Overview: It’s always a good time to experience new foods, and if you’re a meat lover, there’s a wealth of delicious Hispanic meat dishes waiting for you to try them. We’re sharing some of our favorites — along with some recipes so you can make them yourself!
Latin American cuisine is a wonderful world of flavorful, mouth-watering dishes. This includes an astounding variety of Hispanic meat-based dishes. These delicacies, marinated in Hispanic traditions and culture, have been passed down through generations and perfected in cocinas over the years.
At Redlands Ranch Market, we pride ourselves on our vast selection of international grocery products — including a wide range of ingredients for a variety of Hispanic meat dishes. In this blog post, we’ll be sharing some recipes you can try at home, and we hope it will inspire you to pick up some of these ingredients and get cooking.
Whether you’re a seasoned foodie with a passion for Latin American flavors or a culinary newcomer seeking out new food experiences, it’s always a good time to explore the realm of Hispanic meat dishes. — so loosen your belt, grab a fork, and get ready to take a tour of some savory Hispanic meat dishes.
Alambre
Alambre is a Mexican dish, typically made of grilled beef mixed with a variety of other ingredients. Here’s a simple recipe to get you started:
Ingredients
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1 lb beef (sirloin or flank steak), cut into small cubes or thin slices
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1/2 lb bacon, cut into small pieces
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1 green bell pepper, seeded and cut into thin strips
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1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into thin strips
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1 large onion, cut into thin strips
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2 cups shredded cheese (We recommend oaxaca or mozzarella!)
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Salt and pepper to taste
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2 cloves of garlic, minced
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2 tablespoons vegetable oil
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8 corn tortillas
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Avocado slices, lime wedges, and salsa for garnish
Instructions
Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bacon pieces and cook until they start to brown.
Add the beef to the skillet, season with the salt and pepper, and cook until browned. This should take approximately 7-10 minutes — you can keep an eye on it until the beef is browned.
Add the bell peppers, onion, and minced garlic to the skillet. Stir everything together and continue to cook until the vegetables are softened and slightly charred. This will take about 10 minutes.
Next, lower the heat to medium and sprinkle the shredded cheese over the top of the meat and vegetables. Cover the skillet and let it sit for a few minutes until the cheese is melted.
If you like your tortillas warmed up, this is a good time to do it — while the cheese is melting. You can use a griddle, a skillet over your stove, or put the tortillas in the microwave for 10-20 seconds, covered with a damp paper towel.
Once the cheese is melted, stir it into the meat and vegetables.
Serve the alambre on the warmed tortillas, garnished with the avocado slices, a squeeze of lime, and salsa.
>> Related Reading: Alambre, the Versatile Mexican Meat Dish
Chacarero
Chacarero is a traditional Chilean meat sandwich. It’s made with thinly sliced, grilled churrasco-style (barbecued) steak, tomatoes, green beans, and chili peppers on a round roll.
Ingredients
For the steak:
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1.5 lbs of flank steak or skirt steak
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3 cloves of garlic, minced
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1/4 cup of olive oil
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1/4 cup of red wine vinegar
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Salt and pepper to taste
For the sandwich:
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4 round rolls, or any other sturdy bread
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1 large tomato, thinly sliced
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1 cup of cooked green beans, ends trimmed (you can steam, boil or grill them)
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1 small, hot green chili pepper (like jalapeño or serrano), seeds removed and thinly sliced — but only if you like it spicy!
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Mayonnaise
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Avocado slices (optional)
Instructions
In a bowl, mix together the minced garlic, olive oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper to create the marinade.
Place the steak in a large Ziploc-style bag or in a shallow dish, and pour the marinade over the steak ensuring it’s fully covered. Refrigerate and marinate the meat for at least 2 hours — or up to 24 hours for more flavor.
When that’s done, preheat your grill or a grill pan over medium-high heat. Remove the steak from the marinade (discard the remaining marinade) and grill it for about 3-4 minutes on each side for medium-rare, or until it reaches your desired level of “doneness.”
Allow the steak to rest for about 5 minutes after it comes off the grill to allow the juices to redistribute throughout the meat.
While the steak is resting, prep your sandwich ingredients. Cut your rolls in half, and if you prefer, you can lightly toast them. Spread a generous layer of mayonnaise on each half.
Now return to the steak, and slice it against the grain into thin slices. Arrange these slices on your bread.
Add a layer of thinly sliced tomatoes, followed by the cooked green beans, and slices of the hot chili pepper.
If you like, you can add some avocado slices as well for additional creaminess.
Top with the other half of the bread and press down gently. Serve and enjoy your Chilean chacarero sandwiches!
Bandeja Paisa
Bandeja paisa is a traditional Colombian meat dish from Colombia’s Antioquia region. The dish is characterized by its generous portion and variety of food, so it’s a comprehensive representation of Colombian cuisine.
Ingredients
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1 cup white rice
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2 cups water
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1 lb. pork belly or bacon
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1 lb. beef, cut into small pieces (flank steak or skirt steak are good choices!)
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1 large ripe plantain, sliced
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4 Colombian chorizos (you can substitute another type of Latin American sausage if you can’t find Colombian chorizo)
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4 eggs
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1 cup of cooked red beans
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1 large avocado, sliced
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1 cup of hogao (Colombian tomato and onion sauce; see instructions below for recipe)
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Salt and pepper to taste
For the Hogao:
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2 tablespoons vegetable oil
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1 cup of chopped tomatoes
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1/2 cup of chopped onions
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2 cloves of garlic, minced
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Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Start by cooking the rice with the water according to the package instructions. (Usually this involves bringing the water to a boil, adding the rice, reducing the heat to low, covering, and letting it simmer until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender.)
While the rice is cooking, start preparing the other components:
Fry the pork belly or bacon in a large pan over medium heat until it’s crispy. Remove it from the pan and set it aside.
