Tasty Tips: Mexican Meat
We’re getting our fiesta on here at Cheery Kitchen this week, celebrating Cinco de Mayo! Alison and I love Mexican food, preparing it often for our families as well as frequenting local Mexican hotspots. It’s easy to feel confused when it comes to Mexican Meat, so for our tasty tip this week, here are 5 of our fave, best, varieties.
Use Mexican meat to fill delicious tacos, burritos, enchiladas, chimichangas, or top tostadas or beautiful big salads. Make some salsa and guacamole for a fun filled Cinco de Mayo party. Oh and don’t forget icy Margaritas, yeah we make amazing “virgin drinks” or inspiring desserts.
Happy Cinco de Mayo all!
“Let’s celebrate Uno, Dos, Tres, and Cuatro de Mayo just like it’s Cinco de Mayo.”
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Tasty Tips: Mexican Meat
- Carne asada: Our very favorite, grilled, marinated pieces of beef, typically sirloin or rib, served inside burritos and tacos. Try topping a big salad too!
- Carnitas: Shoulder of pork that’s been seasoned, braised until tender with lard plus herbs like oregano, marjoram, bay leaves, garlic, pulled apart, and then oven-roasted in a large roasting pan, until slightly crisp, then eaten alone or used as a filling for tacos, tamales, tortas, and burritos.
- Al pastor: Crisp-thin shavings of vertical spit-roasted pork, marinated with guajillo chiles and achiote, then served on tortillas. Pastor means “shepherd,” the name given to Lebanese merchants who immigrated to Mexico City in the early 1900s, bringing the concept of shawarma with them. If you can find the real thing, it’s amazing!
- Cochinita pibil: Whole suckling pig or pork shoulder that’s marinated in citrus with achiote, then wrapped in banana leaves and roasted. Historically, it’s buried in a pit with a fire at the bottom. We’ve had good results with a roaster oven that accommodates a pork shoulder well.
- Barbacoa: Traditionally, beef cheek and head that’s covered in leaves from the maguey plant, then slow cooked over a wood fire in a pit in the ground. In America today, it also refers to spicy, shredded, slow-braised beef that’s been made tender, then pulled apart. We like using our slow cooker to make barbacoa!
Got All That?
What goes between your tortillas?
We're Alison and Renée, and we're so glad you've joined us! Our kitchens are our happy place, where we're whipping up memories. Get comfy and check things out. We hope you find inspiring dishes and ways to better your life. Feeling optimistic, trying new things and sharing with those we love brings joy in all we do. It's time to cook, create and celebrate. CHEERS! 
Oooh all of this look absolutely divine! Wow can’t wait to try these out myself!
Awesome Raya!
Renée recently posted…Tasty Tips: Mexican Meat
Thanks for the reminder the Cinco de Mayo is this week! All of these dishes look absolutely delicious. I would love to try them, but I’m unfortunately not that gifted in the kitchen. Thank you for showing what’s possible. I might just have to attempt at least one of the dishes!
Maybe the Cinco de Mayobug will hit you and you will get excited to make one of these meats! If nothing else a churro works wonders for celebrating!
This looks great! Its lunch time at my side and I am so hungry now. I like Mexican food but I eat chicken or beef. Don’t eat pork at all so I can try the ones that have chicken.
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Glad we got you hungry! 🙂 Using beef or chicken in these traditional recipes are great, too!
i love to try out different dishes and this one is an absolute must. It looks so lovely i can’t imagine how good it will taste.
Trust me it tastes good! But I want you to try it too!
As a Mexican it’s hard to choose between carnitas, carne asada, barbacoa and cochinita pibil. But my favourite one is PASTOR! I love tacos al pastor.
I’m so with you Argell, I have two sons who lived in Mexico for 2 years and they beg me to make it for them!!!! I’ll try to post a good recipe soon, thanks.
