL agree.
If you would like more info on this, please change the channel to
SO, IF YOU ARE TIRED OF MAKING A BIG MESS DEEP FRYING, OR LIKE SOME OF MY FRIENDS AND CANNOT EAT FRIED FOODS,
YOU ARE GOING TO LOVE THIS !
12 whole chicken wings
Emeril’s essence ( or your favorite seasoning )
6 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup hot sauce
dash of garlic powder
Load a 6-quart saucepan with a steamer basket or
a STEEL LOTUS ( YOU JUST GOTTA GET ONE OF THESE )
and 1 inch of water in the bottom. Turn heat to high , cover, and bring to a boil.
2) Steam wings for 10 minutes .
3) Lay the wings out on a metal cooling rack set in a half-sheet pan lined with paper towel, and let cool to room temp.
4 ) Sprinkle lightly with ESSENCE and refrigerate for 1 hour.
5)Heat oven to 425 ‘
6) Replace the paper towels with parchment paper, then return the rack with the wings to the half-sheet pan. Roast on the middle rack of the oven for 20 minutes. Turn the wings over and cook until meat is cooked through and the skin is golden brown, about another 20 minutes.
7) While the chicken is roasting, melt the butter in a small bowl and add the garlic. Pour garlic-butter mixture, hot sauce into a bowl large enough to hold all of the wings and stir to combine.
8)Remove wings from oven and transfer to the bowl and toss with the sauce. Serve warm.
Okay, So , first snow of the year , it must be time to start making soups.
This is a Farmer’s Supper recipe that I got out of a German cook book using Italian sausage, kinda.
This recipe calls for Mortadella , sometimes known as the “Italian Bologna,”
BALONEY !!! IT IS NOT
BOARSHEAD
Real Mortadella is a type of cured meat that falls under the umbrella of SALUME( not to be confused with salami ). What sets mortadella apart from other sausages is its smooth, pink texture and large cubes of juicy fat, and yet a slice of mortadella doesn’t taste fatty ; it tastes porky and nutty, How do they do it ? Part of it is that the rules say the 15% of any log of mortadella must be of “prime neck fat” from pigs.
Select cuts of pork are then accented with garlic and spices, then delicately roasted in the old world Italian way, just as it was over 600 years ago
Mortadella is cooked cured pork meat that is produced in central and northern Italy. The original recipe was codified in 1661 in the Bologna area in the Emilia-Romagna
This area is also rich in culinary history :
Emilia-Romagna is the birthplace of the highly prized Parmigiano-Reggiano (
Modena is also well known in culinary circles as the origin of another Emilia-Romagna culinary masterpiece: the coveted Balsamic vinegar of Modena,
Bologna, the capital of the region, was founded by the Etruscans and is home to the oldest University in the world.
In Poland, mortadella slices are sometimes dipped in batter, fried and served with potatoes and salads as a quicker (and cheaper) alternative to traditional pork chops.
Chả lụa or Vietnamese mortadella is sometimes used as an accompaniment to the Vietnamese dish bánh cuốn.
Well , that’s about everything you need to know about this wonderful sausage.
It is important that you try to get Mortadella from your local Italian deli.
The spices in the Mortadella are what flavors this dish
18 new red potatoes
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup parsley – flat Italian – chopped
3/4 lb mortadella ( I get the deli guy to cut a 1 inch thick slice from a 8 ” diameter Mortadella roll )
Dice into 3/ 4 ” cubes
1 onion – chopped small
1 1/2 cup fresh mushrooms = sliced
1/3 cup butter
2 Tbsp flour pepper 1 1/2 cup milk
Wash potatoes and peel 1/2 inch strip around the center of each.
Cook , covered in 1′ boiling water with 1 tp salt for 20 min. until just tender.
Drain , and peel, return to sauce pan.
Toss with parsley and keep warm.
Saute mortadella , onions and mushrooms in butter in a large sauce pan or dutch oven.
Push to side of pan , add flour a few grinds of pepper and the remaining 1/2 tsp salt
Well Well Well, it snowed at my house so I guess it is officially winter .
SOUP TIME !!!
It’s another thing My wife didn’t think she liked – split pea soup – but She really likes this one
( even the kids liked it when they were little.)
What the heck are split peas anyway ?
Green split peas are identical to green peas. The difference lies in how they are processed. Both are the seeds of Pisum Sativum. To make a split pea, the green pea is peeled and dried.
Although they belong to the same family as beans and lentils, they are usually distinguished as a separate group because of the ways in which they are prepared. The different types of peas are all spherical, a feature that also sets them apart from beans and lentils. Dried peas are produced by harvesting the peapods when they are fully mature and then drying them. Once they are dried and the skins removed, they split naturally.
