Mexican Food - Chicken vs Beef

I enjoy but am really not that much of a Mexican food eater. When eating such, I've always tended to go with beef rather than chicken, seafood, or other dishes. However, the last several times I've eaten at a local Mexican restaurant (last time being yesterday noon as it's only place in general area, other than some fast food joints, which is open on Sunday, and does it do a business!) I've gone with chicken rather than beef dishes - whether choosing a chicken instead of a beef selection or taking the chicken option in dishes where there is a choice. I have truly been amazed at how much better (to me at least) the chicken dishes have been than were the beef ones at this restaurant. Don't know if my tastes are changing, if this is something unique to this one restaurant, if I've just been primarily making wrong selection all of these years. I always felt that the spices somewhat overpowered Mexican chicken dishes, but not so in this case. Do any of you who are much more Mexican food connoisseurs than I am have any thoughts on this subject?

Actually i have found that i almost never order beef in Mexican restarants---always either pork or chicken---alot of Cal-Mex places--and almost ALL "quasiMex" places--you know-the ones in Malls at every freeway exit in America---will use ground beef in place of shredded or chopped and that takes the texture out of whack even if the flavor was right so i just got in the habit of ordering chicken or pork. And if i did want beef,there is always carne asada-which is my favorite Mex beef meal--cant slide burger in on that one!!!

In a Mexican restaurant, if the choices are beef and chicken, I go with chicken because of the consistancy. Each place may use a different cut of beef and the taste is very different from slices of flank steak to cuts of round.
Chicken is usually, well, chicken.

I had a party here Saturday night, (celebrating Los Dias de las Muertes, The days of the Dead)
I made a taco bar with mild chicken, a little bit spicey beef and used strips of top sirloin, and a hot n' spicy tail less shrimp.
I made around a pound and 1/2 of each filling along with all the onions, tomatoes, lettuce, sour cream, fresh chopped japalenos and shredded cheddar cheese.
Sunday morning, I ate beef taco omeletts for breakfast, all the chicken and shrimp were eaten by guests.

North of the border I generally go with chicken or pork, as previously stated, too much ground beef used in the beef dishes here, so unless I know my restaurant well, I avoid the beef. When I cross over to Mexico, however, I prefer beef or pork. The chicken has a tendency to be dry & stringy over the border.

OCDreamr - now that I'm back from NC starting to make my plans to get my Tex/Mex fix at SPI,TX

With the exception of chicken mole, I almost always go with beef or pork. They do some amazing things with pork, and I love fajita and shredded beef. I've gotten to where I don't order much Mexican with ground beef anymore, although there are places that can make it taste really good.

"I'm country-fied; I like my chicken fried..." or smoked, or baked, or...

I think I have a prejudice against a lot of "chicken breast" dishes, though. Too many "conference" meals over the years, I guess.

"Where's the Beef?" is what I want to know when I am dining out.

I have virtually stopped ordering chicken dishes in any place (regardless of style of dining) because I feel like screaming when somebody brings me anothe perfectly shaped plump chicken breast. They have no taste, they are the tofu of modern dining, in that they taste like whatever stuff you have to pour on them or dunk them in. I had the good (or, maybe mis) fortune to grow up eating chicken out of the yard pretty regularly and I am telling you that you can make fun of those namby pamby free range over priced chicken eaters all you want to, but chickens do have flavor, contrary to what one might think after they load up on "Frozen Breast Meat Product with 10% water and polysorbate added" from Wally World. If chickens did not, long ago, have flavor, then why wold everything be described as "tastes like chicken"?

On the other hand, when in Mexico, I almost always go with whatever the beef choice is "bistec al carbon, medio, por favor". While living down there I totally became addicted to the thinner, leaner cuts of beef. No, that is not to say I don't want a big fatty served up sizzling at Doe's or Ruth's Chris, because I do, but I really came to enjoy the thin, really flavorful, sirloins,flanks,and skirts served in Mexico. Especially when they come as a "Tampequena Tipico" with steak, grilled peppers, yellow rice, black or red beans, and a guacamole salad. MMMMMMMMMM

The variety of pork dishes---and especially of the way they are cooked such as al pastor or carnitas------makes pork my #1 choice. Beef can be good as in a good carne asada. I stay away from any place that would use ground beef------that's just not right! Chicken I usually see as overcooked and de-flavorized (did I make up that word?) in most dishes----really just something overpowered by the flavors, rather then complemented by them like pork and beef are. If you ever have the chance----try the birria (lamb or mutton). It stands up to the spices well and really works in Mexican dishes.

