Mexican-Style Braised Beef with Polenta

Since the beef is braised for a long time in a spicy sauce, it becomes so tender that you wont need a knife to cut it. We serve this dish with creamy polenta, which adds a touch of sweetness and provides a nice contrast to the spicy and rich sauce.

Details

  • Preparation Time: 15 minutes
  • Cooking Time: 120 minutes
  • Difficulty: 2
  • Spiciness: 1
  • Number of Servings: 4

Ingredients

  • 6 pieces Chili peppers, red chili, dried

  • 500 ml Soup base, beef, cube

  • pieces Oil, olive

  • 115 g Meat, pork, smoked bacon

  • 1 kg Meat, beef, side

  • 2 piece Onion, raw

  • 4 pods Garlic, fresh

  • 1 teaspoon Spices, cumin, seeds

  • 1 teaspoon Spices, coriander - seeds

  • 2 teaspoons Cocoa, powdered, unsweetened

  • 0.5 teaspoons Spices, cinnamon, ground

  • 0.5 spoons Spices, cloves, ground

  • 350 ml Alcohol, Beer

  • 400 g Tomato, pieces - can

  • 1 spoon Honey

  • pieces Salt, table

Polenta

  • 1 spoon Oil, olive

  • 1 teaspoon Salt, table

  • 300 g Koruzni zdrob

  • 100 g Butter, unsalted

Steps

  1. Remove the stems and seeds from the chilies. Place them in a cup, pour in the broth, and place on the stove. Once the liquid boils, reduce the heat and let the chilies simmer gently. During cooking, they should be fully covered with liquid (add more water or broth if needed).

  2. Wash the beef, pat it dry with paper towels, and cut it into bite-sized pieces. Season with pepper and salt. Cut the bacon into smaller pieces. Peel the garlic and onion, and finely chop them separately. Heat a little oil in a large pot with a thick bottom. Add the chopped bacon and fry until crispy, stirring occasionally. Remove the bacon from the pot and set aside on a plate. In the hot fat, fry the seasoned beef pieces in two or three batches. Set the fried beef aside on a plate.

  3. Add a little more oil to the pot if needed. Fry the chopped onion in the hot fat. Add the garlic, cumin, coriander, cocoa, cloves, and cinnamon, and quickly fry everything while stirring. Pour in the beer and use a spatula to scrape the bottom of the pot to release all the caramelized bits that formed during frying. Wait until most of the alcohol evaporates.

  4. Transfer the softened chilies along with the broth to an electric blender. Add the tomatoes and blend everything until smooth. Return the fried beef and bacon to the pot and pour in the blended liquid. Season with honey and mix well. Wait until the dish boils, then reduce the heat and cover the pot. Cook the dish on low heat (with a very gentle simmer) for 90 minutes or until the meat is tender. Stir occasionally and add more liquid (water or broth) if needed.

  5. Bring 1.5 liters of water to a boil in a pot. Salt the water and enrich it with a little oil. Slowly and gradually stir in the cornmeal. Cook the polenta for about 5 minutes while stirring constantly. Once it boils, reduce the heat and cook the polenta on low heat for another 20 minutes. Stir it several times during cooking. Mix in the butter into the cooked polenta.

  6. Once the meat is tender and the sauce has thickened, remove the pot from the heat. Taste the dish and season with additional pepper and/or salt if desired. Serve the prepared dish on plates with polenta.

Nutrition Information (Per 100g)

  • Calories: 149.96 kcal
  • Fat: 6.92 g
    • Saturated Fat: 1.59 g
  • Carbohydrates: 7.39 g
    • Sugars: 3.08 g
  • Protein: 12.26 g
  • Fiber: 1.74 g

Advice

Ancho chilies are dried poblano chilies. They are mildly spicy, and their flavor resembles tobacco, plums, and raisins. If you dont have ancho chilies, you can substitute them with other mildly spicy dried chilies.