FARGO — A popular dish throughout Mexico and Latin America, Salpicón de Res is a combination of shredded beef dressed in a tangy lime vinaigrette and is often served as a chilled salad with chopped lettuce and vegetables.
Refreshing and delicious, this Mexican specialty is a terrific dish to serve in spring and summer, and it would be a perfect choice for a homemade Cinco de Mayo dinner.
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This dish is easy to make and nearly every component can be prepared in advance, so all you need to do before serving is prepare the garnishes and assemble the salad.
Savory shredded beef is the main ingredient; chuck roast, brisket and flank steak are the most common cuts of meat used.
According to the friendly butcher at my local Hornbacher’s meat department, “When cooking meat low and slow, it is hard to beat the tenderness and price of chuck roast.”
This was good enough for me, especially as the chuck was more than $2 less per pound than the other cuts.
To cook the beef, cut the roast into smaller pieces and trim it off any large patches of fat. Place the chunks of beef in a large pot and fill it with enough water to cover the meat by at least an inch.
Add a quartered onion, six garlic cloves, two bay leaves and 2 tablespoons of kosher salt and bring it to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low, partially cover the pot (see photo), and let it simmer for about 90 minutes, until the beef is tender enough to shred easily.
This will leave you with plenty of time to prepare the dressing and vegetables for the salad.
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The lime vinaigrette is the key to this dish because it is used to dress the meat and each layer of the salad.
To make the dressing super tangy, use a 2:1 ratio of oil to acid with vegetable oil and a blend of white vinegar and lime juice. Put these ingredients in a blender with two cloves of garlic, a little brown sugar and seasoning, and blitz until it appears smooth and creamy.
The dressing can be made well in advance, and once prepared, I add a bit of finely chopped red onion and jalapeno to infuse it with even more flavor.
This layered salad features a bed of chopped Romaine lettuce, topped with shredded beef and a medley of fresh veggies, including radishes, cucumbers and cherry tomatoes.
Each layer is tossed in the lime vinaigrette before assembling so there is plenty of flavor in every bite. I garnish the salad with sliced avocado, lime wedges and cilantro and serve it as a main course. The meat can also be used to make tacos, quesadillas and nachos.
I love Mexican shredded beef, and this recipe could not be simpler to make and serve. Savory, mild, fresh and delicious, Salpicón de Res is my new favorite salad and a guaranteed warm-weather winner. Happy May Day!
Salpicón de Res: Savory Mexican Shredded Beef Salad
Serves: 4
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For the shredded beef:
- 2.5 to 3 pounds beef chuck roast, flank steak or brisket, trimmed as needed
- 1 white onion, peeled and quartered
- 2 bay leaves
- 6 cloves garlic, peeled
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
For the lime vinaigrette: 1½ cups vegetable or canola oil
- ½ cup white distilled vinegar
- Juice of 1 lime (about ¼ cup)
- 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ cup red onion, finely chopped (optional)
- 1 jalapeno, finely chopped (optional)
For the salad:
- Shredded beef
- Lime Vinaigrette
- 1 head Romaine lettuce, cut into thin strips
- 4 radishes, thinly sliced into half-moons
- 2 mini cucumbers or 1 English cucumber, diced into small cubes
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
To garnish:
- Sliced avocado
- Lime wedges
- Fresh cilantro leaves
Directions: Remove any large pieces of fat from the beef and cut into smaller pieces, if needed, to fit the pot.
Place the beef in a large pot and fill it with enough water to cover the meat by at least an inch. Add the onion quarters, bay leaves, garlic cloves, and salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium-low and partially cover the pot (place a spoon between a lid and the pot to allow steam to escape so the liquid can reduce). Simmer until the meat is soft and tender enough to easily shred with a fork, about 90 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the vinaigrette. Place the oils, vinegar, lime juice, garlic, brown sugar, salt and pepper in a blender and mix until it appears smooth and creamy. Transfer to a large jar and add the chopped red onion and jalapeno, if using. The onion and jalapeno will slightly pickle and infuse the dressing with even more flavor. The dressing can be prepared in advance and refrigerated for 2 to 3 weeks. Shake well before using.
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When the meat is done, remove it from the pot and discard the liquid. Once cool enough to handle, use two forks to pull the meat into shreds and place them in a large bowl. Pour 1/3 cup of the vinaigrette over the meat and toss well until combined. Taste and add more dressing as desired. The meat can be prepared in advance and refrigerated for up to 5 days, or frozen for up to 3 months.
To assemble the salad: 15 minutes before assembling, place the chopped radishes, cucumber and tomatoes in a medium bowl and toss with 2 tablespoons of the vinaigrette until well combined. Let the mixture marinate for 15 to 20 minutes.
When ready to serve, toss the chopped lettuce with 1 tablespoon of the vinaigrette and place it on a platter. Place the marinated shredded beef atop the bed of lettuce. Distribute the marinated veggies evenly over the shredded beef. Garnish with sliced avocado, lime wedges and cilantro. Serve immediately.
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