In December of 2022, I visited Mexico for the first time with my boyfriend for his cousin’s wedding which took place in Zamora, Michoacan. I had such an incredible time exploring the city, meeting and spending time with his extended family, and trying new foods. Carne en su jugo, a comforting and inviting soup is a dish I quickly became obsessed with. This dish originates from Jalisco and the name translates to “meat in its juice”. This soup was invented in Guadalajara by the de la Torre family and you can visit the restaurant it originated in! I was introduced to this soup at Los Pioneros, a quaint and welcoming restaurant in the heart of the plaza. The recipes I had come across while researching this all had personal touches from the chefs that posted them, which felt very sweet. I enjoyed the countless blogs and videos I had gone through and with all the research, I was able to create my own variant of this recipe while staying true to the ingredients and culture this amazing soup comes from. The magic is really in the broth of this soup. You want to pick out some big, juicy and ripe tomatillos. The best tomatillos are firm, and have a beautiful, bright green color.

What you’ll need:

Serves 4:

Salsa Base:

– 8-10 Tomatillos

– 4 garlic cloves

– 2 Cebollitas (Mexican Onions)

– 3 Serrano Peppers (Depending on your spice tolerance)

– 1/2 bunch of cilantro

– Salt & Pepper (to taste)

– 8 oz chicken stock

Protein:

– 1 lb. Bistec de Ranchera (Northgate Gonzales Market Carniceria is my preferred choice)

– 1 cup Peruvian/Mayocaba Beans (canned is OK. homemade beans recipe, here)

– 1/2 lb. Bacon

Garnish:

– Radish (thinly sliced)

– White Onion

– Avocado

– Cilantro

Recipe:

Begin this recipe by heating 8 ounces of chicken stock in a large pot and bring that to a simmer while you prep the rest of your ingredients. In a hot pan, you’re going to cook off your bacon. Once your bacon is nice and crispy set it aside and sear your tomatillos, garlic cloves, cebollitas and serranos until they have a nice black char on them in that same pan. Once charred, add your veggies to a heat safe blender along with about an ounce of chicken stock, your 1/2 bunch of cilantro, salt and pepper to taste. Add this salsa to your pot of chicken stock and allow that to come up to a boil, then down to a simmer. While you’re waiting for your stew to boil, you’re going to prep your Bistec de Ranchera by slicing it thinly. Cook your bistec in the same pan you cooked your bacon and seared your veggies in. Once your bistec is cooked through, add it to your stew along with your drained beans (if you used canned beans). If you homemade your beans with this recipe here, you will add them to your stew as a garnish. Finish off your carne en su jugo by garnishing it with radish, onion, extra cilantro, or avocado, however you’d like! I like to eat this with a couple of fresh tortillas or even some freshly made quesadillas. Happy Eating!!

Reference Blogs & Videos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JW2nU6bYTM https://www.cocinafacil.com.mx/recetas/carne-en-su-jugo