Discada
intro
A smoky, hearty Northern Mexican mixed meat and vegetable medley cooked on a curved metal disc over open flame, ideal for casual group cookouts and taco nights.
Ingredients
Steps
Prep all ingredients
Portion and prep all ingredients to the specified measurements: cut bacon into 1cm strips, remove chorizo casings, cube pork shoulder, beef sirloin, and ham into uniform 2cm pieces, slice onions and bell peppers into 1cm strips, mince jalapeños and garlic, chop tomatoes, and portion out spices and beer. Preheat your discada plow disc (or large cast iron griddle) over medium-high open flame (or stovetop burner) to 190°C/375°F for 10 minutes before cooking.
Render bacon fat
Spread the 150g of cut bacon strips evenly across the hottest center of the preheated disc. Cook for 6-7 minutes, stirring occasionally with a long metal spatula, until the bacon is crispy and has released 2-3 tablespoons of rendered fat across the cooking surface. Push the cooked bacon up to the cooler outer edge of the disc once done.
Sear dense meats
Add the 200g crumbled chorizo to the hot center of the disc, cooking for 4 minutes while breaking it apart with the spatula until browned and fragrant, then push it to the outer edge with the bacon. Next, add the 300g cubed pork shoulder to the center, seasoning with 1/2 teaspoon (2.5g) of kosher salt, searing for 8 minutes and stirring every 2 minutes until browned on all sides, then push to the edge. Follow with the 300g cubed beef sirloin, seasoning with another 1/2 teaspoon (2.5g) of kosher salt, searing for 5 minutes until deeply browned (medium-rare doneness), then push to the outer edge to keep warm.
Sauté aromatics and ham
Add the 150g cubed ham to the center of the disc, cooking for 3 minutes until lightly caramelized, then push to the outer edge. Add the sliced onion, bell peppers, and minced jalapeño to the center, sautéing for 5 minutes until softened and slightly charred at the edges. Stir in the 18g minced garlic, 2g ground cumin, 2g smoked paprika, remaining 1/2 teaspoon (2.5g) kosher salt, and 1g ground black pepper, cooking for 30 seconds until fragrant before mixing lightly with the vegetables.
Deglaze and simmer
Pour the 240ml (1 cup) of Mexican lager into the center of the disc, using the spatula to scrape up all browned fond bits from the metal surface. Adjust heat to medium (175°C/350°F) to bring the beer to a gentle simmer, then add the 400g chopped Roma tomatoes. Mix all the meats and vegetables from the outer edge into the center liquid, stirring to combine evenly. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring every 3 minutes, until the tomatoes break down and the liquid reduces to a thick, glossy coating on all ingredients.
Finish and serve
Turn off the heat, taste the discada and add extra salt if needed. Sprinkle the 20g of chopped fresh cilantro evenly over the top, then squeeze the juice of 1 lime wedge (about 15ml) over the entire mixture. Serve directly from the disc (or transfer to a large platter) with the 360g of warmed corn tortillas and remaining lime wedges on the side for guests to build their own tacos.
Tips
2.If you do not own a traditional plow disc, use a 40cm+ cast iron skillet or flat-top griddle set over a grill, creating separate hot and warm zones to replicate the disc’s natural heat gradient.
3.Avoid stirring searing meats too frequently; let them sit undisturbed for 2 minutes at a time to build a deep, flavorful brown crust instead of steaming the ingredients.
OMG this discada is a total game changer! I made it for our family cookout over the weekend and every single person went back for seconds. I used my old disc blade I picked up at a flea market a few years back and the flavor was exactly what I remember from trips to Monterrey as a kid. My picky 8 year old even ate two full servings and asked if we could have it again next week. SO good, already sent the recipe to my whole taco night group chat!
Made this for meal prep this week and it held up so much better than I expected! I swapped the pork for a little extra chorizo because that’s what I had in the fridge, and it was still chef’s kiss. 10/10, will be adding this to my regular weeknight rotation.
This tasted amazing, but I ran into a little trouble getting the heat right on my disc so the bacon burnt a little the first go round. Ended up moving the coals to the edge after that and it turned out perfect, just wish I’d thought of that before I ruined the first batch of bacon! Flavor was spot on though, tasted just like the discada my tia makes in Chihuahua.
My whole family loved this! We did taco night with all the toppings — cilantro, lime, diced onion, queso fresco, even some pickled red onions on the side. My husband already asked if we can make this when we go camping next month instead of the usual burgers and hot dogs. Total crowd pleaser!
I was so nervous to try discada because I’d only ever had it at restaurants, but this recipe was so easy to follow even for a medium-difficulty dish! Cook time was right at 55 minutes like the recipe said, no surprises. I didn’t have a disc so I used my biggest cast iron skillet and it still came out incredible. Will 100% make this again.