Machaca is a common ingredient for much Mexican cookery, particularly in the Northern states (like the State of Sonora, South of Arizona). Historically, it was used as a kind of pseudo-beef-jerky, keeping well on the trails and in the kitchens of Old Mexico. Being a semi-preserved staple, it traditionally takes quite a bit of time to make (and even longer to make into something), but the modern equivalent holds much of the same flavor when done in just over an hour with the right tools.

Oh, and it's ungodly tasty when eaten fresh in, say, burrito form with some sour cream, brown rice and cucumber!

Basic Machaca

Hardware

You will need a pressure cooker (ALWAYS follow manufacturer's instructions!) and probably want a food processor (though you can probably fake it if you don't have one).

Ingredients

• 3lb (or so) beef chuck roast (any chuck will do)
• One medium (16oz or so) can whole tomatoes--canned works better here (really!)
• One bunch cilantro, washed
• A few cloves of garlic
• A few peppers (I use two jalapeno-class ones with seeds removed for light spice--you can leave the seeds in and/or use more if you like things spicy).
• 1/2c Red wine or Red wine vinegar (either will work, each giving a slightly different flavor to the dish)

Process

Put a small amount (2tbsp or so) oil into the pressure cooker (lid off for now) and heat it up. Chuck in the chuck roast, and brown on all sides, salting lightly as you go.

While browning, drain the tomatoes, peel the garlic, and de-seed the peppers (unless you want the seeds for heat) and chuck them into a food processor plus a small handful of the cilantro (all leaves if possible) and a few grinds of black pepper, pulsing to combine.

Put the mix and the wine into the pressure cooker and turn over the meat once or twice to make sure the mixture is, er, mixed. Then put the pressure cooker lid and bring to cooking stage (follow manufacturer's instructions--typically this means bring it up to a small hiss and leaving it there). Once you're at cook time (when you have a hiss), apply the pressure for at least 45 minutes (50 is probably better), then pull off the burner and let it cool until the pressure goes to normal (the "natural" depressurization method--follow manufacturer's instructions).

Pull out the meat and put it in another container for shredding (cassarole dishes or stainless pots work). Then, with the lid off, crank up the heat on the remaining sauce and reduce until it's somewhat syrupy (personal taste here). While that's reducing, use two forks to shred the meat into little bits (shouldn't be too hard, since the meat is pressure-cooked). Return the meat to the sauce (with another small handful of cilantro if you like) and keep it on medium heat, stirring occasionally until the mixture isn't soup anymore. Serve in a tortilla, taco, on a tostada, or anyplace else shredded meat goodness is a good idea (i.e pretty much anywhere except ice cream and breakfast cereal). Freezes well.