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1
Braise the beef until it shreds
60 Mins
Gentle simmer, about 95°C (203°F)
Put the beef chunks in a pot, cover with cold water and add 2g of the salt. Bring to a gentle simmer, skim off any foam, cover and cook for 55–60 minutes until the meat pulls apart easily with a fork. Lift the beef out, let it cool for 10 minutes, then shred it into thin strips with two forks. Keep 60ml of the cooking liquid.
A gentle simmer, not a hard boil, keeps the beef tender; boiling it hard makes the shreds dry and stringy.
Done when: Beef pulls apart easily with no resistance.
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2
Make the maiz pilado dough
10 Mins
No heat
Mix the hot water with 3g of the salt, the sugar and 15ml of the frying oil in a large bowl. Stir in the cornmeal a little at a time until a soft dough forms, then knead it in the bowl for 3–4 minutes until smooth and pliable. Cover with a damp cloth and rest for 10 minutes. The dough should feel like soft play dough — if it cracks, knead in a spoonful of warm water.
Hot water, not cold, is what makes the cornmeal dough hold together; cold water gives a crumbly dough that splits when you fold it.
Done when: Smooth, pliable dough that does not crack when pressed.
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3
Finish the carne mechada in a sofrito
10 Mins
Medium heat, about 175°C (350°F)
Heat 15ml of the frying oil in a pan and fry half the onion, the tomato, the bell pepper and the garlic for 4 minutes until soft. Stir in the cumin, the shredded beef and the reserved cooking liquid and cook for 5 minutes more, until the beef is coated and juicy but not wet. Season with the remaining salt and set aside to cool completely — a hot filling melts the dough and makes it split in the oil.
The filling must be dry enough to hold its shape in a spoon; if it is wet, cook it a few minutes longer.
Done when: Beef glossy and juicy, thick enough to hold its shape.
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4
Blend the guasacaca
5 Mins
No heat
Put the avocado, the remaining onion, the cilantro, the lime juice and the 15ml of oil in a small blender and pulse until smooth but still a little chunky. Season lightly with salt. Set aside in a small bowl — it is served cold, for dipping.
Pulse, do not blend to a puree: guasacaca should be spoonable and a little rustic, not as smooth as guacamole.
Done when: Thick, green, spoonable sauce with a little texture.
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5
Shape the empanadas
13 Mins
No heat
Divide the dough into 8 equal balls. Flatten each ball between two sheets of plastic wrap or a cut-open plastic bag into a circle about 15 cm across and 3 mm thick. Put about 40g of the beef filling and 15g of the grated cheese on one half, leaving a 1 cm border. Fold the other half over, press the edges together firmly, then crimp with a fork. This is the Venezuelan way: the dough is pressed flat, not rolled, so it stays tender.
Keep the filling well inside the border — filling on the edge is what makes an empanada burst open in the oil.
Done when: Neat half-moons with firmly sealed, crimped edges.
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6
Fry until crisp and golden
12 Mins
Oil at 175°C (350°F)
Heat the oil in a deep pan to 175°C (350°F). Fry the empanadas 2 at a time for 3 minutes per side until deep golden and crisp — the filling is already cooked, so you are only cooking the dough. Lift out with a slotted spoon and drain on paper for 1 minute. Serve at once, hot, with the guasacaca alongside.
Do not crowd the pan: too many empanadas at once drops the oil temperature and they come out greasy instead of crisp.
Done when: Deep golden, blistered and crisp, with no leaks.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Serve the empanadas hot from the oil, two per person, with the guasacaca in a small bowl for dipping. Eat them with your hands, while the cheese is still melted.
Venezuela
3h
