Discada facts for kids
Discada is a delicious mixed meat dish that's very popular in northern Mexico. Imagine a big, flavorful meal cooked outdoors! The name "Discada" comes from how it's made: on a special cooking surface that looks like a large, round metal disc, similar to what farmers use for plowing fields.
This dish usually includes a mix of different meats like beef (often a cut called flank steak), crispy bacon, savory ham, tasty sausage, and spicy Mexican chorizo. The disc is placed over an open fire, and the ingredients are added one by one. Cooks season the meats with things like salt, pepper, lime juice, and garlic. To add even more flavor and color, they also use vegetables like onions, bell peppers, spicy jalapeño or serrano peppers, olives, and tomatoes. Discada is often served with warm tortillas, either as tacos or simply on a plate.
Contents
What is the Disc?
The special cooking disc for Discada is usually made from iron or steel, just like a farmer's plow disc. It's round and wide, with a slight curve towards the middle. This shape helps spread the heat evenly, making sure everything cooks perfectly. While the original disc shape stays the same, some discs have handles or a stand added to make them easier to use for cooking.
How to Cook Discada
Cooking Discada is a fun process! First, the disc is heated over a fire, usually to a medium or low temperature.
Starting with Bacon
The first meat to go on the disc is bacon. It's placed right in the center where the heat is strongest. As the bacon cooks, its natural fat melts and helps prevent other meats from sticking to the disc. Sometimes, a little bit of beer or dark cola is added. This creates a broth that helps the meats simmer and also keeps them from sticking. Once the bacon is cooked, it's moved to the side of the disc, away from the direct heat.
Adding More Meats
Next, sausage links are added to the disc, cooking in the leftover broth and bacon fat. As each meat cooks and is moved aside, its juices mix with the beer or cola, creating a rich broth for the next ingredient. After the sausage, ham goes onto the disc. Once the ham is cooked, it's also moved to the side. Then, chorizo is added and cooked.
Finishing the Dish
Finally, the beef is added to the disc along with the cook's favorite seasonings. Each type of meat cooks for about 10 to 15 minutes. The beef is often covered with a lid while it cooks to keep its flavor and juices locked in. After a while, the lid is removed to let the broth thicken. Now, all the cooked meats can be mixed together with the beef and the delicious broth. Chopped onions, peppers, and tomatoes are then added to the mix. These vegetables add bright colors and even more flavor to the dish.
Discada is often enjoyed with traditional Mexican side dishes like rice and beans. It's also great with fresh guacamole and spicy salsa. Sometimes, people enjoy it with a cold drink like beer.
See also
In Spanish: Discada para niños