Hello, and thanks for all your responses. I do believe some of you hit on the reason why in this West Helena Mexican restaurant the beef dishes are not as good as I've recently discovered the chicken dishes there to be - and that is because too many of them are made of ground beef, whereas the chicken I've recently had there does seem to be very good quality and not overpowered by seasonings as I'd always previously thought of being the case with chicken dishes in Mexican restaurants. After reading your comments thought of the beef dishes in a really good Mexican restaurant in West Memphis and there, in fact, most beef dishes are chopped, chunked, or shredded rather than ground. (Both these restaurants are owned and operated by local Mexican families and are about the only Mexican restaurants in which I've eaten recently - simply because they are about the best restaurants in those two towns, but if I'm at a location with other restaurant choices I'm not going to spend one of my meal opportunities there in a Mexican restaurant.) I will also be on the lookout for pork choices in these two (or any other) Mexican restaurants in the future. Honestly, I don't recall ever having seen pork on menu in or eaten it at a Mexican restaurant. I know goat (cabrito) barbecue was the most popular of all barbecued meats at a location in which I lived in Texas years ago, and know Mexican work groups in this area used to buy kids from my dad, who raised goats, for barbecues, but don't recall ever having seen goat, lamb, or mutton on a Mexican restaurant menu. I'd surely love to try the lamb, as it's one of my favorite meats in whatever fashion I've ever eaten it, and assume it would be in Mexican cooking, too. As originally said, Mexican food has never been too much my thing, but its apparent there is a lot to it that I've not only never tried, but never even knew existed. Will attempt to be more adventuresome in future Mexican dining.

quote:

Originally posted by Mayhaw Man

I feel like screaming when somebody brings me anothe perfectly shaped plump chicken breast. They have no taste, they are the tofu of modern dining, in that they taste like whatever stuff you have to pour on them or dunk them in.

Excellent rant, Mayhaw Man . The same is true, alas, of farm-raised catfish and the Vietnamese catfish or basa that is being served/sold by many places which also doesn't have the texture of American catfish.

Consumer Reports or America's Test Kitchen ran a taste test on chicken in the past year or so. As I recall, they named Bell and Evans, available only in the NE, as best, Empire Kosher as second. The latter is available here, but quite pricey, even at Sam's.

Dearfolk,
Not intending to be the odd man out (although I often am anyway!), but I look for Mexican restaurants that serve menudo and many times I will order that. The server never fails to say "Senor, do you know what you are asking for?" "Of course," I reply. "It's a soup, made with hominy, tripe, lemon juice, and oregano, among other things. It is <<mas excellente>>. It cures hangovers, although I do not have one - at the moment." - More than once, I've been the first gringo to order it in a place (this has happened to me three or four times in Gainesville, Georgia), and it has made me meet with much favor with the proprietors - especially when they watch me finish off every drop! Hmmm - I guess I'd say that tripe IS beef, but only incidentally. I'm not your bistec-y-papas kind of Mexican eater.
My favorite Mexican restaurant entree is cabrito, when it's properly prepared, so that lets me completely out of the chicken-vs.beef continuum.
I understand that the immigrant Mexicans in Piedmont North Carolina are slowly taking a liking to livermush. It is on the breakfast menu at three Mexican places that I know of in and around Gastonia, doctored up to suit Hispanic palates. I'll have to try it sometime here mixed with chorizo and with some cactus tossed in, add jalapenos, and turn all that into an omelette. My friend Lauren at The Normaltown Cafe could make me a doozy, if I provided the ingredientes.
No Tiene Hambre Immediatamente (Mas O Manos), Ort. Carlton in Muy Bien Athens, Georgia. Ole'!

quote:

Originally posted by Liketoeat

I know goat (cabrito) barbecue was the most popular of all barbecued meats at a location in which I lived in Texas years ago, and know Mexican work groups in this area used to buy kids from my dad, who raised goats, for barbecues, but don't recall ever having seen goat, lamb, or mutton on a Mexican restaurant menu. I'd surely love to try the lamb, as it's one of my favorite meats in whatever fashion I've ever eaten it, and assume it would be in Mexican cooking, too.

Liketoeat if you get down to Houston you'll have to try this place:

http://www.houstonpress.com/issues/2003-09-25/bestrest18.html/1/index.html

Free shots of tequila, too; they don't have a hard liquor license so they have to give the stuff away .

The original (in Houston, anyway) Cadillac Bar popularized cabrito here in the 70s; that's now part of the Landry's empire and I don't know if they still serve it. Pappasitos Cantinas, part of the Pappas family of restaurants, has always had cabrito on the menu, I think. There's probably lots of other places including lots of little madre y padre places like El Hidalguense.

Thanks for the info and link, hermitt4d, to El Hidalguense. Man, everything mentioned in that little review sounded so delicious. Rest assured if I ever get down Houston way again, I'll surely be giving it a try. That is a case where some other type restaurant will have to be bypassed for a try of this Mexican one. Just out of curiousity, how is the Cadillac Bar now? Reason I ask that question is because I've been disasppointed in every Landry's seafood restaurant in which I've ever eaten.

