Carne en su Jugo (Estilo Jalisco) #ThrowbackThursday

Popular throughout the state of Jalisco, Carne en su jugo is a traditional Mexican soup made with thin-cut slices of steak, bacon, potatoes, and Hungarian wax peppers in a clear, but flavorful broth. It may seem like a very simple soup, but once you add all of the garnishes, this soup is transformed into a bowl of warm comfort. Like a big bear hug in a bowl.

There is no wrong way to make Carne en su Jugo. Some cooks might prefer to cook the soup with the Spicy Serrano Chile Salsa Verde and Frijoles de la Olla (cooked beans) already mixed in, but I prefer to make this soup the traditional way and serve the salsa and beans on the side along with the other garnishes.

Carne en su Jugo will forever me a soup that is near and dear to my heart. It was the first meal I ate when we arrived in Small Town, Mexico oh-so-many years ago. (It'll be 17 years next month.) After a day of traveling to a new country with two small children, I was nervous, anxious, tired and very hungry. Almost as soon as we walked into my in-laws' home, my sister-in-law Susi escorted us to the kitchen where she served us all a big bowl of soup.

It was at that very moment that I realized that it wasn't a dream and that we had actually moved to Mexico. A million thoughts and doubts raced through my mind as Susi topped our bowls with bits of chopped onion, serrano chiles, and cilantro. I had no idea what I was about to eat, but eating seemed like the perfect distraction to keep me from thinking about what we had just done.

As the first sip of this soul-warming soup made it's way down my throat, I felt comforted by the familiar flavors of the beef, bacon, salsa verde, beans, and cilantro. I knew at that moment that everything would be okay and that even though I was miles away from "home", Mexico wasn't all that foreign to me. Mexico had always been a part of my life: its culture, its traditions, and its amazing food.    

Carne en Su Jugo may have been new to me that fateful day almost 17 years ago, but now it's an old friend. And I will always remember and be thankful for the comfort it provided when I needed it most.

Yield: 8 to 10 servingsAuthor: Leslie Limón

Carne en Su Jugo - Estilo Jalisco

prep time: 10 MINScook time: 45 MINStotal time: 55 mins

Popular in the state of Jalisco, carne en su jugo is a traditional Mexican soup made with thin-cut steak, bacon, potatoes, and Hungarian wax peppers in a clear, but flavorful broth.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 8 oz. bacon, roughly chopped
• 2 Hungarian wax peppers, thinly sliced
• 2 lbs. thin-cut round steak, roughly chopped
• 4 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
• 8 cups water
• 1 handful fresh cilantro

Garnishes:

• Cooked beans
• Spicy Serrano Chile Salsa Verde
• Chopped white onion
• Chopped serrano chiles
• Chopped cilantro
• Lime wedges (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Fry bacon in vegetable oil over high heat in a Dutch oven or a 4 to 6-quart pot until golden and crisp. Add the Hungarian wax peppers and saute for 2 to 3 minutes until the chiles start to soften. Stir in the thin-cut steak; let cook for 5 to 7 minutes until meat is no longer pink. Season with salt. Immediately cover and reduce heat to low; let simmer for 5 minutes until the meat releases it's juices.
2. Stir in the potatoes, water, and cilantro. Cover, turn heat back up to high and let soup come to a boil; season with more salt, if necessary. Reduce heat to low; let simmer for 20 to 25 minutes until the potatoes are tender.
3. To serve, ladle carne en su jugo into bowls. Garnish with chopped onion, cilantro, and serrano chiles. Stir in desired amount of salsa verde and cooked beans. Top with a squeeze of fresh lime juice, if desired. Serve with plenty of warm corn tortillas. Enjoy!

http://www.lacocinadeleslie.com/2009/05/quick-and-easy-soup.html

La Cocina de Leslie

Created using The Recipes Generator

*This recipe was originally posted in May 2009, but I felt it deserved to be re-posted for this special occasion.