Mom's Bistec Ranchero

James S. Wyatt
Student #1886906
Nutrition 153

Cooking With My Moms Love,
Her Bistec Ranchero

I’ve heard hybrid, mixed, and the list can go on and on. Either way I’m the product of a third generation Irish American father, and a first generation Mexican mother. With these two together, one may ask what’s for dinner? 

As we’ve learned this semester, everyone culture has their own food preferences, restrictions, beliefs of certain foods, and many more contributing factors for their choice consumption. In a culturally mixed household what foods will dominate? Is the household patriarchal of matriarchal, or shared in preference or compromise? My mother is the cook in the family, the kitchen is hers always. Hot dogs and pork beans with boiled corn, I can’t recall any other of my dads contributions to family dishes, no just simply just that of his “cow chow,” short for cowboy chow. Which was great, simple and quick but always what was for dinner if my mom was unable to cook that night. So when we weren’t eating cow chow my mother was usually cooking twice per every meal. She would cook her own Mexican spices, tomatoes, tortillas, and many of the common dishes of Mexico. While at the same time preparing something that suited the pallet of my father. This wasn't an everyday occurrence, however for the most part, it was not unusual for us kids to be able to serve ourselves a piece of grilled chicken with mash potatoes and vegetables alongside portion of “pollo con salsa verde.” 

So what of the dish that I’ve prepared for this project. Well along the lines of dual prepared meals would be my father's favorite, beef stew, which is a favorite of my mothers, however her version needs a bit of a flavor change. There are enough similarities between these two dishes that allows for slight variations. My mother's version is Bistec ranchero, this is one stew that has great popularity, however variations exist like that of most common dishes. 

Bistec Ranchero, is fromt Mexico, a regular meal for my mother growing up. Her version as I know was a compliment to the preparation of beef stew. She often serves it with refried beans, mexican style rice, with tortillas and slices of avocado. Recipes are abundant on the internet, however there hasn't been one source that I've found that gives a thorough history of it's origins. There is a growing popularity here in the United States, and its basic ingredients allow for most to prepare the meal year round. 

Ingredients

(1 1/2lbs) Top Sirloin (No special place, just a good price at Sam's)

(7) Potatoes (Henry's Farmers Market)

(4) Tomatoes (Henry's Farmer's Market)

(1/2) Onions (Henry's Farmer's Market)

(Tsp) Cumin (Henry's Farmer's Market)

(2) Garlic (Henry's Farmer Market)

And on the side, as a great complement Mexican rice, beans, and tortillas with slices of avocado.  Essentially simple and sweet, right, but there is timing and proportion that are essential to a well prepared meal such as this. 

Nutritional Facts Located at the Bottom Of This Post, Following the Video Clips

She's giving my brother Joey the "LOOK",
like who knows where this is going to go

So Lets begin. Bistec Ranchero
1. Prepare five potatoes by peeling them thoroughly, slice them into cube chunks and place aside.
2. Take 1 and a half pounds of top sirloin beef, cut into cubes.
3. Begin to heat a pot with 2 table spoons of corn oil.
4. Test the heat of the pan by placing a small piece of meat to the pan, if it begins to sizzle add the 1 and half pounds of beef and stir until light brown, precooking, with thinly sliced pieces of onion
5. Prepare two pieces of garlics with cumin in a molcajete, a mexican lava rock spice grinder, then add to the cooking beef
5. Once the beef as browned, add the potatoes
6. Once the potatoes have cooked for 2-3 minutes, prepare a tomato blend of 4 tomatoes
7. Add the tomato blend to the beef and potatoes and allow the mixture to cook covered until the potatoes have softened and the meat is thoroughly cooked. 

Before anything gets started there is the initial game plan

Top Sirloin

Photo Diary

Getting Started, of course with the direction from the Master Chef

Peeled and Ready to be Sliced and Diced

You've got to have a little fun while cooking

Washing and rinsing the potatoes 

Slicing and Dicing

Top Sirloin, only way to get it done, but pricey

Trying to master the right cuts

And Here We Go

A little bit of oil to pre cook the meat prior to the addition of Tomatoes that have been blended and prepped for the right flavor

Small amount of oil, and stirring to achieve a light brown coloring on the meat prior to adding the potatoes and the blended tomato sauce

The First Option for Meat, "Toby", but The top sirloin was a good deal at Sam's Club

Cumin & Garlic, just a small amount for flavoring

Working in the Garlic & Cumin

Tomatoes sliced, and prepped for blending

Well blended tomato sauce, ready for addition to the stew

Mexican Rice on the side, great compliment

Waiting, waiting, & waiting!

Enjoying the fruits of my labor

One of my friends, so overwhelmed by the taste of the food, he had or omg moment, that or he was avoiding the camera, you pick and choose

The Words of Tuna, real name Arturo Ortuno:

"My friend jimmy overall did an exceptional job cooking this dish. I was very impressed with his selection of a quality meat. The dish was a mixture of different flavors which I found very interesting. Everything seemed very fresh and the steak was very tender and flavor filled. Tip my hat off to the chef."  

The words of a my harsh critic brother Joey:

"Not my moms bistec ranchero, close but no cigar Jim. But If mom wasn't home to cook it, I'd let you try again. Spend some more time with mom in the kitchen Jim. But in all seriousness, good job Jim." 

The ultimate instructor, my dear mother, showing me how to put the right cuts into the meat. 

Calories per Ingredient

Calories per serving of bistec ranchero

180 calories of Corn Oil, (1.50 tbsp)

66 calories of Beef, steak, (50 grams)

19 calories of Red Ripe Tomatoes, (0.50 cup, chopped or sliced)

15 calories of Onions, raw, (0.25 cup, chopped)

5 calories of Garlic, (0.50 tsp)

0 calories of Salt, (0.50 tbsp)

Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe: 2
Serving Size: 1 serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories		305.2
Total Fat		22.8 g
	Saturated Fat	3.4 g
	Polyunsaturated Fat	11.4 g
	Monounsaturated Fat	6.4 g
Cholesterol		28.5 mg
Sodium		3,555.6 mg
Potassium		527.3 mg
Total Carbohydrate		11.5 g
	Dietary Fiber	2.3 g
	Sugars	1.9 g
Protein		13.2 g

Vitamin A	13.2 %
Vitamin B-12	23.7 %
Vitamin B-6	24.7 %
Vitamin C	61.9 %
Vitamin D	0.0 %
Vitamin E	24.9 %
Calcium	2.1 %
Copper	8.0 %
Folate	7.8 %
Iron	9.9 %
Magnesium	7.7 %
Manganese	10.7 %
Niacin	14.9 %
Pantothenic Acid	4.7 %
Phosphorus	15.6 %
Riboflavin	9.3 %
Selenium	16.6 %
Thiamin	9.8 %
Zinc	11.2 %