Mexican · Authentic-ish Mexican
Machaca con Huevo
471 kcal a serving, against 683 for the traditional version. That is 212 kcal off, or 31%, with 37.5g of protein. Serves 4. 45 minutes.
What the traditional version is
Heavily salted, sun-dried beef pounded into rough shreds, then reconstituted in a frying pan swimming with hot lard. Fried aggressively with chopped onions, fresh tomatoes and fierce green chillies, then scrambled with a huge pile of whole eggs. Served straight from the stove, wrapped tightly in warm flour tortillas.
What changed, and what each change costs
50g of lard swapped for 10g of vegetable oil
Frying the dried beef in deep fat speeds up the crisping process and adds a massive hit of rich flavour, but it costs a huge amount of calories that you don't really need. Dropping down to a tiny splash of oil forces you to rely entirely on the heat of the pan to dry out the brisket.
What it costs you. You lose that decadent, melting mouthfeel that hot lard brings to scrambled eggs. The beef takes much longer to crisp up, and you'll have to stir constantly to stop it catching and burning on the bare metal. It is a noticeably drier plate of food.
300g of flour tortillas reduced to 150g
Less bread means less starch on the plate, shifting the focus of the meal squarely onto the beef and the eggs.
What it costs you. You get fewer wraps. It's the first compromise you'll notice when you sit down at the table, as you'll have to eat a large portion of the scramble with a fork instead of your hands.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 683 | 471 |
| Protein | 40.7g | 37.5g |
| Fat | 34.9g | 22.2g |
| Saturated fat | 12g | 6.7g |
| Carbohydrate | 49g | 28.1g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 6g | 8g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish Mexican prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked.
Allergens. gluten, eggs.
The method is in the book
This is a brutally effective breakfast, but What you've got is a lean, aggressive start to the day. A lazy diner classic is a different dish and you know where to find it. Gone: the rich, comforting blanket of hot lard. You get a sharper, meatier plate. The crispy brisket brings an intense chew that makes you work for every bite, and the fresh chillies cut right through the soft eggs. It hits hard, fills you up, and gets out of the way.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish Mexican, along with 56 more. Buy the paperback