Mexican braised beef, lamb, and pork dinner recipes

Photo, Annabelle Breakey; food styling, Randy Mon

Shot-and-a-Beer Pork Stew

San Francisco's Tacolicious ($$; tacolicioussf.com) serves this braised pork in tacos, but owner Joe Hargrave also makes it at home as a fall stew. The chiles fall apart as the dish cooks, giving the meat a mellow, earthy spiciness.

Recipe: Shot-and-a-Beer Pork Stew

Photo, Annabelle Breakey; food styling, Randy Mon

Lamb Shanks Adobo

Jeff Smedstad, chef-owner of Elote Cafe ($$; closed Sun; elotecafe.com) in Sedona, Arizona, learned the secrets to great adobos (a type of chile-rich sauce) in the markets of central Mexico. This lamb dish is adapted from one in his book, Elote Cafe Cookbook (Elote Cafe Publishing; $30).

Recipe: Lamb Shanks Adobo

Photo, Annabelle Breakey; food styling, Randy Mon

Cola Shredded Beef Tacos

This recipe is adapted from one in Amor y Tacos (Stewart, Tabori & Chang, May 2010; $19) by San Diego–based chef Deborah Schneider.

Recipe: Cola Shredded Beef Tacos

Browning meat in a skillet is an essential step to proper braising.

Photo by Annabelle Breakey; styling by Randy Mon

Mexican braising basics

Brown meat in fat to develop rich flavor. For best color, it's important to be patient and not crowd the pan.

Annabelle Breakey; Randy Mon

Mexican braising basics

Toast chiles a little to intensify their flavor, then add them to the meat with the liquids, onion, garlic, and other seasonings. Cook the meat long and slow, tightly covered to retain moisture. It's done when you can slide a fork right in.

3 satisfying Mexican-style braised dinners

Shot-and-a-Beer Pork Stew

Lamb Shanks Adobo

Cola Shredded Beef Tacos

Mexican braising basics

Mexican braising basics