This post has been sponsored by Rumba Meats, however all opinions shared here are my own.
I love going back home to my parents every once in a while – the feeling of being pampered and stuffed with all the yummy dishes I miss from my childhood is exactly what I need from time to time now, especially after having my first baby.
Some things never change, and one of the dishes my mom recently made the last time I visited my parents brought so many memories! It’s a dish she always makes for my dad, because it’s his favorite: salpicón.
Salpicón de res is a common “catracho” (nickname for “Hondurans”) dish, comida casera de la buena. It’s basically beef cheek meat that has been cooked in a simple stew, shredded to a parmesan-like consistency and seasoned with lime juice, cilantro, onions, salt and pepper.
That’s it. And though simple, it is very flavorful. And that’s only the Honduran way of making it. Apparently, there are many different ways of making salpicón across other Latin American countries, like Mexico and Cuba. But beyond its taste, salpicón is a dish very dear to my heart.
In most Honduran homes, salpicón is the type of dish a family eats regularly in a month, but it wasn’t the case in our house: for us salpicón was something extraordinary.
Once the kitchen started smelling of that yummy beef stew smell, and we saw the chopped onion and cilantro, it meant my father was flying in and having lunch or dinner with us that day. Sitting down to lunch with him was precious time, given that he was usually traveling for work. It was rare for him to even have a chance to sit down for lunch.
My father started managing a big part of the company he worked for and this required him to fly sometimes even 3-4 times a week! So yes, salpicón was always a symbol of relaxation and happiness, of quality times we could spend all of us together and help my father take a breather during the usually-hectic week.
I urge you to try the deliciousness with my mom’s recipe below! You should also know Rumba Meats is also donating a part of each sale’s profit to a nonprofit, an incubator kitchen called “La Cocina” which helps women become entrepreneurs, so what better way to help them than by buying some of their meat and making salpicón! That way you’ll have a barriga llena AND corazón contento!
I’m thrilled to let you know this recipe is included in a cookbook that Rumba Meats just published called “Recetas Con Raíces.” The cookbook is a collection of traditional recipes from 12 different Latin American countries. The recipes were submitted by Latino influencers such as myself, and include favorites like Peruvian “Cau Cau” and Venezuelan “Carne Mechada”.
Honduran Salpicón de Res
Ingredients
- 1 kg of Rumba Meats' Beef Cheekmeat
- ⅓ of an onion
- 2 bunches of cilantro, divided
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1¾ tbsps of olive oil
- 4 tbsps of lime juice
Instructions
- Cut Rumba Meats' Beef Cheekmeat in medium-sized pieces
- Heat up a pot with a bit of olive oil, add 1 bunch of chopped cilantro, ⅓ of onions and cheekmeat. Simmer for a couple of minutes, then cover ingredients in water and cook meat for about 20-30 mins. Then, take the cheekmeat pieces out of the pot – you can use the beef broth for soups or sauces
- Process the cheekmeat pieces until shredded-like consistency. Salpicón is very dry, but if your food processor gets stuck, you can always add a it of the beef broth. Transfer shredded beef to a medium bowl
- Chop onions and cilantro in food processor, separately, then add to the meat bowl
- Season everything with salt, pepper and the lime juice
- Serve salpicón with rice and beans and more lime wedges
If you liked this recipe, I have been trying a lot more of Hispanic and creative recipes. You can read more here.
Alma says
I love anything with chicken please. Pasta and chicken would be the best.
Krystal pena says
My favorite is empanadas
Trish Carlson says
Thank you for this chance
kelly woods says
Good Old fashion Tacos. Yum
LA Cooquette says
Tacos are always king!
Donna Kozar says
enchildas
Dynal Roberson says
I like Fried Plantains…
LA Cooquette says
Me too! green or ripe ones?:)
Erica says
Empanadas!!
Azeem Isaahaque says
I don’t have a fave Latino dish! It’s nice to explore recipes to find out
LA Cooquette says
There are just too many to pick one, right?
Cassandra D says
Marinated Flank Steak with Chimichurri Sauce.
LA Cooquette says
That sounds delish!!!