Beef Empanadas with Spicy Chorizo Filling
By America's Test KitchenPublished on February 24, 2011
Time
2¼ hours, plus 1 hour cooling and 45 minutes chilling
Yield
Serves 4 to 6 as an entrée
Ingredients
Filling
1 large slice hearty white sandwich bread, torn into quarters2 tablespoons low-sodium chicken broth 1 pound 85 percent lean ground chuck Table salt and ground black pepper 1 tablespoon olive oil 6 ounces (170 grams) Spanish chorizo or Portuguese linguiça, cut into ¼-inch dice (about 1 cup)2 medium onions, chopped fine (about 2 cups)4 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 4 teaspoons)1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 tablespoon ground chipotle chile pepper 1 can tomato sauce (14.5-ounce/411-gram) can½ cup packed cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped2 hard-cooked eggs, coarsely chopped⅓ cup raisins, coarsely chopped4 teaspoons cider vinegarDough
3 cups (15 ounces/425 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour, plus extra for work surface1 cup (5 ounces/142 grams) masa harina (see note)1 tablespoon sugar 2 teaspoons table salt 12 tablespoons (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes and chilled½ cup cold vodka or tequila (see note)½ cup cold water 5 tablespoons olive oil (for baking empanadas)Before You Begin
The alcohol in the dough is essential to the texture of the crust and imparts no flavor—do not substitute for it or omit. Masa harina can be found in the international aisle with other Latin American foods or in the baking aisle with the flour. If you cannot find masa harina, replace it with additional all-purpose flour (for a total of 4 cups). After step 5, the empanadas can be covered tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 2 days.
Instructions
- Process bread and chicken broth in food processor until paste forms, about 5 seconds, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary. Add beef, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper and pulse until mixture is well combined, six to eight 1-second pulses.
- Heat oil and 6 ounces Spanish chorizo or Portuguese linguiça in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove chorizo or linguiça, leaving rendered fat in skillet. Add onions and cook, stirring frequently, until beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, cumin, and chipotle chiles; cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add beef mixture and cook, breaking meat into 1-inch pieces with wooden spoon, until browned, about 7 minutes. Add tomato sauce and chorizo or linguiça and simmer until mixture is moist but not wet, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer mixture to bowl and cool 10 minutes. Stir in cilantro, eggs, raisins, and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper to taste and refrigerate until cool, about 1 hour. (The filling can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.)
- Process 1 cup flour, masa harina, sugar, and salt in food processor until combined, about two 1-second pulses. Add butter and process until homogeneous and dough resembles wet sand, about 10 seconds. Add remaining 2 cups flour and pulse until mixture is evenly distributed around bowl, 4 to 6 quick pulses. Empty mixture into medium bowl.
- Sprinkle vodka or tequila and water over mixture. Using hands, mix dough until it forms tacky mass that sticks together. Press dough into cohesive ball and divide into 12 equal pieces. Transfer dough pieces to plate, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm, about 45 minutes or up to 2 days.
- Adjust oven racks to upper- and lower-middle positions, place 1 baking sheet on each rack, and heat oven to 425 degrees. While baking sheets are preheating, remove dough from refrigerator. Roll each dough piece out on lightly floured work surface into 6-inch circle about 1/8-inch thick, covering each dough round with plastic wrap while rolling remaining dough. Place about 1/3 cup filling in the center of each dough round. Fold dough over filling. Crimp edges of empanadas using fork.
- Drizzle 2 tablespoons oil over surface of each hot baking sheet, then return to oven for 2 minutes. Brush empanadas with remaining tablespoon oil. Carefully place 6 empanadas on each baking sheet and cook until well browned and crisp, 25 to 30 minutes, rotating baking sheets front to back and top to bottom halfway through baking. Cool empanadas on wire rack 10 minutes and serve.