So now you know !
2 tbsp. butter 2 med onions – chopped fine 2 medium carrots – shredded – ( you know, I went and bought an old timey box grater and I’m finding all kinds of uses for it. Saves alot of time as long as you don’t skin your knuckles on it) especially carrots that need to be cooked down
1 stalk celery – diced 1 med potato diced
1 ham bone – left over from your last sliced ham or one pound of smoked ham hocks 1 pkg split peas 1 can (12oz) of real beer – not lite anything 2 tsp crushed thyme 2 tsp whole mustard seed – crushed 1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tTsp. ground pepper
1 Tsp. salt
1 1/2 pkg smokie links ( anyone remember those) sometimes I find them , or brats
cut in half then slice 1/2″ thick – lightly fry 2 tbsp. cider vinegar 1/4 cup chopped parsley 1/4 cup chopped green onions
Melt butter and sauté onion, add carrots and celery, potato, cook until soft.
Add spices , cook 1 minute Add ham bone , peas, beer, and enough water to barley cover the ham bone. Bring to a boil and then lower to a simmer. Simmer for 3 hours until peas are tender and meat falls off the bone Remove bone pick off any meat and put it back in the pot.
Now at this point you can eat it as is or take a cup or two of soup and put it in a blender to puree …. ON PULSES …. WITH A TOWEL ON IT BECAUSE ITS REAL HOT AND YOU DON’T WANT IT TO FLY OUT OF THE BLENDER —IT WILL BURN YOU ….. UNLESS YOU ARE JOHNNY STORM
I have just bought a boat motor – immersion blender , didn’t cost much and it comes in real handy for (creaming) soups and stuff without using cream (no extra calories)
That’s what I use.
Then lightly fry up some smokie links ( sliced ) ,add to the soup along with the parsley and green onions and a splash of cider vinegar.
The Taino people are thought to have first used fire-resistant fig branches from the bearded fig trees that covered the Caribbean islands for cooking. They called their cooking preparations “barabicu,” which means “sacred firepit”.
The Taino cooking style spread to Mexico, where it evolved into a unique cooking method. In Mexico, barbacoa is traditionally cooked in a pit dug into the ground and covered with agave leaves. This method steams the meat, keeping it from drying out and infusing it with smoky flavor.
a dozen or so good-size avocado leaves (available at Mexican groceries)
2 to 3 tablespoons pork lard
3 to 4 pounds beef chuck roast and1.5 lb or so of beef short ribs ( you need the bones for more flavor !)
Salt
Red Chile Marinade
2 dried guajillo chiles .stemmed, seeded and torn into large pieces
2, dried ancho chiles, stemmed seeded and torn into large pieces
4 garlic cloves, peeled
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1 can ( 3.5 oz ) chipotle chile en adobo
1/2 teaspoon fresh black pepper
1 tsp dried Mexican oregano ( really does mke a difference)
1/2 teaspoon fresh allspice or cinnamon (preferably Mexican canela)
About 1/2 of a 12-ounce bottle of beer (* REAL BEER –NOT lite)
20 warm corn tortillas
1 cup roasted salsa
3-4 limes, cut into wedges
1) Avocado leaves, scatter half of them on the bottom of the slow-cooker and set the others aside.
2)Pat the meat dry with paper towels .Sprinkel with coaser salt and let sit for 1 hour.
Heat enough lard to coat the bottom of a very large (12-inch) skillet over medium-high.
3)Pat the meat dry with paper towels, Brown on all sides—this will take 10 to 15 minutespan.
Transfer to the slow-cooker
Marinade – Combine all the marinade ingredients EXCEPT the beer , in the blender with 2 cups water and blend until smooth—this will take a minute or two.
Pass through a medium-mesh strainer into the slow-cooker, using enough to coat all sides of the meat. (Pour in the beer, Cover with the remaining avocado leaves Cover and turn on the slow-cooker to high. Your barbacoa will be done in about 6 hours.
Coarsely shred the meat and arrange it on a warm platter.
Skim any fat from the sauce that remains in the slow-cooker, then taste it. taste and season with salt if it needs it .
If you feel the broth sauce would be better with a more concentrated flavor, pour it into a medium saucepan and set over high heat. Boil for a few minutes to reduce the quantity.
Spoon as much as you like over beef .
Serve the barbacoa with the tortillas, salsa and/or hot sauce, onion, cilantro and lime
Some thing you might not know ?
or 
kristoscooks 