Una receta clásica y deliciosa, perfecta para celebraciones especiales o comidas familiares.
Ingredientes
Para la Salsa de Chiles Secos:
- 3 chiles anchos (sin rabo ni semillas).
- 2 chiles cascabel (sin rabo ni semillas).
- 1 chile morita (sin rabo ni semillas).
- 3 chiles guajillo (sin rabo ni semillas).
- 2 tazas de agua.
- ½ taza de vinagre blanco.
- ½ cebolla blanca.
- 10 dientes de ajo (pelados).
- ½ cucharadita de pimienta molida.
- ½ cucharadita de canela molida.
- ½ cucharadita de semillas de cilantro.
- 1 pizca de comino molido.
- ½ cucharadita de clavo de olor en polvo.
- ½ cucharadita de sal.
- 4 hojas de laurel.
Para la Pierna de Ganado:
- 1 pierna de Ganado (aproximadamente 4 kg).
- Sal y pimienta al gusto.
- 1 taza de mezcal (opcional; puedes sustituirlo por jugo de piña natural).
- 2 cucharadas de harina o fécula de maíz (para espesar la salsa).
Preparación Paso a Paso
- Preparar los Chiles y la Base de la Salsa:
- Retira los rabos y las semillas de los chiles secos.
- En una olla, hierve los chiles junto con el agua, vinagre, cebolla, ajo, pimienta, canela, semillas de cilantro, comino, clavo, sal y hojas de laurel. Cocina durante 5 minutos.
- Licuar la Salsa:
- Retira las hojas de laurel de la mezcla hervida.
- Licúa los ingredientes restantes hasta obtener una mezcla homogénea. Cuela la salsa para eliminar restos sólidos y obtener una textura suave.
- Marinar la Pierna:
- Salpimienta la pierna de Ganado por todos lados.
- Realiza pequeños cortes o “piquetitos” en la pierna con un cuchillo para que absorba mejor el marinado.
- Coloca la pierna en un refractario profundo y báñala completamente con la salsa de chiles.
- Agrega el mezcal o jugo de piña. Asegúrate de cubrir toda la pierna con la marinada.
- Cubre el refractario con papel aluminio y deja marinar al menos 1 hora (lo ideal es dejarla 8 horas o toda la noche en el refrigerador).
- Hornear la Pierna:
- Precalienta el horno a 350°F (175°C).
- Agrega 2 tazas de agua al refractario y hornea la pierna cubierta con papel aluminio.
- Cocina durante 1 hora por cada kilo de peso de la pierna (aproximadamente 4 horas para una pierna de 4 kg).
- Durante la cocción, baña la pierna ocasionalmente con los jugos del refractario para mantenerla jugosa.
- Dorar y Reposar:
- Retira el papel aluminio y hornea por 15 minutos adicionales para que la pierna tome un color dorado y una textura crujiente en la superficie.
- Saca la pierna del horno y deja reposar unos minutos antes de rebanarla.
- Preparar la Salsa:
- En un sartén, calienta un poco de aceite.
- Añade 2 cucharadas de harina o fécula de maíz y mezcla rápidamente para evitar grumos.
- Vierte el jugo sobrante del refractario y cocina hasta que la salsa espese, moviendo constantemente con una cuchara de madera.
- Servir:
- Rebana la pierna (puedes usar un cuchillo eléctrico para cortes más uniformes).
- Sirve las rebanadas bañadas con la salsa caliente.
- Acompaña con una ensalada de manzana, puré de papa o guarnición de tu elección.
Consejos Adicionales:
- Marinación prolongada: Mientras más tiempo dejes la pierna marinando, más intensa será la fusión de sabores.
- Alternativas al mezcal: Si no tienes mezcal o jugo de piña, puedes usar vino blanco o cerveza.
- Consistencia de la salsa: Si prefieres una salsa más líquida, añade un poco más de agua durante la cocción.
Notas Finales:
Este platillo es ideal para ocasiones especiales como Navidad, Año Nuevo o celebraciones familiares. La mezcla de especias y chiles secos da como resultado una pierna de Ganado jugosa, tierna y llena de sabor. ¡Una verdadera joya de la cocina mexicana! 🎉🍖
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