In the same pan, cook the beef until it’s browned and cooked through. Season it with salt and pepper. Remove it from the pan and set it aside.
Next, fry the plantain slices in the same pan until they’re golden brown on both sides. Remove them from the pan and set them aside.
Cook the chorizos in the same pan until they’re fully cooked. Remove them from the pan and set them aside.
Finally, fry the eggs in the same pan. (You can do this any style you prefer, but sunny side up is traditional.)
To make the hogao:
Heat the vegetable oil in a separate pan over medium heat. Add the tomatoes, onions, and garlic, and cook until they’re soft and the flavors are well combined. Season with salt and pepper.
To serve, start with a base of rice on each plate. Add the pork belly, beef, plantains, chorizos, and an egg to each plate. Serve the beans on the side along with slices of avocado and a generous spoonful of hogao.
Note: This recipe is quite flexible, so feel free to adjust it based on your personal taste and the ingredients you have available. Some versions of bandeja paisa also include arepas (Colombian corn cakes) and/or black pudding (blood sausage), so you can consider adding these if they sound good to you!
Casado
Casado is a traditional Costa Rican meal that typically includes rice, beans, plantains, salad, a tortilla, often includes meat for protein. Here’s a nice recipe for a casado:
Ingredients
For the main dish:
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1 cup white rice
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1 cup black beans
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2 cups water
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2 ripe plantains, sliced
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1 lb. of beef OR chicken OR fish (pick your favorite!)
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Salt and pepper to taste
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Vegetable oil
For the salad:
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1 head of lettuce, shredded
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1 tomato, chopped
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1 cucumber, chopped
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1 carrot, grated
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Lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper to taste
For the side (Picadillo de Papa):
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2 large potatoes, peeled and diced
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1/2 bell pepper, chopped
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1/2 onion, chopped
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2 cloves garlic, minced
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1/2 cup coriander, chopped
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Salt, pepper, and paprika to taste
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2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Instructions
Begin by cooking the rice and beans. Rinse the rice until the water runs clear, then add it to a pot with the water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and let it simmer for about 15-20 minutes until the rice is tender.
Cook the beans separately in a pot with water until they’re soft and fully cooked.
While the rice and beans are cooking, prepare your protein — your meat of choice. Season it with salt and pepper, then cook it in a pan with a little oil until it’s fully cooked. Set it aside.
Fry the plantain slices in a little oil until they’re golden brown on both sides, then set them aside.
Prepare the salad by combining the lettuce, tomato, cucumber, and carrot in a large bowl. Dress it with lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper to taste.
For the picadillo de papa, heat the oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic and sauté until they’re soft. Add the potatoes and season with salt, pepper, and paprika. Cover the pan and cook until the potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally to prevent them from sticking. Once cooked, stir in the chopped coriander.
To serve, plate a portion of rice, beans, your protein, and fried plantains. Add a generous portion of salad and picadillo de papa.
For a little more texture, you can also add a slice of white cheese or a fried egg on top!
>> You May Be Interested in Reading: Health Benefits of Plantains
Tacos Al Pastor
Let’s head back to Mexico! Tacos al pastor is a traditional Mexican dish inspired by the spit-grilled meat brought by Lebanese immigrants to Mexico — a truly international dish! While traditionally made on a vertical spit, a convenient home adaptation can be made using your oven or grill. Here’s a recipe you can try at home:
Ingredients
For the marinade:
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5 guajillo chiles, seeds and stems removed
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1/4 cup white vinegar
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1/4 cup achiote paste
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1/4 cup pineapple juice
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3 cloves garlic
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1 teaspoon cumin
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1 teaspoon oregano
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1 teaspoon salt
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1/2 teaspoon black pepper
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1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
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1/4 teaspoon cloves
For the tacos:
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2 lbs. pork shoulder, thinly sliced
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1 pineapple, peeled and cut into 1-inch slices
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1 white onion, finely chopped
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1 bunch of fresh cilantro, chopped
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1-2 limes, cut into wedges
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Corn tortillas
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Salsa of choice
Instructions
Start by preparing the marinade. Soak the guajillo chilies in hot water for about 15-20 minutes until they’re soft.
In a blender, add the softened chilies, vinegar, achiote paste, pineapple juice, garlic, cumin, oregano, salt, black pepper, cinnamon, and cloves. Blend until it’s smooth.
In a large Ziploc-style bag or a bowl, add the pork slices and the marinade, ensuring the pork is fully coated. Marinate the pork in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight.
Once the pork has marinated, preheat your grill or oven to medium-high heat. If you’re using an oven, set it to broil.
Skewer the marinated pork and pineapple slices, alternating between the two. If you’re using an oven, arrange the pork and pineapple on a baking sheet.
Cook the skewers or the arranged meat and pineapple in the oven, turning occasionally, until the meat is fully cooked and slightly charred around the edges. This should take about 10-15 minutes.
Let the meat rest for a few minutes, then chop it into small pieces. Do the same for the grilled pineapple.
Warm up the corn tortillas on the grill or directly over the flame of your stove, then fill them with the chopped meat and pineapple.
Garnish each taco with chopped onion, cilantro, a squeeze of lime, and your favorite salsa. Enjoy!
>> Related Reading: The Chile Guajillo – One of the Most Popular Chiles in Mexico
In Summary
We don’t know about you, but we’re feeling really hungry right about now. We hope this collection of Hispanic meat dishes will encourage you to try a meal you’ve never tried before.
And remember — your #1 source for international grocery ingredients in the Inland Empire is Redlands Ranch Market! Come browse our marketplace for all your Latin American cuisine needs. And if there’s something you’re looking for that you can’t find, feel free to ask us! We love making our customers’ culinary dreams come true!