Renée recently posted…Tasty Tips: Mexican Meat
Can’t forget those iced margs! I typically use ground turkey instead of beef but I’m getting sick of it, this would make a nice change to my tacos that I’m sure my husband is also bored of (easy meal lover over here!)
I had the same experience Amy with ground turkey. It’s so much more affordable, but I really love ground beef in a traditional taco and make them quite often.
Renée recently posted…Tasty Tips: Mexican Meat
I love mexican food! We have a fajita night in my house and some of these recipes will be amazing and a change from chicken!! Will be making a few of these, thanks so much for sharing 🙂
My husband absolutely loves barbacoa. He also uses our slow cooker to cook it in. You can make some pretty tasty tacos from barbacoa!
So happy to hear of your delicious success Kathie. Great to have you here too!
I have heard a lot about Mexican food and the your recipes make me feel hungry. I dont eat Pork and Beef so probably try these with chicken?
Yes, you can substitute chicken in most of the recipes, we like fish tacos too!
I hope you enjoy cinco de mayo, I hear a lot of American bloggers are celebrating the festival? The barbosa sounds like something my Portuguese aunty would eat as she ate pigs intestines and a butt once lol!
It’s a very fun holiday around here, but pig intestines are definitely not on our list of this to eat!!!!
You’re always making me hungry. I cannot bookmark your page anymore Alison. I’ll get super fat. Haha!
What goes between my tortillas? pulled pork with a spicy guacamole sauce. Nothing beats guacamole!
Give us another chance Debbie!!! We’ll try to straighten up…
Is it too early to say happy Cinco de Mayo?? Firstly I have to learn how to even make those tortillas!!
Happy Early Cinco de Mayo, Andrea!!!
I’d be curious to try traditional barbacoa. I’ve had the American version and I really like it when it has a hint of spice.
Great Liz, try it in your slow cooker!
Wow, I definitely learned something. Mexican food is one of my favorite cuisines because of all the delicious spices and herbs they use! Thanks for sharing this information.
I think you nailed it, that’s why we all love it, cheers!
Mmm these look amazing. I love Mexican food, can’t wait to try this!
Mexican is the bomb, Bella, enjoy!
Love the flavors of mexican food! need to make some this weekend. Thanks for sharing.
Great Agnes, have a good one!
YUM! Mexican food is my favorite. Happy almost Cinco De Mayo! Cheers
Thanks and same to you Stephanie!
I love authentic Mexican food! Thanks for the meat tips, the carnitas are my favorite types.
Yummy! I love Mexican food! This meat looks delicious!
Yumm… I love mexican food and this meat looks so delicious!! I would love love to try it!!
That’s right! I forgot Cinco de Mayo was tomorrow. These suggestions all sound delicious!! I’ll have to go grocery shopping now.
I bet this kind of food for our Family Reunion, for sure my family would love that.
Oh yes, it wll be cinco del mayo tomorrow 🙂 Just got back home nad I’m starving. Would love to have all of those!
Both me & my husband are crazy lovers of Mexican recipes, but our favorite is always chicken or beef. My husband loves those chicken based Tacos & those Enchiladas so much.
The first picture of that grilled meat looks so delicious! The photo of the beef tacos is making my mouth water. Really puts you in the mood to celebrate Cinco de Mayo.
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I know! It totally does for me, too! I can’t wait for Cinco de Mayo to try some of these meats!
It all looks really delicious and the presentations are beautiful. I appreciate the descriptions of the different kinds of meat.
Thanks so much Karla, enjoy Cinco de Mayo!
I love mexican food, I will attempt to do it on Sunday my friends would love it . 😀
I like to make the meat and ask my friends to bring all the fillings; cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, etc. It’s easy food to make and everyone likes it so have fun Anna!
This is awesome. That meat must be very delicious. Yummy, love it.
I love Mexican food, looks like some good tasting meat! yay for Cinco De Mayo
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I’m always afraid to try other international cuisine but looking at these photos made me hungry and eventually wanted to try out.
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