What Goes With Carne En Su Jugo? (Complimentary Dishes)
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When you pour your heart and soul into a new dish, carefully curating the right balance of spices and seasoning, it can be disappointing when the side dishes let it down. This is particularly true of Mexican food.
With its deep, rich flavors, side dishes can make or break your dinner. If you are the master chef of your kitchen, you will be keen to find out what the best complimentary dishes are for your delicious Carne en Su Jugo.
In this article, we will look at all of the best side dishes that you can serve with this Mexican dish.
What Is Carne En Su Jugo?
Firstly, what is this dish? Carne en Su Jugo is a delicious, popular Mexican dish that originates from Guadalajara, the capital city of the state of Jalisco.
The name literally translates to “meat in its own juices” which tells you all you need to know about this dish and how it is cooked.
Carne en Su Jugo is not an old dish, originating between the 1950s and 1960s, but that does not stop it from being one of the most popular Mexican dishes, with a special place in many Mexican cookbooks.
Despite the recent conception of this dish, its exact origin story remains uncertain.
The most popular version of the origin of Carne en Su Jugo tells that the dish came about when women would throw all the ingredients they had into a large pot in order to feed their large families and friends.
Best Carne En Su Jugo Complimentary Dishes
So, once you have perfected your Carne en Su Jugo recipe, you have to decide which dishes are going to accompany it.
The beauty of a one-pot stew dish is that it is possible to serve it entirely by itself, however, if you are catering to a lot of people or simply like some variety, side dishes can enhance any meal.
Below we will look at some of the best complimentary dishes for your Carne en Su Jugo.
Mexican Cornbread
Mexican cornbread is a great option to accompany your Carne en Su Jugo.
Regular cornbread would do just as good a job at soaking up some of those delicious juices, however, the flavors of Mexican cornbread will add another layer of depth to the overall palette of the dish.
Mexican cornbread features chilies, cheese, and of course, sweet corn. The tasty combination of these sweet, salty, spicy, and savory flavors complements the flavors within the Carne en Su Jugo perfectly.
The crumbly texture of the bread also adds an interesting layer to the experience of eating this dish that will make your family or guests very happy.
Cilantro Rice
This is a common side of Mexican cuisine, providing a cooling addition to dishes that are often bursting with spices and flavors.
It can also be a great addition to meals that consist of multiple dishes of different flavors, acting as a palette cleanser between bites.
The cilantro adds a kick of flavor to the rice to avoid it being too bland in contrast to the main dish.
Another trick that cooks often swear by is cooking the rice in chicken stock instead of plain water to add yet another level of flavor to your meal.
Lime juice can also be a great addition to this side dish, and if you don’t need a cooling element in your dinner, adding chilies or jalapenos and scallions to the rice gives it a kick.
Mexican Street Corn
Otherwise known as Elote, this is popular street food in Mexico, making it a great side dish for your Carne en Su Jugo.
This dish is essentially just grilled corn, however, with the creative use of spices and other ingredients, you can elevate the corn above your standard barbeque food.
Adding a drizzle of mayonnaise that has been mixed with spices such as chili powder, garlic salt, and black pepper adds an incredible layer of flavor to this side dish.
As well as the mayonnaise drizzle, a squeeze of lime and a sprinkle of smoked paprika will take your Elote to the next level.
Tostadas
Tostadas are a traditional Mexican side dish comprising toasted tortillas as a main base with a variety of toppings available.
Due to the versatility of this dish, not only does it accompany the Carne en Su Jugo well, but it also is a great way to change up a common, simple dinner recipe to keep it interesting.
The toppings that you choose to add to your tostadas can range from spicy to warm to cooling depending on the preferences of yourself or your family.
Additionally, it is possible for tostadas to feature different toppings for each of your guests, so everyone can have a side dish that complements the main dish and caters to their individual tastes.
This makes it a great option to serve at dinner parties or larger gatherings where it can be difficult to please everyone.
Tortillas
This complimentary dish can come in two different forms.
Simply warming the tortilla bread can create an accompaniment to the Carne en Su Jugo that allows for the juices to be soaked up so that you can get the maximum enjoyment out of those incredible flavors.
The warmed tortillas are also great as a means of eating the substance of the dish in place of standard cutlery if you are feeling adventurous.
Similarly, tortilla chips, either homemade or store-bought, can be a great addition to this dish.
The crunch that the tortilla chips provide creates an added layer of texture to this softer dish and can either be used to dip in the juices, to provide a vessel for the food, or mixed into the Carne en Su Jugo to add a crunch directly into the meal.
This option should be done a little at a time during the eating of the dish to avoid soggy chips.
De La Olla Beans
Also known as Frijoles de la Olla, or Mexican beans, this side is the most traditional option on this list. The name of this dish translates to beans in a pot which is really all you need to know to make this dish.
To create an authentic dish, June Flower beans are your best option. These beans are commonly found in Central Mexico but are available online. Pinto beans and Black beans are also great alternatives.
This side dish is a great option for your Carne en Su Jugo as it is also cooked in a low and slow manner that allows you to get other things done while cooking dinner.
Final Thoughts
While Carne en Su Jugo is a complete dish that is great to eat by itself, it also lends itself to a host of great complimentary side dishes that can elevate your flavor experience even further.
Any one of the dishes mentioned above would make a great accompaniment to this dish, or choose a variety of them to create an easy, delicious, Mexican feast.
