I've decided to try to pull off a Discada next month with ten golfer friends and their wives.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discada

I've found numerous recipes and YouTube videos. One of the guys knows how to do it. Other than that I'm at Square-1. If anyone has first-hand experience, I'm open for ideas, suggestions, and recommendations.

You've got a new version of cooking on a Cuirass. That's the steel breastplate of armor ! Any piece of steel will do. I saw cooking done on the cover of a 55 gallon drum .
Another cooking - metallurgy connection !

In New Mexico, we call them discos. Made from a worn out disc harrow. You can cook anything in one, even warm up tortillas around the edge. Season one like you do a cast iron skillet.

While, to my knowledge, I've never had a meal cooked on a discarded plow share, except for a friend who fries fish in one, I have eaten many fresh cooked meals in Mexico.

I would suggest that you use a tender cut of beef, sliced into thin pieces, such as a T bone or ribeye. Just like cooking a stew, cook a bundle of onions in light oil first, add chopped fresh garlic to taste, add meat, cans of chopped Rotel type tomatoes, and cook it like a stew to taste. Don't forget to add peppers, jalapenos or serannos would work. Don't want too hot, slice, and remove seeds and ovaries first. Add a handful of chili spices, or use a chili spice seasoning.

I would think a big wok would produce the same result and be a helluva lot easier to use. You can borrow my wife's or buy one at world market, Plano.

I'd test the lime juice addition first, it is kind of an acquired taste. Certainly won't hurt the taste of Tecate or Negra Modelo, for sure. Enjoy.

Just for Ken, my wife fixed some "seared tuna" ala Abuelo's which knocked my socks off. Talk about good. I asked her, did she use a recipe and she said, "no, I just wanted to make something that tasted good." She did. I'll keep it in mind the next time you're stealing my steaks.

The pan is called a comal in parts of Mexico and around here. The following is my plan.

DISCADA RECIPE
(20 People)


MEATS
Beef (ground) 5 lbs
Ribeye (grilled & cubed) 2 lbs
Pork Loin (cubed) 2 lbs
Smoked Ham (sliced) 2 lbs
Bacon (chopped) 1 lb
Chorizo (ground) 1 lb
Sausage (cubed) 2 lbs

VEGETABLES
Serranos (diced) 3
Jalapeños (diced) 5
Bell Pepper (green) 2 (diced or chopped)
Bell Pepper (yellow) 2 (diced or chopped)
Bell Pepper (red) 2 (diced or chopped)
Onions (white) 3 (chopped)
Tomatoes (diced & seeded) 6

SEASONING
Cilantro 1 cup
Beer 2 bottles
Limes (quartered) 8
Salt & Pepper as needed
Thyme & Cumin as needed
Oregano & Garlic as needed
Vegetable Oil 1 bottle
Lard as needed

OTHER REQUIREMENTS
Tortillas (corn & flour) 30 each (60 total)
Salsa (medium & hot) 3 each
Cheese (shredded) 6 packs

Normally cheese isn't a part of it, but what the hell. I like cheese, and it's my party.

I'll probably do a little adjusting as we go along.

Generally speaking sounds good. Looks like you've got about 15 pounds of meat for a couple of dozen people.

I think you won't be wrong if you keep a few cans of Rotel (Hot) in reserve.

I dunno about you, but I can drink a helluva lot more than 2 measly bottles of beer while cooking. Hopefully you aren't going to waste it by pouring it in the mix.

Have plenty of napkins.

If more people show up than expected and you're short on meat, you can discreetly add in some rabbit, but be careful. Some folks get upset if they find a hare in their Discada.

I'm smoking a few chickens on the side. There is always someone that won't eat red meat, or wants to eat "healthy".

I've already passed along that if they can't dive into the discada or eat chicken, that I will leave a spot in back unmowed so they can have at it.

(I'm going to deport carpetman1 to the Humor Section.)

OLd gambler's saying.....Some days it's chicken, some days it's feathers.

quote:

The pan is called a comal in parts of Mexico and around here.

Not to argue (moi!), but I looked up "comal" on the net, and a comal, is not similar to a plow disc, rather it is a rather flat pan that is more like a griddle. You'd have a hard time cooking all your recipe on a comal IMO.

You have found one type of comal. I will send you a photo of another that will expand your knowledge. I would post it here, but I haven't expanded my knowledge enough.

(Notice the word "comal" on the label.)

This is similar to the one I purchased.

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/siuomlqFGdM/maxresdefault.jpg

This is the one I didn't like.

https://images-na.ssl-images-a..._SL500_AC_SS350_.jpg

This one came close.

http://newellus.com/image/cach...3218-22H-600x600.png

Hell, you don't even know what you're cooking on.....
http://www.southwestdisk.com/

but, I still think it will be good. Probably with your wife's help. Long suffering woman that she is.

Ken, take photos please.

Any try the fire disc they sell at bucee

https://www.firedisccookers.com

I saw one on my last road trip to Texas a few weeks back.

Mike

Bill, you are asking a lot. Tas takes some wonderful photos of his food. I generally get photos of smoke and shadows.

In the heat of battle I never remember to grab my camera. The owner of Double M Barbecue is going to be the head chef so maybe I can get a few shots.

He's a little bit nervous since I told him he has to use all my hardware, heat source, recipe, etc. I want to be able to do this in the future without him and his gear. I need to know what I have works.

The smoked pork sausage I'll be using comes from one of Gato's hogs. I'll probably mention that after the meal.

"next month" is here. Have you poisoned, I mean fed, your guests yet? If they are real Mexican food eaters they should be used to it.

A week away.

quote:

Originally posted by Kensco:
A week away.

Homeowner's liability in full force?

The discada went off without a hitch. Sixteen guests. Cooked over the firebox on my smoker. A few learnings.

1. Forget the "medium" heat. Make the fire twice as hot as you think it should be ... or double your cooking time. Dinner at 9:00pm isn't an option.

2. All that heat you built into the mix; peppers, jalapenos, chipotle sre going to smooth out over the course of the cook. Add more jalapenos.

3. Fresh corn tortillas are good, but they won't hold-up to the meat overload. Char them over an open flame, not a hot plate / comal.

4. Taste test straight from the comal multiple times during the cook. Season to taste.

5. Leftover meat is a killer over charro beans.

6. Don't choose between flan and tres leches. Get'um both.

7. Don't attempt the full Cool Hand Luke with the hard-boiled jalapeno eggs before dinner.

8. The smoked chicken option is unnecessary. If they can't eat red meat, they deserve to go home hungry.

9. Figure 2/3 pound of meat per guest. One pound per guest if you want leftovers.

10. Gato wild hog sausage and jalapeno bacon were great choices in the discada.

11. Chopping everything the day before, and grilling the ribeye to medium rare the day before were good choices.

A discada once a year works for me, and the comal is a real focal point for the party. If anyone gets in the way, hand them a spatula and tell them to get with it.

A discada is a great way to serve a lot of people for not a lot of cash.

A discada doesn't look all that appetizing until all the ingredients come together, but when they do.....yum!