Pepita Con Tasajo

Pepita con Tasajo

A traditional Mexican stew from the Veracruz region, featuring thin slices of tasajo (dried or cured beef) simmered with pumpkin and a generous amount of toasted, ground pumpkin seeds (pepitas). The seeds thicken the sauce and give it a deep, earthy nuttiness.

Prep

20 min

Cook

60 min

Total

80 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •300 g (10½ oz) tasajo beef, thinly sliced dried/cured beef; substitute thinly sliced corned beef brisket or pastirma
• •200 g (7 oz) calabaza (kabocha or Mexican pumpkin), peeled and cut into 3 cm / 1¼ in chunks; kabocha squash is the closest substitute
• •120 g (4¼ oz) raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas), hulled, for toasting
• •1 whole (1 medium) white onion, halved
• •4 cloves garlic
• •2 whole (2 small) guajillo chiles, stemmed, seeded, and deveined; or substitute 1 tsp ancho chili powder
• •1 sprig epazote, traditional; substitute a small sprig of oregano plus a few cilantro leaves
• •750 ml (3 cups) beef broth or water
• •15 ml (1 tbsp) lard or neutral oil
• •2 g (½ tsp) salt, plus more to taste
• •1 g (¼ tsp) black pepper

Steps

1. 1 Toast the pumpkin seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly, until they puff up slightly and turn golden and fragrant, about 3-4 minutes. Watch closely; they scorch quickly. Transfer to a plate to cool.
2. 2 Place the toasted pepitas, 2 garlic cloves, and 1/4 of the white onion into a blender or molcajete. Add 60 ml / 1/4 cup of the broth and grind to a coarse paste. Set aside.
3. 3 Soak the guajillo chiles in hot water for 10 minutes until pliable, then drain and blend with the remaining 2 garlic cloves, the remaining 1/4 onion, and 60 ml / 1/4 cup broth until smooth. Strain through a fine mesh sieve.
4. 4 Heat the lard or oil in a heavy pot or cazuela over medium-high heat. Pat the tasajo slices dry. Sear them in batches for about 1 minute per side until lightly browned; do not crowd the pan. Transfer to a plate. (Tasajo is cured and often salty; you may not need to add salt until the end.)
5. 5 Pour off excess fat, leaving about 1 tbsp in the pot. Add the chile sauce and cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes until it darkens and thickens slightly.
6. 6 Stir in the pumpkin seed paste and the remaining broth. Add the epazote sprig and bring to a gentle simmer.
7. 7 Return the tasajo to the pot, tuck in the pumpkin chunks, and simmer covered for 25-30 minutes, until the pumpkin is fork-tender and the beef is heated through and tender.
8. 8 Internal temperature of reheated beef should reach at least 63°C / 145°F (instant-read thermometer) for food safety. The pumpkin will be very soft and the sauce will coat the back of a spoon.
9. 9 Remove the epazote stem. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Serve hot in deep bowls with corn tortillas on the side.