Authentic Discada (Mexican Cowboy Skillet)
A bold Northern Mexican one-pan dish with mixed meats, peppers, and smoky spices - perfect for fiestas!
Ingredients
- 1 lb 450g pork shoulder, cubed
- 1 lb 450g flank steak, sliced
- ½ lb 225g thick-cut bacon, chopped
- ½ lb 225g Mexican chorizo
- 4 hot dogs or sausages optional
- 1 large white onion diced
- 2 bell peppers red + green, sliced
- 2 jalapeños sliced
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- ½ cup Mexican lager beer
- ½ cup tomato sauce
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp Mexican oregano
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- **Render bacon**: Cook chopped bacon in cast-iron skillet until crispy. Remove, leave 2 tbsp fat.
- **Brown chorizo**: Add chorizo, break apart until crumbly. Remove with bacon.
- **Sear meats**: In batches, sear pork (2 mins/side) then beef (1 min/side). Remove.
- **Sauté veggies**: Cook onions 2 mins, add peppers & jalapeños (3 mins), then garlic (30 secs).
- **Combine**: Return all meats to skillet. Pour in beer, scrape browned bits.
- **Simmer**: Stir in tomato sauce, cumin, oregano, paprika. Simmer 10 mins uncovered.
- **Finish**: Mix in reserved bacon. Season with salt/pepper. Rest 5 mins before serving.
Notes
- Substitutions: Turkey bacon/soyrizo for lighter version
- Storage: Keeps 3 days in fridge, freezes well
- Serving: With warm tortillas, lime, cilantro
- Pro Tip: Rinse chorizo to reduce sodium