In times of stress and uncertainty, there’s comfort to be found in the kitchen. The worn wooden spoons that have stirred countless pots of soup, the bowls that were gifts from your grandmother, the fragrance of garlic and onions browning, and the meals that give you the strength and energy to keep on’ going.
Sometimes all we want is a quick dinner that comes together in five minutes in the microwave. But other times, we want to luxuriate in the cooking experience, to spend the evening dancing around the kitchen, to take time to smell spices and citrus. If you’re finding yourself with more at-home time than usual (me, too……), this is a lovely way to pass the time and nourish yourself and your family at the same time.
Carne Deshebrada is a popular Mexican taco filling and translates literally to “shredded meat.” And if that sounds a little too mysterious for your liking, never fear. We’ve made this dish with boneless beef short ribs from local Bellingham butcher Carne, an old-fashioned craft butchery that prides itself on sourcing meat from “regional family farms raising animals on pastures free of added hormones or antibiotics.”
Eating meat from places like Carne helps us decrease the environmental toll of industrial meat farming and support local businesses that, in turn, support sustainable farming practices.
While we’re at it, let’s add some local beer into the mix for good measure. This recipe calls for a full-bodied lager or ale, so we’ve grabbed a bottle of Bellingham brewery Kulshan’s lager for the beef (and yeah, we might have added an extra one to drink while we’re cooking/dancing).
Transforming your kitchen into a taco truck takes not one but two delicious Shrub Farm products — Apple State Vinegar and Pineapple and Sage Shrub. The vinegar is for the carne, and the shrub is for a bright and fresh slaw to pile on top. And if all this shimmying has got you in the mood for a little more, we recommend whipping up a Mauigarita to complete the vibe.
This recipe is adapted from The Complete America’s Test Kitchen TV Show Cookbook: