Mexican Mashed Beef Filling for Flour Tortillas

This Mexican mashed beef filling is one of those make-once-eat-for-days preparations that rewards a bit of upfront work with a deeply flavored, intensely savory shredded beef. Skirt steak braises with a heap of garlic, tomatoes, and sweet peppers until fork-tender, then gets shredded and returned to a pureed version of its own cooking liquid.

Skirt steak is the right cut here because it has enough connective tissue to shred beautifully after a long braise but stays tender instead of chalky. Scoring it at 2-inch intervals helps it cook evenly and makes shredding easier once cooked.

Browning the meat in batches, not all at once, is what builds the flavor base. Crowded meat steams in its own juices and stays gray, while properly browned beef develops a deep fond that carries through to the finished filling. Take the extra 5 minutes.

Placing the tomatoes skin-side up during the braise is a subtle trick. The skins protect the flesh from burning on the bottom of the pan while they soften, and they peel off easily after cooking for the puree step. Less waste, less mess.

Pureeing the braising liquid with the cooked vegetables and adding it back to the shredded meat is what transforms this from a pile of beef into a saucy filling that clings to tortillas. That final 30-minute simmer concentrates everything and adjusts the seasoning.

Chef Tips

• Thirteen cloves of garlic sounds like a lot but it mellows during the long braise. Don’t reduce it.
• Use ripe fresh tomatoes in summer. Off-season, canned whole tomatoes work almost as well.
• Warm the flour tortillas on a dry pan or directly on a gas burner for 15 seconds per side. Cold tortillas split when filled.
• Leftover filling freezes well for up to 3 months. Reheat gently with a splash of water.

Variations

• Add 2 chipotle peppers in adobo to the braise for smoky heat.
• Use chuck roast in place of skirt steak. Same technique, slightly different flavor, excellent result.
• Stir shredded filling into scrambled eggs for breakfast tacos, as the recipe suggests.