The Texas BBQ Forum

The marinade that La Michoacana uses to marinate their meat is very delicious, and very hard to replicate - at least for me. Many have claimed they have the recipe, but nothing I've tried compares.

The marinade in this recipe LOOKS the same, but I have no idea about the taste. Can anybody else comment that is familiar with these ingredients? http://www.hispanickitchen.com/profiles ... 6hNPJRdXhI

I saw on one the cooking channels a show that claim real Mexicali smoked pork has to be marinate in annatto paste and orange juice. I got me some. Tried it out, I didn't really discern anything special but the Mrs did not like it. (probably the citrus)

When I asked once, I was told they use the El Venado Fajita Seasoning sold there... They didn't elaborate on any other ingredients/liquids.
http://www.elvenadofoods.com/ingles/spices.html (doesn't show the different available seasoings)

I have used the seasoing alone and it does seem to taste close, though we didn't add anything else.

As far as using orange juice, the favorite of my in-laws and many around Reynosa, Mexico are 'naranja cucha' or 'naranja agria" sour oranges, otherwise known as seville oranges around here... And you can buy that in bottles there at Micho as well.

Generally we have found that if you are at Michoacana to buy anything pre-marinated, if the container is very low (on a slow day), it may have marinated a bit too long. We have had fajitas that tasted so strong of spices you couldn't hardly taste the meat, and they just fell apart on the grill. If the container is full, or the meat doesn't look too dark red from the spices, then they should be about right.

We have gone to just using the seasoning dry to add some flavor to the meat without overpowering it most times. Unless we just grab some fajitas on the way home for a quick meal.

And try the thin sliced beef ribs, cooked quick like the thin fajitas. Lots of fat so watch the flare ups!

Mike

Tex, did you happen to see this old reply?

4 guajillo chilies roasted seeded peel of skins ñ stems
1/4 lime juice fresh
2 T. red wine vinegar
2 T. cumin powder
2 tsps. Mexican oregano powder or little less or to taste
1 tsp kosher salt or to taste coarse
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
4 garlic cloves mashed or roast them also YUM
1 bay leaf large (DO NOT PLACE IN BLENDER

Blend all ingredients EXCEPT bay leaf in blender 5 minutes. If sauce is too thick - add an additional tsp of vinegar ñ a tsp of water at a time.
Pour sauce in pan with bay leaf now- cook on low 20 minutes –stir often.
Let sauce come to room temperature ñ then marinate fav meat in this 2 hours up to 6 hours.

Dodis wrote:
And try the thin sliced beef ribs, cooked quick like the thin fajitas. Lots of fat so watch the flare ups!

Mike

Those would be tablitas, or "Costilla de res Marinada" and happen to be a favorite around my house. They have just gotten so darn expensive lately like $5 or $6/lb.

I asked the meat guy at a michoacana once and he told me all it is is pineapple juice and the red fajita seasoning they sell.

atcNick wrote:I asked the meat guy at a michoacana once and he told me all it is is pineapple juice and the red fajita seasoning they sell.

The pineapple juice would explain the meat falling apart if it has sat too long.

There is a meat market in McAllen we stop at when visiting, Frank's Meat Market. He uses pineapple juice and his own spice blend (just a little) on well trimmed and fileted fajitas, calls them 'fajita huerfanas, pro que no tienen Madre!". We usually pick up about 10 lbs and freeze them in 2 lb packs, just for us! They just fall apart too, but MMMM.

tex_toby,
Yep, 'costillitas' around my place. Don't load up like before ($$$), but at least 3 apiece when we're there!

Mike "Dodis"

Thanks folks. I did not know about pineapple until I did some reading. A fresh pineapple contains an enzyme found most abundantly in the stem: bromelain. The compound separates the all-important peptide bonds that link the proteins in collagen. Since the collagen gives the muscle tissue its shape, once it's broken down, the muscle tissue begins losing firmness. If you left meat for a day or two covered with bromelain, it would be noticeably mushy, so much so that you wouldn't want to eat it.

I'll file that one away for future use.

Did you ever figure out that recipe?
http://www.lamichoacanameatmarket.com/en/beef-fajita/

We buy our Fajita's at a near by mexican market and I'm wondering how similar they are. We buy them at La Mexicana Market.
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