Chocolomo de Fin de Semana
(cho-ko-LOH-mo de feen de se-MAH-nah)
Domingos and the American Píib: Slow-Roasted Centerpieces
Tuesday at 6 p.m., the traditional Sunday timeline for Chocolomo goes out the window. Born from the tradition of stewing the losing bull after a local amateur bullfight, the dish builds a deeply savory, roasted flavor through the tatemado—blistering the onions and garlic over an open flame until heavily blackened to infuse the broth with a sharp, bitter-edged smokiness. Drop the beef chuck into a six-quart Dutch oven, watch as the broth darkens, and pour in the sour orange juice, letting the stove do the heavy lifting before finishing with an acidic radish salsa to cut the rich beef.
Ingredients
- black peppercorns1 tsp
- allspice berries1/2 tsp
- cumin seeds1/2 tsp
- dried Mexican oregano1/2 tsp
- ground cinnamon1/4 tsp
- whole cloves2
- garlic cloves2
- apple cider vinegar1 tbsp
- kosher salt1 tsp
- beef chuck roast2 lb
- bone-in beef short ribs1 lb
- beef marrow bones1 lb
- white onion1 large
- head of garlic1
- Roma tomatoes2
- Anaheim pepper1
- green bell pepper1/2
- fresh mint1 large handful
- fresh cilantro1 large handful
- bitter orange juice or equal parts fresh lime and sweet orange juice1/4 cup
- water3 qt
- radishes1 cup
- white onion1/2 cup
- fresh cilantro1/4 cup
- habanero pepper1
- bitter orange juice or equal parts fresh lime and sweet orange juice1/4 cup
Method
- 01
Aggressively char the onion, garlic, and tomatoes over high heat.
Heat a dry cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat or use the open flame of a gas burner. Place the halved onion, head of garlic, and tomato halves directly on the heat and leave undisturbed for about 10 minutes until blackened and blistered, then peel off any loose burnt papery skins while retaining the charred flesh.
- 02
Grind the dry spices, garlic, and vinegar into a thick paste.
In a mortar and pestle or spice grinder, pulverize the peppercorns, allspice, cumin, oregano, cinnamon, and cloves into a powder, then mash in the 2 peeled garlic cloves, apple cider vinegar, and salt until a wet uniform paste forms.
- 03
Boil the meat and bones briefly to purge them of impurities.
Place the chuck roast, short ribs, and marrow bones in a large heavy-bottomed pot, cover with hot water, and boil rapidly for 5 minutes. Dump the cloudy water, rinse the meat and the pot thoroughly, and return the clean meat to the pot to ensure a pristine clear broth.
- 04
Combine the cleaned meat, charred aromatics, herbs, spice paste, and fresh water.
Pour 3 quarts of fresh water over the meat and bones, then add the charred onion, garlic head, tomatoes, whole Anaheim pepper, bell pepper, mint, and cilantro. Stir in the freshly ground spice paste and 1/4 cup of bitter orange juice, bring to a boil, then immediately reduce the heat to a gentle simmer.
- 05
Simmer gently for two and a half to three hours until the meat is meltingly tender.
Cover the pot and monitor the whole Anaheim pepper closely; carefully remove and discard it before it bursts to prevent its capsaicin from overpowering the delicate comforting broth.
- 06
Mix the diced radishes, onion, cilantro, habanero, and citrus juice to create the salpicón garnish.
Season with a pinch of salt and let the mixture sit so the raw onions pickle slightly in the acid while the soup finishes cooking.
- 07
Remove the bones and large stems, adjust the seasoning, and serve hot with the fresh salpicón.
Ladle the deeply flavored mineral broth and tender meat into bowls, allowing everyone at the table to stir in spoonfuls of the cold acidic radish salsa.
Notes
Use a pressure cooker for a weeknight shortcut.
If you don't have three hours to spare, purge the meat and char the aromatics as directed, then combine everything in an electric pressure cooker with only 2 quarts of water. Cook on high pressure for 45 minutes, allow a 15-minute natural release, and you'll have Sunday-level depth on a Tuesday night.