Recipe of the month: Yucatecan Venison Tzik
Tzik de venado is a traditional dish from the Yucatán Peninsula, made with cooked and shredded venison and dressed with sour orange and fresh vegetables. Its preparation is simple, but the combination of flavors makes it a satisfying and refreshing dish. Traditionally prepared with venison, it can also be made with pork, making it an easy recipe to adapt depending on the meat available.
Ingredients
½ kg (about 1 lb) venison or pork
3 radishes
4 tomatoes
1 red onion
Fresh cilantro, to taste
3 sour oranges (Seville oranges)
1 whole head of garlic
Salt, pepper, and oregano, to taste
Preparation
Soak the meat in water until it releases all of its blood.
Bring approximately 2 liters (8 cups) of water to a boil in a large pot. Add salt, oregano, and pepper to taste.
Clean the meat by removing any sinew. Rinse it thoroughly with lime juice until any remaining blood is removed.
Cut the meat into small pieces.
Add the meat to the pot once the water is boiling. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let it cook.
Cut the onion into four pieces. Dice one tomato into small cubes. Roast the whole head of garlic directly over a burner on the stovetop until it is nicely charred. Add one-quarter of the onion, the diced tomato, and the roasted garlic to the pot.
Let everything cook for 1 hour. It is important to cook the meat for about this amount of time, or just a few minutes longer, so that it becomes tender without drying out. While the meat is cooking, check the pot periodically and make sure the water level stays more or less the same.
Finely dice the 3 radishes, the remaining onion, and the cilantro. Once the hour is up, check that the meat is fully cooked. If it is done, remove the pieces of meat from the pot and set them aside on a plate.
While the meat cools slightly, peel the sour oranges and make a few small cuts on one side of each orange so that you can squeeze out the juice.
Shred the meat into thin strips.
In a large bowl, combine the chopped onion, cilantro, and tomato with the shredded meat. Mix well.
Gradually add the sour orange juice, stirring as you go. Taste as you add the juice until you reach your preferred level of acidity.
If needed, add more salt and pepper. Mix everything thoroughly until all the ingredients are well combined.
The dish is now ready to serve and enjoy. It can be served with tortilla chips, tostadas, or warm corn tortillas, making it a simple and delicious way to enjoy this traditional Yucatecan dish.
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