GUISADO de CHICHARRÓN – Saucy, Smoky, and Built for Tortillas

Garnishing the guisado tacos with cilantro and onion

Guisado de Chicharrón Recipe – Chicharrones con Carne Simmered in Roasted Salsa

Intro

This is one of those dishes that understands the assignment. You’ve got chicharrones con carne, a roasted red-and-green salsa, and just enough time in the pan for everything to come together without losing all that texture. It’s rich, smoky, tangy, a little spicy, and honestly exactly the kind of thing I want wrapped in a warm tortilla with cilantro, onion, and lime.

What I love about guisados like this is that they live in that perfect in-between. The chicharrón softens up and drinks in the salsa, but if you do it right, it still keeps a little chew and some crisp edges. That contrast is the whole point. This is comfort food, but it still has structure. Serve it with tortillas and call it a very good day.

If you want to make the chicharrón con carne from scratch, I’ve got that recipe up on YouTube or check it out below.

Why This Guisado Works

• Roasted salsa = huge flavor – Tomatoes, tomatillos, guajillo, serrano, and garlic give it smoke, acidity, sweetness, and heat.

• Texture is the game – The chicharrón softens, but still keeps some chew and crisp edges.

• Fast payoff – Once the chicharrón is made, the rest comes together pretty quickly.

• Built for tortillas – This is exactly the kind of guisado that belongs wrapped in something warm.

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Ingredients

YIELD: 4 servings

• 500g chicharrones con carne, cut into bite-sized pieces (about 1.1 lb)

• 30g neutral oil (about 2 Tbsp)

• 100g white onion, julienned (about 1 small onion)

• 285g Roma tomato, whole (about 3 medium tomatoes)

• 130g tomatillo, whole (about 3 medium tomatillos)

• 28g serrano chile, whole (about 2–3 serranos)

• 25g garlic, whole cloves in their paper (about 5–6 cloves)

• 10g guajillo chile, seeded and stemmed (about 1 large chile)

• 100g boiling hot water (about ⅓ cup + 1 Tbsp)

• Diamond Crystal kosher salt, to taste

Instructions

1. Roast the salsa ingredients

Heat a comal over medium heat. Roast the tomatoes, tomatillos, garlic, serranos, and guajillo until blackened and tender. Approximate times:

• Tomatoes: 20 minutes

• Tomatillos: 15–18 minutes

• Serranos + garlic: 10–12 minutes

• Guajillo: about 1 minute

Use your instincts here. You want good char without burning the dried chile bitter.

2. Steep the guajillo

Once the guajillo is toasted, drop it into the boiling water and let it steep until tender.

3. Build the salsa

Add the peeled roasted garlic, softened guajillo, serranos, and a little of the steeping water to a blender. Taste the steeping water first — if it’s bitter, use regular water instead. Add a pinch of salt and blend until smooth.

Add the tomatoes and tomatillos and blend on medium speed until you get the texture you want. Season to taste with salt and reserve.

4. Start the guisado

Heat a 12-inch sauté pan over medium-high heat and add the oil. Once shimmering, add the onion with a pinch of salt and cook until just starting to take on color.

5. Add the chicharrón

Add the chicharrones con carne and cook until they release some fat.

6. Simmer in salsa

Pour in the salsa and simmer until the chicharrón is tender but still a little crispy in spots. Adjust the consistency with a splash of water if needed.

7. Finish and serve

Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve with warm tortillas, cilantro, onion, and lime. Or honestly, whatever you want.

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Tools I Used

• Comal

• Blender

• 12-inch sauté pan

• Tongs

• Knife

• Cutting board

Tips & Tricks

• Taste the chile water – If the guajillo steeping liquid get too bitter, don’t use it. Just swap in fresh water.

• Don’t overcook the guisado – You want the chicharrón tender, not fully dissolved into mush.

• This wants tortillas – Flour or corn, your call. Both work.

• Make the chicharrón from scratch – If you want the full thing from zero, peep the YouTube recipe👇🏼

Make It & Show Me

If you make this guisado, I want to see it. Tag @goatboyintl and show me how you’re serving it — tortillas, rice, straight out of the pan, whatever.

Step-by-step video on how to make chicharron con carne and Jonathan’s recipe for guacamole.