I prepared frijol con puerco* for the locals. I live in the Yucatan. They loved it! I was honored because it is a staple here. And they asked how I prepared it. I told them I browned the pork with some onions before adding the beans and spices. They told me that if I browned the meat, it was not frijol con puerco.
So, all knowing cafe folks, do you brown meat before adding it to the stew or beans? Or just toss it in? Or, is there a rule that tells you when to brown meat? Gracias.
I wouldn’t be surprised if this is a regional thing. Just scanning online and looking at recipes and videos from Mexican cooks and chefs, it appears some brown the pork, and some don’t. How to prepare regional foods, in my experience, can get quite argumentative even within a relatively small geographic area.
As for a general rule as when to brown meat or not, it depends on the flavor and texture that you’re going for. Veal, for example, I rarely brown in a stew, because I generally want it to remain delicate. Beef I usually brown but not always. For example, for a Cincinnati chili, you generally just boil it with the rest of your ingredients to give it that soft texture. I generally do the same for ragu alla bolognese, just bring the ground beef to where it just starts to brown and then add my liquid (first wine, then milk) to keep it from browning too much and become more coarse in texture.
So, it’s just a matter of judgment, what you’re going for, and what you’re used to in particular dishes.
