Yucatecan Cuisine: The Flavors of the Past in Dallas-Fort Worth
Yucatán’s traditional cuisine is complex, with intricate dishes such as cochinita pibil or sopa de lima being among its most well-known. However, the region’s complexity has room for more humble bites, like panuchos and salbutes.
Panuchos and Salbutes: A Taste of Yucatecan Tradition
The two dishes are similar – both masa tortillas that are later fried – but panuchos are stuffed with beans, while salbutes aren’t. These authentic Yucatecan dishes are not commonly found on many restaurant menus in North Texas, but natives of Yucatán find oases in their homes or the homes of their neighbors and acquaintances.
A Taste of Home in Dallas-Fort Worth
Juanita Tun, a native of Yucatán, has taken to making panuchos and salbutes a few days a week. She lives in northwest Dallas and cooks at a local restaurant, and on some weekends, she sells Yucatecan dishes from her home. "Yucatán food is made special by its seasonings," she said. "That’s on display in my panuchos and salbutes, which I prepare the traditional way."
The Art of Seasoning
Once the panuchos or salbutes have been fried, chicken is added, along with crunchy vegetables, such as lettuce, tomato, onion, cucumber, avocado, and pickled onion. Special attention is given to the chicken, which is spiced using recado de achiote, a literal brick made of compressed spices infused with Yucatan’s signature achiote. There are different types of recado, too, including recado negro, a burnt chile seasoning with other spices, and recado for salpimentado, or foods mainly seasoned simply with salt and pepper, among other combinations.
A Legacy of Tradition
Yucatecan cuisine distinguishes itself from other parts of Mexico mainly due to its unique condiments and centuries-old preparations involving fresh, local ingredients. This makes it more difficult to find these dishes outside of Yucatán. However, Tun is helping to change that – at least in Dallas-Fort Worth.
D-FW Sabores: Finding Authentic Mexican Cuisine in North Texas
This story is part of D-FW Sabores, a series dedicated to finding authentic Mexican cuisine across North Texas, dish by dish, region by region.
FAQs
Q: What is the origin of panuchos?
A: Poplar history places the origin of panuchos in the 1900s in a town on the Camino Real, connecting the cities of Mérida and Campeche near the Gulf of Mexico.
Q: What is recado de achiote?
A: Recado de achiote is a literal brick made of compressed spices infused with Yucatan’s signature achiote, used to spice chicken and other foods.
Q: How long can recado de achiote last?
A: If taken special care, it can last up to six months. The bricks, red and black and jealously wrapped in a plastic bag, live in Tun’s refrigerator.
Q: What is the difference between panuchos and salbutes?
A: Panuchos are stuffed with beans, while salbutes are not.