Liketoeat, I eat at a burger place (Jax) and BBQ place (Pizzitola's) across the street from the original Houston location of Cadillac occasionally and have been tempted to go in but haven't in years. I found myself in the Cadillac on the seawall in Galveston about 3 years ago with some friends and it actually wasn't too bad. I didn't remember that cabrito was on the menu - must've been the 'Blue Agave' margaritas made with blue Curacao - the color blue always affects my memory like that . I had a shrimp dish, in addition to some margaritas, as I recall.

Generally I avoid the Landry's empire, but that experience at Cadillac and a Willie G's in Houston have been pleasant departures from what I've experienced at Joe's or Landry's.


To clarify: I looked up Cadillac on-line and cabrito is on the menu. I didn't realize there were so few Cadillac Bar restaurants - I assumed since it's a Landry's operation there would be lots of 'em.

Thanks for further info, hermitt. You are going to entice me to do a Houston run. Would like to try out your burger and barbecue places also, but its El Hidalguense which really attracts me. Glad you found a couple of Landry's places which differed from the ordinary. Have (more so in years past than anytime recently) heard a lot of praise of them, but, as said, all I've ever visited have been big disappointments.

Well 'Come on down' Liketoeat, as the phrase goes (or went ). I've had a barbecue jones for about 9 months now so I know a few places . Before that I was on a quest for great burgers.

We can find better seafood than anything in the Landry's empire, altho the way he's going, he'll own every restaurant in town in a couple of years .

I'm not that big a fan of cabrito, by the way, but I've got a couple of pictures of El Hidalguense I want to post, but I've upgraded my Windows and then discovered there isn't a driver for my scanner .

hermitt. thanks again. Sounds like you have been on and very successful in some interesting quests. Will sure yell for your advice if ever get to Houston. Would like to see the cabrito pictures if you ever get your scanner situation solved. Wish you luck. Know that matter of scanner problems, for I've never been able to find a decently priced scanner to operate with my Mac System X, 10.1.5. Its been either revert to System 9 or update to System 10.3 to get a decently priced scanner, or else go with a super expensive scanner for this system, none of these options being acceptable to me. Most people have told me, tho, that they never use their scanners enough to warrant even their decent prices or space they occupy around the computer. I probably wouldn't either, but still would kinda like to have one.

quote:

Originally posted by clothier

I may have a solution to your scanner problem. Well, two possible solutions. My local library has both macs and dells, and they have a scanner for each, and since so few people use the macs, the scanner is in great shape, and works like a charm.
My other solution, along the same lines, is your local university. Since most math and art departments rely on macs, the local U library might be a good choice to check out as well.

Not as convient as having one at home, but lots cheaper.

Verrrrry interresting . Since I already have a scanner, I want to find a driver for it, but, since I work in the middle of the night...... My work station doesn't have a scanner, can't even connect to a printer (cheap company). But some other work stations do. Most are shut down at night and need a password to boot, but some are set up to boot automatically. Hmmmmm. Food porn at the office . I'll have to check in to this; thanks for the idea.

I did use a pic of a butter burger from this site as wallpaper on the computer once. It only lasted over the weekend; others who use the station during the day were apparently unable to abide such loveliness . Maybe they weren't able to get any work done .

hermitt, am assuming you checked with your scanner manufacturer to see if they have available a driver for that scanner which will work with your new operating system (and am assuming the answer was no). Reason I ask that is because I had to get a new printer not too long ago. Same brand (Epson) but updated model from my first one. However, I was able to log onto Epson's website & download driver for new printer with no trouble, and miraculously, it has worked fine; so much better than the original printer ever worked. Wish you luck. And clothier, your ideas about utilizing library or college scanners rather than investing in one for my very limited use of one is good. Even if can't find a Mac & scanner at town or county libraries or anywhere at community college (& might find one there), still better to use one of their PCs and scanners than to heavily invest in scanner for self which would so seldom use. Thanks for suggestion.

How did this go from chicken or beef to computer equip talk??

quote:

Originally posted by Liketoeat

hermitt, am assuming you checked with your scanner manufacturer to see if they have available a driver for that scanner which will work with your new operating system (and am assuming the answer was no).

Yes I have and downloaded the latest driver but it still doesn't work. Epson, too, btw.

My family always goes with the chicken because all of the beef dishes offered in this area are ground beef. We like chicken burittos, chicken enchiladas, chicken quasadillias, and my husband likes chicken on his taco salad. My daughter likes to order chicken enchilada soup whenever it is available.

