desperately seeking machaca....

[mike_c]

I just spent a frustrating half hour looking for a source of machaca online. Millions of recipes, not one source that I can find. There must be one (or several). Anyone know an online mexican grocery that sells machaca?

on edit-- I should specify that I'm looking for real, DRIED SHREDDED machaca, not just a recipe for shredding beef.

[Warpy]

1. I've never seen it for sale in the ethnic markets here

in New Mexico, so I have a sneaking suspicion it's one of those things you're just not going to find outside meat markets in Mexico.

"Mexico, the Beautiful Cookbook" has a great recipe for it. PM if you want the recipe, it's not that hard to do. It makes a kilogram at a time, enough to freeze leftovers.

[troubleinwinter]

2. This is the ONLY one I have been able to find....

looks like they sell in markets in Texas only (see store locations... got any friends in Texas???). But MAYBE if you call the number on their 'contact' page, you could sweet-talk em into sending some???

LOS CORRALES Shredded Dried Beef - Carne Seca Machacado

http://loscorrales.net/

[Wordie]

3. I don't know about online, but if you have a decent sized latino

community where you live, you might try to find a carniceria in your local area, and call to see if they carry it. I've never seen it, but it wouldn't hurt to call them to ask.

[babylonsister]

4. I'm in TX and am willing to have a look in HEB for you next time

I go, but I need to know specifically what you're looking for, and whether it will travel well.

[mike_c]

6. beef machaca-- dried shredded beef...

...in a large quantity (probably several bags), since I can't seem to find it ANYWHERE locally and I'd like to lay in a supply. There are lots of brands in mexican groceries, at least in Baja, but I'm not in any position to be picky about brands! It's shredded beef jerky, so it travels very well and has a shelf life measured in centuries, I think, as long as the bugs stay out of it. It might be labeled machaca de bistek, or carne seca but if the later, make sure it's shredded, not whole beef jerky.

I'm not in a rush--I hope to have a supply before a planned bike tour in May-- so if you see some, and you're willing, just note the price and PM me. I'll send you money to purchase and mail the next time you're there. Or if you buy some, just let me know and I'll send the money. You'll have my undying gratitude, and if you're ever in this neck of the north coast I'll make you tacos de machaca! Thanks in advance!

[babylonsister]

7. I'll be looking, mike_c, and will let you know! nt

[babylonsister]

8. I'm going shopping tomorrow; I haven't forgotten; on my list! nt

[mike_c]

9. thanks! n/t

[babylonsister]

10. No luck in HEB; they sent me to the jerky aisle.

:eyes: Next time I get near a MX market, and there are several around, I'll have a gander.

[mike_c]

11. oh well, thanks for trying!

:yourock:

[Wordie]

5. You might also take a browse through this site...

Its a latino food expo that will take place in NY, LA and someplace in Texas. I thought you might be able to find a source for machaca by searching through the list of exhibitors.

http://www.expo-comida-latina.com/index.shtml

[Warpy]

12. A few quick questions around town

brought me to the conculsion that reastaurants and home cooks alike make it themselves.

It only requires 6-8 hours air drying, so people make it in the morning, eat it that night.

[mike_c]

13. but do they pound it or what to get it into fine threads?

I can just imagine needing an anvil or something in the kitchen to break the jerky up into that fine fuzz of soft threads! I thought about using the blender, which might be my only recourse, but I suspect that will just produce a powder rather than machaca threads.

[Dora]

14. I worked in a Mexican restaurant in Arizona.

Our food was straightforward Sonoran-style, slightly anglicized, though not as much as Tex Mex. Our machaca was wet, however. I still have the recipe. If you're interested I'll dig it up.

Maria used her fingers and two dinner forks to shred the meat.

[mike_c]

16. no, I'm specifically interested in dry machaca...

...because I need a light weight dried meat that cooks easily for bike touring and backpacking. The stuff is an absolute staple in Baja-- you can ALWAYS count on finding it in just about every mini-super and mercado-- but seems impossible to find up here.

[Warpy]

15. yes, it's pounded with a wooden mallet

The procedure is marinate, sear, shred, pound, air dry. It can be kept in the freezer for something like 3 weeks. It doesn't dry enough to be stable at room temperature in a bag. I guess that's why I can't find it as a prepared food.

[mike_c]

17. the stuff you buy in Baja IS in bags...

...and it's like dried fluffy threads of beef. It keeps without refrigeration for months-- probably centuries. I've tried finding pics online, but all I can find are pics of PREPARED machaca dishes, e.g. huevos con machaca or tacos de machaca. The basic ingredient is traditionally pounded beef jerky, but in Baja you buy it by the kilo as bags of soft dried beef threads. I cannot believe how difficult it is to find here-- it's so ubiquitous in Baja. It keeps forever in the desert without refrigeration.

The old way was just to make beef jerky, then pound it to threads before cooking to make the meat reconstitute and cook faster. Now you can buy the beef threads already prepared for quick cooking. Like I say, the closest substitute I can think of is to simply run dried beef jerky through the blender-- that will produce something CLOSE to machaca, but it will be a beef powder rather than the threads of real machaca. When reconstituted, the threads have more of a beef texture, which is why I'm looking for the real thing, but powdering jerky will make a close substitute, I think.