Hilachas (Guatemalan Shredded Beef in Tomato-Tomatillo Sauce)

Photo: Joshua Heller · CC BY 2.0 · source

Flank steak simmered until it falls into 'threads', then stewed with potatoes and carrots in a brick-red sauce of tomatoes, tomatillos, guajillo and ancho chiles thickened with toasted seeds.

Ingredients

• 2 lb flank steak, in 3 or 4 pieces
• 4 Roma tomatoes
• 2 tomatillos, husked
• ½ onion
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted
• 1 tbsp pepitas, toasted
• 2 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
• 1 dried ancho chile, stemmed and seeded
• 2 russet potatoes, peeled and diced
• 3 carrots, sliced
• 1¾ cups rice
• 12 corn tortillas

From your pantry: 3 bay leaves, ¼ tsp ground cumin, 2 tsp salt, ¼ tsp black pepper, 1 tbsp oil.

Instructions

1. Put the beef in a large pot with 12 cups water, 1 tsp salt and 2 bay leaves. Bring to a boil, skim, then simmer gently until very tender, about 2 hours, topping up with water so it stays covered. Lift out the beef and save the broth.
2. While the beef cooks, soak the chiles in hot water for 15 minutes. Blend them with the tomatoes, tomatillos, onion, garlic, sesame seeds, pepitas and 1 cup of the broth until completely smooth.
3. Shred the beef by hand into medium threads; too fine and they tangle in the stew. Start the rice.
4. Heat the oil in the pot over medium, add the sauce and fry, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add 2½ cups broth, the beef, cumin, the remaining bay leaf, 1 tsp salt and the pepper and simmer 10 minutes.
5. Add the potatoes and carrots and simmer until fork-tender and the sauce has thickened, 15 to 18 minutes. Serve with rice and warm tortillas.

Tip: Hilachas means 'threads'. Many Guatemalan cooks add a handful of toasted breadcrumbs or a soaked tortilla to the blender for a thicker sauce. Save the extra broth for soup.

Nutrition per serving

Good for

Adapted from Latina (Stephanie Alvarado).

You might also like

Costa Rican Gallo Pinto with Fried Eggs30 min · 670 kcal · 24 g proteinHonduran Baleadas with Eggs, Beans & Crema20 min · 705 kcal · 27 g proteinSalvadoran Bean & Cheese Pupusas with Curtido60 min · 605 kcal · 23 g proteinGuatemalan Pepián de Pollo90 min · 745 kcal · 52 g proteinCosta Rican Chifrijo Bowls with Crispy Pork50 min · 780 kcal · 31 g proteinKorean Beef Bulgogi Rice Bowls25 min · 705 kcal · 33 g proteinSheet-Pan Steak Fajitas30 min · 970 kcal · 53 g proteinBirria-Style Beef Tacos with Consommé210 min · 885 kcal · 63 g protein