Author Notes
I'm obsessed with cemitas—flavorful meat on a soft, tender cemitas roll. This is my favorite combo: slow braised spicy beef, thinly sliced raw onions, shredded cheese, avocado, and salsa. But be warned: these sandwiches are seriously, addictively good. —Erin Jeanne McDowell
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Ingredients
- Spicy Braised Beef
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1 tablespoon
garlic powder
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1 tablespoon
ground cumin
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2 teaspoons
ground coriander
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2 teaspoons
ancho chile powder
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1 1/2 teaspoons
kosher salt
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1/2 teaspoon
caynne pepper
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2 pounds
beef stew meat (cubed chuck, round, etc.)
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2 tablespoons
tomato paste
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4 cups
chicken or beef broth
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2 tablespoons
olive oil
- Cemitas
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4
cemitas rolls (https://food52.com/recipes...), halved
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1/2
red onion, very thinly sliced
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1
avocado, thinly sliced
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1/4 cup
salsa roja (smooth, thin salsa is best - but your favorite always works!)
Directions
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Make the braised beef: Mix the spices together in a small bowl. Season the beef all over with the spices, making sure to thoroughly coat all sides.
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Heat the olive oil over medium heat. Sear the beef until it's browned all over, then remove from the pot.
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Add the onions to the pot and saute over medium low heat until very tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the tomato paste and stir to deglaze the pot.
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Add the beef back to the pot, and stir well to combine. Add the broth to the pot and bring to a simmer. Cover the pot and reduce heat to low. Simmer until the beef is very tender, about 4 hours. Remove the cover from the pot and continue to simmer until the liquid has reduced by about 2/3 (the beef will be saucy instead of soupy), about 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours more.
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Shred the beef with two forks. Now you're ready to make a sandwich!
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Divide the beef between the four rolls, and top each with red onions, avocado, cheese, and cilantro leaves. Finish with a spoonful of salsa, and top with the other half of the bun. Eat, eat, eat that bad boy.
I always have three kinds of hot sauce in my purse. I have a soft spot for making people their favorite dessert, especially if it's wrapped in a pastry crust. My newest cookbook, Savory Baking, came out in Fall of 2022 - is full of recipes to translate a love of baking into recipes for breakfast, dinner, and everything in between!
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