★ Issue CMSC·22–035 · Published 21 Aug 2022
beefCattle-DriveMexican

Beef and Cheese Molcajete.

Sear beef tenderloin tips and panela cheese, then build it all in a molcajete with fresh guacamole and pass it around

PREP 15 min
COOK 10 min
TOTAL 25m min
SERVES 2-4 people
HEAT mild
BLEND RATING 4.8 104 reviews · Cattle Drive®
Jump to Recipe ★ Reviews ✍ Write a Review 🖶 Print
Made with Cattle Drive®Shop
You'll need
Molcajete12-inch skilletInstant-read thermometerSmall frying pan

Sear beef tenderloin tips and panela cheese, then build it all in a molcajete with fresh guacamole and pass it around

Ingredients

FOR THE BEEF

  • 1/2 pound beef tenderloin tips, small bite-sized
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon Casa M Spice Co® Cattle Drive®
  • 1/4 teaspoon Casa M Spice Co® Chain Reaction®

FOR THE CHEESE

  • 1/2 pound Panela cheese, cut into cubes
  • 1/2 teaspoon Ace Kickstart®
  • avocado oil for frying the cheese

PULLING IT ALL TOGETHER

  • 2 cups guacamole
  • tortilla chips
  • tortillas, cilantro, onion, salsas, etc. for garnish

Method

  1. 01

    Season and coat the beef

    2 min

    Toss your beef tenderloin tips with olive oil, Cattle Drive®, and Chain Reaction® until every piece is evenly coated. This seasoning blend is built to complement the richness of seared beef and fried cheese.

  2. 02

    Cook the beef to temperature

    7 min

    Choose your heat source: air fryer at 400°F for 5–7 minutes, cast iron skillet over high heat with butter until browned on all sides, or hot grill to medium-well. You want a good sear on the outside and meat cooked to your preference.

  3. 03

    Fry the cheese cubes

    5 min

    While the beef cooks, heat avocado oil and fry your Panela cheese cubes seasoned with Ace Kickstart® until they're golden and crispy on the outside. Drain on paper towels right away so they stay crunchy.

  4. 04

    Mound the guacamole

    1 min

    Spoon all 2 cups of guacamole into the center of your molcajete (or a large, wide bowl) in a generous mound. This is your foundation for everything that follows.

  5. 05

    Layer the beef

    1 min

    Pile the seared beef on top of the guac mound while it's still warm. The heat from the meat will soften the avocado slightly and marry those flavors together.

  6. 06

    Arrange the fried cheese

    1 min

    Place your crispy Panela cubes in a semi-circle around the beef, leaving one side open for tortilla chips. You're building a dish meant for sharing, so make it look intentional.

  7. 07

    Garnish and serve

    2 min

    Top with fresh cilantro, diced onion, and any other garnishes you like. Bring it to the table with warm tortillas and your best salsas so everyone can build their own bites.

From Mike's Notebook

01

Cut the tenderloin into uniform bite-sized pieces so they sear in the same time without overcooking the smaller ones.

02

Let the Panela cubes sit in the freezer 15 minutes before frying—they'll hold their shape instead of melting into oil.

03

Pour the hot seared beef and fried cheese directly into the molcajete while both are still crackling; cold guac needs that heat.

Nutrition

615 Calories / serving
34 gProtein
49 gTotal Fat
15 gSat. Fat
13 gCarbs
7 gFiber
2 gSugars
725 mgSodium

Estimated · 1 serving · calculated from the ingredient list, not lab-tested.

Cooked It?

Tell us how it went.

Be the first to review this recipe.

Write a Review