for the filling
for the dough
to assemble
to bake
Time
2¼ hours, plus 1 hour cooling and 45 minutes chillingYield
Serves 4 to 6 as an entréeIngredients
Filling
1 large slice hearty white sandwich bread, torn into quarters
2 tablespoons low-sodium chicken broth
1 pound 85 percent lean ground chuck
Table salt and ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 ounces (170 grams) Spanish chorizo or Portuguese linguiça, cut into ¼-inch dice (about 1 cup)
2 medium onions, chopped fine (about 2 cups)
4 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 4 teaspoons)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground chipotle chile pepper
1 can tomato sauce (14.5-ounce/411-gram) can
½ cup packed cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped
2 hard-cooked eggs, coarsely chopped
⅓ cup raisins, coarsely chopped
4 teaspoons cider vinegar
Dough
3 cups (15 ounces/425 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour, plus extra for work surface
1 cup (5 ounces/142 grams) masa harina (see note)
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons table salt
12 tablespoons (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes and chilled
½ cup cold vodka or tequila (see note)
½ cup cold water
5 tablespoons olive oil (for baking empanadas)
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Filling
1 large slice hearty white sandwich bread, torn into quarters
2 tablespoons low-sodium chicken broth
1 pound 85 percent lean ground chuck
Table salt and ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 ounces (170 grams) Spanish chorizo or Portuguese linguiça, cut into ¼-inch dice (about 1 cup)
2 medium onions, chopped fine (about 2 cups)
4 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 4 teaspoons)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground chipotle chile pepper
1 can tomato sauce (14.5-ounce/411-gram) can
½ cup packed cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped
2 hard-cooked eggs, coarsely chopped
⅓ cup raisins, coarsely chopped
4 teaspoons cider vinegar
Dough
3 cups (15 ounces/425 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour, plus extra for work surface
1 cup (5 ounces/142 grams) masa harina (see note)
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons table salt
12 tablespoons (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes and chilled
½ cup cold vodka or tequila (see note)
½ cup cold water
5 tablespoons olive oil (for baking empanadas)
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Filling
1 large slice hearty white sandwich bread, torn into quarters
2 tablespoons low-sodium chicken broth
1 pound 85 percent lean ground chuck
Table salt and ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 ounces (170 grams) Spanish chorizo or Portuguese linguiça, cut into ¼-inch dice (about 1 cup)
2 medium onions, chopped fine (about 2 cups)
4 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 4 teaspoons)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground chipotle chile pepper
1 can tomato sauce (14.5-ounce/411-gram) can
½ cup packed cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped
2 hard-cooked eggs, coarsely chopped
⅓ cup raisins, coarsely chopped
4 teaspoons cider vinegar
Dough
3 cups (15 ounces/425 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour, plus extra for work surface
1 cup (5 ounces/142 grams) masa harina (see note)
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons table salt
12 tablespoons (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes and chilled
½ cup cold vodka or tequila (see note)
½ cup cold water
5 tablespoons olive oil (for baking empanadas)
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
Empanadas are a type of baked or fried turnover that can be found in many Latin American countries. The first step in our beef empanada recipe was to enhance packaged ground chuck with aromatics; spices; and a mixture of chicken broth and bread, which kept the beef tender as it cooked. We also added Spanish-style chorizo and chipotle chile powder for extra-smoky flavor. For the beef empanadas’ crust, we made a few changes to our favorite pie dough recipe. Though many traditional empanada recipes are made with wheat flour, we used a mixture of wheat flour and masa harina to create a rich, nutty dough. Masa harina is a type of corn flour made from dried masa, a dough made from specially treated corn. We also omitted the shortening and switched to all butter for better flavor. Finally, we finished our beef empanadas by brushing the tops of the empanadas with oil for a shiny, crunchy crust. Placing them on a preheated oiled baking sheet ensured that the underside of the empanadas got as crispy as the top.
Before You Begin
The alcohol in the dough is essential to the texture of the crust and imparts no flavor—do not substitute for it or omit. Masa harina can be found in the international aisle with other Latin American foods or in the baking aisle with the flour. If you cannot find masa harina, replace it with additional all-purpose flour (for a total of 4 cups). After step 5, the empanadas can be covered tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 2 days.
Instructions
- Process bread and chicken broth in food processor until paste forms, about 5 seconds, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary. Add beef, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper and pulse until mixture is well combined, six to eight 1-second pulses.
- Heat oil and 6 ounces Spanish chorizo or Portuguese linguiça in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove chorizo or linguiça, leaving rendered fat in skillet. Add onions and cook, stirring frequently, until beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, cumin, and chipotle chiles; cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add beef mixture and cook, breaking meat into 1-inch pieces with wooden spoon, until browned, about 7 minutes. Add tomato sauce and chorizo or linguiça and simmer until mixture is moist but not wet, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer mixture to bowl and cool 10 minutes. Stir in cilantro, eggs, raisins, and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper to taste and refrigerate until cool, about 1 hour. (The filling can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.)
- Process 1 cup flour, masa harina, sugar, and salt in food processor until combined, about two 1-second pulses. Add butter and process until homogeneous and dough resembles wet sand, about 10 seconds. Add remaining 2 cups flour and pulse until mixture is evenly distributed around bowl, 4 to 6 quick pulses. Empty mixture into medium bowl.
- Sprinkle vodka or tequila and water over mixture. Using hands, mix dough until it forms tacky mass that sticks together. Press dough into cohesive ball and divide into 12 equal pieces. Transfer dough pieces to plate, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm, about 45 minutes or up to 2 days.
- Adjust oven racks to upper- and lower-middle positions, place 1 baking sheet on each rack, and heat oven to 425 degrees. While baking sheets are preheating, remove dough from refrigerator. Roll each dough piece out on lightly floured work surface into 6-inch circle about 1/8-inch thick, covering each dough round with plastic wrap while rolling remaining dough. Place about 1/3 cup filling in the center of each dough round. Fold dough over filling. Crimp edges of empanadas using fork.
- Drizzle 2 tablespoons oil over surface of each hot baking sheet, then return to oven for 2 minutes. Brush empanadas with remaining tablespoon oil. Carefully place 6 empanadas on each baking sheet and cook until well browned and crisp, 25 to 30 minutes, rotating baking sheets front to back and top to bottom halfway through baking. Cool empanadas on wire rack 10 minutes and serve.
for the filling
for the dough
to assemble
to bake
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