Meat Empanaditas
Today, my mom and I have teamed up again to teach you a classic recipe from the Crespin family: Meat Empanaditas. Recently, I've noticed the majority of New Mexican families make sweet Empanaditas with preserves for the holiday season; however, these Meat Empanaditas are just too delicious not to share! With savory shredded beef and pork and the sweetness of pumpkin and holiday spices, these are a scrumptious addition to your holiday meals. I know you're gonna love them!!
Ingredients
- 1 lb. Beef roast
- ¼ lb. Pork roast
- ¾ cup Raw sugar
- ½ cup Raisins (rehydrated in hot water)
- 1 tbsp Coriander whole seeds (dry roasted and ground)
- 1 tsp Cinnamon
- 2 Clove pods (dry roasted and ground)
- ½ cup Pinon nuts
- 1 cup Pumpkin puree or applesauce
Dough Ingredients:
- 1½ cups Lukewarm water
- ½ package Yeast
- 1 tbsp Sugar
- 1 tsp Salt
- 3 tbsp Crisco or palm oil
- 3½ cups Unbleached flour
Instructions
- Cook beef and pork roasts together in a pressure cooker for 1 ½ hour. You may also cook in a crockpot, or boil until cooked in a stove pot.
- Once the meat has cooled, chop it into small pieces and add to a food processor along with the sugar, pumpkin puree, spices (I added the spices to the pumpkin for more even distribution), and raisins.
- Pulse until the mixture starts to break up, then blend on high for about five minutes. The mixture should look like minced meat and hold together when you squeeze a portion in your hand.
- Put the meat mixture in a medium-sized bowl and add the pinon to completely combine, set aside. For the dough, dissolve yeast in sugar and water.
- In a large bowl, add flour, salt, and Crisco/palm oil. Mix until oil combines.
- Gradually add yeast water and mix until the dough comes together. You do not need to let the dough stand or rise.
- Separate dough into 1 ½-inch ball. Roll out each ball into a 3-inch diameter circle.
- Place about 2 tablespoons of the meat mixture on one-half of the round and bring the other half over the filling.
- Seal the empanada with a fork, or sealing tool. Use the rest of the dough and mixture in the same manner.
- Do not allow empanadas to stand too long as the dough will rise and unseal.
- Fry in hot oil at 350 degrees for about 3 minutes, turning over halfway through the cooking process. They will be golden brown on both sides.
- Remove with a slotted spoon, and drain on paper towels. Serve warm.
Video
Notes
Empanadas can be stored in the refrigerator for up to seven days, or frozen for up to a month.
I dry roast the coriander and cloves together in a sauté pan for about 2 minutes, then ground them up in my coffee grinder. You can also grind them in a mortar. Don’t skip this step, it really brings out the flavor in the empanadas when you roast and grind the spices.
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