Caldo de Res

Method

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1. Put the beef, water, halved onion, garlic, bay leaves, peppercorns and salt in a large pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, skimming off the foam for the first 10 minutes.

   Mark done

2. Turn the heat to low, set the lid slightly ajar and simmer for 2 hours, until the beef is tender and pulls easily from the bone.

   Mark done Start 2 hr timer

3. Add the carrots and potatoes and simmer for 15 minutes.

   Mark done Start 15 min timer

4. Add the corn and chayote and simmer for 10 minutes.

   Mark done Start 10 min timer

5. Add the cabbage and the bunch of coriander and simmer for 8 minutes, until the cabbage is tender but still holds its shape.

   Mark done Start 8 min timer

6. Fish out the coriander, bay leaves and onion. Taste the broth and add more salt if it needs it.

   Mark done

7. Ladle the beef, vegetables and broth into deep bowls and serve with lime wedges, chopped onion, coriander, rice and warm tortillas.

   Mark done

Chef’s Tips

• Start the beef in cold water and skim it. Scum that stays in the pot clouds the broth.
• Keep the simmer gentle. A hard boil makes the broth cloudy and the meat stringy.
• Add the vegetables in stages. Cabbage and chayote cook in minutes, and left in for the full time they fall apart.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• Lemon is the everyday swap for lime in this kind of dish — the acidity plays the same role even though the flavour is not identical.
• An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the usual stand-in when you are out of fresh garlic — it will not caramelise the same way, but it carries the flavour.

Pairing Suggestions

• Warm corn tortillas
• Mexican rice
• A squeeze of lime

Storage & Reheating

Keep in the fridge up to 4 days and reheat gently. The vegetables soften further, so store the broth and the meat apart from the cabbage if you can. Freeze the beef and broth for 3 months.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.