When the wind begins to blow in South Texas, and the temperature drops a few degrees (from Hell Hot to just Hot,) every menu, every Tweet, every FB post, every flashing outdoor sign declares “It’s time for a bowl of caldo de res.” And yes folks, it is.
Caldo de Res on a Cold Day…
Caldo de Res is a very basic country beef vegetable soup. But the clamor and fame that precedes this dish lets you know that in reality, this soup is very special. Grandmothers serve caldo de res by the gallon. However, when you order caldo in a restaurant, the comments are always the same: “Good… but not as good as my abuelita’s”
I make my caldo de res in two stages: First, the beef stock, and then the caldo. Like all good things, beef stock takes time to make. If you like using your crock pot, you can use it to make your beef stock. Once the three hours of boiling are complete, the timer on the crock pot will turn itself off. Not every model has a timer, so read the instructions first! Same for Instant Pots too.
First make beef stock, then make caldo
After the stock is boiled, the vegetables must be strained out and discarded, as all of their flavor has given itself over to the stock. But since you are using beef shanks for the meat, the long boiling time is perfect. Beef shank is loaded with sinew, collagen, and flavor, all of which melt into velvety beef flavor after several hours. So save the beef and the stock, but toss the vegetables, and add new ones.
There are variations of vegetables used for this recipe. The most traditional are small cobs of corn, chunks of cabbage, celery, carrots, squash and potatoes, and a few whole chiles thrown in for flavor.
There are no small recipes for caldo de res. Served in big bowls with plenty of lime wedges for garnish on the side. This is the dish we crave on those rare days when the weather turns misty and cold on the ranch.
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