Say “Mexican steaks” and probably the first thing you think of is fajitas made with sizzling skirt steak. As good as fajitas are, it might surprise you to discover that traditional Mexican steak dishes are often more sophisticated. They feature juicy, tender steaks like rib-eyes, T-bones, and New York strips and get punched up with rich, bold spices or sauces.

我在墨西哥享受了许多牛排菜，可提供大而肉味的味道，但还添加了南部的牛排，例如辣椒和墨西哥奶酪。通常，与我们大多数人熟悉的质朴墨西哥菜肴相比，这些牛排易于在家里重新创建，并为传统的美国牛排馆提供有趣的转折。

尺寸很重要 - 薪酬更好

南部牛排菜肴中最明显的差异是，牛排通常比美国餐馆提供的牛排更薄，通常不超过1/2英寸。结果，与在美国板上看到的12至14盎司的部分相比，部分尺寸较小，通常为6至8盎司。这并不是说在墨西哥提供的所有牛排都很薄 - 我在奇瓦瓦州的T骨厚实，辣椒窒息的辣椒几乎像贝尔辣椒一样温和而甜美。在索诺拉（Sonora），我从里脊肉的中心切了一块1磅的牛排。但是，像这些食谱中的较薄剪裁的习惯为配菜的空间留下了空间，但仍然充满了盘子，渴望红肉而不会破坏储罐或饮食。

较薄的切割速度也更快，使这些菜肴中的一些易于在一个工作日的晚上食用。无论是用简单的香料摩擦准备还是更精致的酱汁，所有这些牛排都需要少于五分钟的时间才能泛 - 烤，烤或烤。

增加风味

What sets these steaks apart from their American counterparts is the earthy flavors and spice that comes from adding Mexican ingredients. In all of these, that means some form of chile—but that doesn’t mean all these dishes are hot. Depending on the variety and form (see chile profiles below), chiles offer a broad range of flavors, from fruity to smoky. As you’ll see in the牛排配三辣酱食谱，将多种类型的智利融入菜是一种获得圆润风味的方法，并带有许多音符。

A sauce reduction, as in the牛排配红洋葱，葡萄酒和港口酱recipe, is another example of the depth of flavor attainable in Mexican cooking. This dish comes from the upscale neuva cocina Mexicana tradition—Mexico’s answer to modern fusion cooking. It results in an elegant entrée that you might serve at a party, showing that Mexican food is far more than simple bean- and tortilla-based dishes.

Sauces are not the only flavor addition to steaks in Mexico. The牛排Adobois a good example of simple grilled red meat punched up with a spice rub. By first brushing the meat with lime juice, you can add a bright, subtle flavor to the steak. Don’t apply the lime juice more than 15 minutes before the meat hits the heat, though, as even a little lime juice can begin to chemically “cook” the meat, which will change the texture and make it more difficult to brown.

Also on the plate

墨西哥在美国厨房中易于采用一种或多种配菜的墨西哥风格。一个传统的伴奏是rajas，或炒洋葱，烤和剥皮的辣椒辣椒。辣酱玉米饼馅，玉米饼，米饭或豆类也会为牛排晚餐提供墨西哥的天赋。所有这些牛排菜都可以搭配简单的bibb和鳄梨沙拉很好。

Mexican Cheeses

瓦哈卡奶酪（用于三辣牛排的顶部）是一种柔软的牛奶品种，很容易融化。它在西南的超市广泛使用，但越来越多地发现了全国。它在披萨，玉米片或烤奶酪三明治上很美味。马苏里拉奶酪做出最好的替代品。

Cotija and anejo cheeses are aged, crumbly, slightly salty cheeses traditionally made from cow’s milk. Anejo enchilado is coated with a mild chile powder. These cheeses are excellent in pasta and salads and make a tasty garnish for tacos, quesadillas, and refried beans. Feta is the best substitute.

增加智利风味的3种方法

如今，在美国很容易获得各种智利品种，每种品种都提供了不同的风味和热量。增加可能性的是您可以找到辣椒的不同形式：新鲜，罐头，干燥和粉末。通过结合智利类型和形式，您可以不仅可以在菜肴中添加热量来创造出令人惊讶的温和，平衡和有趣的风味。

Chile powdersare made from dried chiles. They differ from the spice jars labeled “chili powder” in that they are ground solely from a specific type of chile. Chili powder is a mix of ground chiles with the addition of spices like garlic powder and cumin. Pure chile powders allow you to add the most nuanced hit of flavor and heat to a dish. I call for ancho chile powder in the Steak Adobo recipe because of its mild, fruity flavor. It has a moderate heat level and is also good in black beans dishes and mole sauce.

Dried chiles提供的浓缩口味通常与新鲜版本有很大不同，因此获得了新名称。例如，干poblano智利被称为ancho（较短的胡椒）。an鱼仍然温和，但具有完全不同的，果味，葡萄干般的风味。辣椒（较长的胡椒）是干chilacas。干燥的辣椒通常在使用前补充水分，然后与少量液体混合以形成糊状。

辣椒罐头are often easier to find than fresh ones, although the available varieties are limited. I call for canned rather than fresh chipotle chiles because they store well and are easier to work with. Chipotles are jalapeños which are smoke-dried and then packed with a tangy tomato sauce that absorbs their flavor and heat. They come out of the can soft and ready to use, and the seeds and veins are much easier to remove than they are in their dried form.