I like my beef! I dont mind the seasoned ground beef, but after going to a small hole in the wall place on the SW side of town, I like their thin strips of beef they use in their tacos, burritos, etc.. Really good seasoning and tender at that! Someday I'll remember to ask them what the name of their business is. It's an old fried chicken stand (former chicken stand that is) that just says Mexican on the building. (With a big rooster on the roof).

I have lived in Mexico off and on for many years. Mexican beef is tougher than ours on this side of the border. My daughter lives there now. She tells me she uses a pressure cooker and a crock pot a lot. Because of the meat! Rex in expensive San Diego.

quote:

Originally posted by Rex Allen

I have lived in Mexico off and on for many years. Mexican beef is tougher than ours on this side of the border. My daughter lives there now. She tells me she uses a pressure cooker and a crock pot a lot. Because of the meat! Rex in expensive San Diego.

Guys at "mexican" restraunt (sw Grand Rapids) just grill up the strips and toss them in a I'm not too sure of what mix (grease?, water with seasonings, holding marinade?) in a pan on the steam table... Vic in overtaxed Michigan.

Either way, guess it's the cut of beef they use...

Beef all the way for me...not only because I prefer the taste, but because the flavor tends to stand up to the spices and hot sauces/peppers better.

I always order chicken now in all my mexican orders. I used to do beef but once I discovered that chicken is better, I only order chicken. Besides, all of the mexican places around here use ground beef .

It ain't a question of chicken vs. beef. The glory of Mexican food is in the PORK (carnitas)--unless of course your religion prevents you from enjoying it. In that case, I'd say beef as long as it isn't ground beef which is a Texas-invented abomination (excuse me while I duck ). And I wouldn't worry about it being tough in most dishes because it's cooked long enough to be quite tender (stewed in other words) when used as a filling for tacos, enchilladas, tamales and so on.

quote:

Originally posted by Rex Allen

I have lived in Mexico off and on for many years. Mexican beef is tougher than ours on this side of the border. My daughter lives there now. She tells me she uses a pressure cooker and a crock pot a lot. Because of the meat! Rex in expensive San Diego.

Cattle in Northern Mexico, at least in the states bordering Texas, is grass fed, rather than grain fed. The version of fajitas served in Nuevo Leone, arrechera al carbon, is made with range fed skirt steak butterflied and pounded to tenderize, but not marinated. (Neither were the earliest versions of fajitas in this country).

I like the old-style Tex-Mex ground beef dishes, especially enchiladas, so long as the meat has not been ground to a mush and the gravies and sauces have some spice to them. Some old style Tex-Mex restaurants are still doing things the way they did in the 30s and 40s and their gravies and sauces aren't that different from gravy accompanying a pot roast. For that matter, amazingly in this part of the country, even some Nuevo Tex-Mex places serve very bland dishes aimed at supposed Anglo tastes.

I also like the newer shredded or grilled beef dishes, altho I've never taken to fajitas as they're usually served. I prefer the simpler 'tacos al carbon.'

quote:

Originally posted by Ort. Carlton.

Dearfolk,
Not intending to be the odd man out (although I often am anyway!), but I look for Mexican restaurants that serve menudo and many times I will order that. The server never fails to say "Senor, do you know what you are asking for?" "Of course," I reply. "It's a soup, made with hominy, tripe, lemon juice, and oregano, among other things. It is <<mas excellente>>. It cures hangovers, although I do not have one - at the moment." - More than once, I've been the first gringo to order it in a place (this has happened to me three or four times in Gainesville, Georgia), and it has made me meet with much favor with the proprietors - especially when they watch me finish off every drop! Hmmm - I guess I'd say that tripe IS beef, but only incidentally. I'm not your bistec-y-papas kind of Mexican eater.
My favorite Mexican restaurant entree is cabrito, when it's properly prepared, so that lets me completely out of the chicken-vs.beef continuum.
I understand that the immigrant Mexicans in Piedmont North Carolina are slowly taking a liking to livermush. It is on the breakfast menu at three Mexican places that I know of in and around Gastonia, doctored up to suit Hispanic palates. I'll have to try it sometime here mixed with chorizo and with some cactus tossed in, add jalapenos, and turn all that into an omelette. My friend Lauren at The Normaltown Cafe could make me a doozy, if I provided the ingredientes.
No Tiene Hambre Immediatamente (Mas O Manos), Ort. Carlton in Muy Bien Athens, Georgia. Ole'!

Dear Ort,
I get the same reaction when I order chicken feet at my favorite dim sum place..it causes quite a stir amongst the staff.. they think it's a real hoot.

It's almost always chicken for me...the only time I order beef is carne asada.. I find anymore that even when cooking Mexican style dishes, I always make them with chicken.. around here it just seems tastier..