West Texas Discada: Cowboy Mixed-Meat Stir-Fry Tacos

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

• Yield: 8 servings
• Prep Time: 25 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 55 minutes

Quick Ingredients

• 8 oz thick-cut bacon, diced
• 10 oz fresh Mexican chorizo (casings removed)
• 1 lb beef sirloin or flap/skirt steak, 1/2-inch pieces
• 8 oz smoked ham steak, 1/2-inch dice
• 6 hot dogs (about 12 oz), sliced into 1/2-inch half-moons
• 1 large white onion, diced
• 1 large red bell pepper, diced
• 2 jalapeños, minced (seeded for mild)
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2/3 cup light Mexican lager (beer)
• 1 tsp kosher salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin, 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tbsp neutral oil (if needed)
• 12–16 small flour tortillas, warmed
• Chopped cilantro and lime wedges, for serving

Do This

• 1. Preheat a wide griddle or large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat (400–450°F surface temp) for 5 minutes.
• 2. Render bacon until crisp, 5–7 minutes; scoop out, leave 2–3 tbsp fat.
• 3. Season beef with salt, pepper, cumin, and oregano; brown in bacon fat, 3–5 minutes; remove.
• 4. Cook chorizo, breaking up, 3–4 minutes; add ham and hot dogs; brown 2–3 minutes.
• 5. Add onion, bell pepper, and jalapeños; sauté 4–5 minutes; stir in garlic 30 seconds.
• 6. Return bacon and beef; splash in beer; scrape fond; reduce to glossy glaze, 2–3 minutes. Warm tortillas and serve with cilantro and lime.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Authentic West Texas discada flavor: a smoky, beefy, chorizo-rich mix cooked hot and fast on a wide griddle.
• Perfect for gatherings: generous yield, easy to cook in batches, and everyone builds their own tacos.
• One-surface simplicity: cook in logical stages so the meats and veggies stay crisp-tender and juicy.
• Weeknight-friendly: no marinating, pantry spices, and a quick beer deglaze for big flavor.

Grocery List

• Produce: 1 large white onion, 1 large red bell pepper, 2 jalapeños, 3 garlic cloves, 1 bunch cilantro, 2 limes
• Dairy: Optional queso fresco or shredded Monterey Jack for topping
• Pantry: Flour tortillas, light Mexican lager, kosher salt, black pepper, ground cumin, dried oregano, neutral oil (canola or avocado), hot sauce (optional)

Full Ingredients

Meats

• 8 oz thick-cut bacon, diced
• 10 oz fresh Mexican chorizo (casings removed)
• 1 lb beef sirloin or flap/skirt steak, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 8 oz smoked ham steak, 1/2-inch dice
• 6 hot dogs (about 12 oz total), sliced into 1/2-inch half-moons

Vegetables & Aromatics

• 1 large white onion, diced (about 2 cups)
• 1 large red bell pepper, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 2 jalapeños, minced (seeded for mild, leave seeds for heat)
• 3 garlic cloves, minced

Seasonings & Liquids

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano (preferably Mexican oregano)
• 2/3 cup light Mexican lager (such as Modelo Especial or Tecate)
• 1 tablespoon neutral oil (only if pan looks dry)

To Serve

• 12–16 small flour tortillas (4.5–6 inches), warmed
• Chopped fresh cilantro
• Lime wedges
• Optional: diced white onion, queso fresco, and hot sauce

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Preheat the griddle or skillet

Set a wide, heavy griddle (discada, plancha, or 12–14 inch cast-iron skillet) over medium-high heat and preheat for 5 minutes, aiming for a 400–450°F surface. A properly heated surface ensures fast browning without steaming.

Step 2: Render the bacon

Add the diced bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat renders and the bacon turns crisp, 5–7 minutes. Scoop the bacon to a bowl with a slotted spoon. Leave about 2–3 tablespoons of bacon fat on the griddle; if there is much more, carefully spoon off the excess into a heatproof cup. That rendered fat is your flavor foundation.

Step 3: Brown the beef

Season the beef with the salt, pepper, cumin, and oregano. Add it to the hot bacon fat in an even layer and sear without moving for 1–2 minutes, then stir and cook until browned outside and just cooked through, 3–5 minutes total. Transfer beef to the bowl with the bacon. Do not wipe the griddle; those browned bits are liquid gold.

Step 4: Cook chorizo, then ham and hot dogs

Add the chorizo and cook, breaking it up with a spatula, until deeply browned and some fat renders, 3–4 minutes. Stir in the diced ham and sliced hot dogs; cook until the edges take on color, 2–3 minutes. If the surface looks dry or sticky, add 1 tablespoon neutral oil to keep things sizzling.

Step 5: Sauté the vegetables

Add the diced onion, red bell pepper, and minced jalapeños. Sauté, stirring frequently, until the onion turns translucent and the peppers soften with a slight bite, 4–5 minutes. Create a small clearing and add the minced garlic; cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds, then mix through.

Step 6: Deglaze with beer and reduce

Return the browned bacon and beef (with any juices) to the griddle. Pour in the beer and immediately scrape up any browned bits stuck to the surface. Cook, stirring, until the liquid reduces to a glossy glaze that lightly coats the meats and vegetables, 2–3 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning with a pinch more salt if needed.

Step 7: Warm tortillas and serve

Warm the flour tortillas directly on the griddle for 20–30 seconds per side until pliable and lightly blistered. Scoop the discada into tortillas and finish with chopped cilantro and a squeeze of lime. Add diced onion, queso fresco, and hot sauce if you like. Eat immediately while everything is hot and sizzling.

Pro Tips

• Cut everything to about 1/2-inch pieces so the meats cook at the same rate and fit neatly in tortillas.
• Sequence matters: cook high-fat meats first (bacon, chorizo) to build a flavorful fat for browning the rest.
• Do not overdo the beer; a small splash that reduces to a glaze keeps the discada from getting soupy.
• If your griddle is small, cook in batches to avoid overcrowding and steaming.
• For extra smokiness, finish with a pinch of smoked salt or char the tortillas directly over a gas flame.

Variations

• Spicy Norteño: Add a minced serrano and 1 tablespoon chopped chipotle in adobo with the vegetables.
• Potato Discada: Stir in 2 cups small diced par-cooked potatoes with the veggies for a heartier taco filling.
• No-Alcohol: Deglaze with 1/2 cup low-sodium beef broth plus 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Cool leftovers, then refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat on a hot skillet over medium-high heat with a splash of water or broth, stirring until sizzling and edges crisp, 3–5 minutes. You can dice all meats and vegetables up to 24 hours ahead; store separately, covered. Warm tortillas just before serving for best texture.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate values for 1/8 of recipe with two 6-inch flour tortillas: 680 calories; 42 g fat; 38 g carbohydrates; 35 g protein; 3 g fiber; 1,400 mg sodium. Values will vary based on brands and tortilla size.