Mexican meets Italian in a Glorious Fusion!
The traditional Discada we made before was a huge hit. It got me to thinking…what is Discada was Italian vice Mexican?
Things to know:
Where did the discada come from?
Discada’s origin is in Northern Mexico, evolving from ranch life where farmers and cowboys repurposed large, concave plow discs (discos) from tractors as cooking pans over campfires to feed large groups. This technique, blending various meats, vegetables, and spices, became a communal meal, celebrating cultural fusion and resourceful cooking, popular across northern states like Sonora and Sinaloa.
What kind of meat is in traditional discada?
Discada meat is a hearty, mixed-meat dish from Northern Mexico, cooked in a large, concave “disco” (plow disc), combining various meats like bacon, chorizo, beef, and pork with vegetables (onions, peppers, tomatoes) for a flavorful, one-pot meal perfect for feeding crowds, served in warm tortillas as tacos. It’s a versatile, protein-packed “cowboy wok” meal, rich in texture and flavor from the different meats rendered together.
What kind of meat is in Italian discada?
Italian sausage, pepperoni, pancetta, prosciutto, and salami.
What is pancetta?
Pancetta is an Italian salt-cured and air-dried pork belly. Pancetta tastes rich, salty, and savory, with a deep pork flavor and warm spice notes, similar to bacon but without any smokiness.
What is the closest substitute to pancetta?
The closest and most practical substitute for pancetta is unsmoked regular bacon (or regular American bacon if you blanch it first), because both come from the pork belly and share a very similar fat and salt content
What is prosciutto?
Prosciutto is an Italian dry-cured ham made from the hind leg of a pig and typically served in thin, delicate slices.
Are you supposed to heat up prosciutto?
You do not need to heat up prosciutto because it is dry-cured and ready to eat cold, but you can cook it to make it crispy.
Ingredients:
2 lbs ground Italian sausage
1 lb deli pepperoni, cubed
1 lb pancetta, cubed
1 lb prosciutto, chopped
1 lb salami, cubed
1 large sweet onion, sliced
1 large red bell pepper, sliced
1 large yellow or orange bell pepper, sliced
1 28 oz. can of crushed tomatoes
4-5 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound baby bella mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
3 T Cattleman’s Grill Italian seasoning
1 T Spiceology’s Parmesan Truffle
12 oz Red wine
Jar of sliced pepperoncini peppers, drained
focaccia buns
marinara sauce
shredded Italian cheese blend
1. Preheat your cooker to medium heat around 300°F. Give it 10-15 minutes to heat evenly across the surface.
2. Add chopped prosciutto to center of the pan. Cook 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until crispy. Remove prosciutto with slotted spoon and set aside. Leave rendered fat in pan.
3. Add pancetta to the pan. Cook 8-10 minutes until it starts starting to crisp. Remove pancetta and set aside with the prosciutto.
4. Add pepperoni and salami to the pan. Cook 8-10 minutes until it starts starting to crisp. Remove pepperoni and salami and set aside with the prosciutto and pancetta.
5. Add the Italian sausage, season with 1 tbsp Italian seasoning and Parmesan Truffle seasoning. Cook until done. Remove and set aside.
6. Add onions, bell peppers, garlic, and mushrooms to the pan. Sauté 5-7 minutes until onions are translucent and vegetables are softened.
7. Stir in crushed tomatoes and cook 5-7 minutes. Sprinkle remaining seasoning over vegetables and mix well.
8. Return all cooked meats to the pan. Mix thoroughly with vegetables. Heat through 3-4 minutes.
9. Pour beer over mixture, stir well, and simmer 10-15 minutes until most liquid evaporates and flavors meld.
10. Pour wine over mixture, stir well, and simmer 10-15 minutes until most liquid evaporates and flavors meld. Stir in the pepproncinis.
11. Serve Italian discada on top of toasted focaccia buns, topped with Italian cheese blend, melted in the oven on broil. ENJOY!
Equipment used:
Garcima Tabarca Paella Pan Set with Burner, 20 Inch Carbon Steel Outdoor Pan
DISCLOSURE: When we link to products and services, those links may be customized affiliate links. If you click on any of those affiliate links and make a purchase within a certain time frame, We’ll earn a small commission. The commission is paid by the retailers.
Here’s an example: If we link to our favorite vegetable peeler, and you click on that link and complete a purchase within the next 24 hours, we may receive a commission somewhere between 1 to 10 percent of your total order.
We are careful to link to products and retailers that we use ourselves and recommend. These affiliate programs use cookies to track visits for the purposes of assigning commission on these sales. Money earned keeps Galley of the Sun running and allows us to do what we love.
Thank you for your support.
SELECT AFFILIATE PROGRAM DETAILS: We are currently members of affiliate programs with Amazon and Dalstrong. We are eligible to earn from qualifying purchases.