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Molcajete Mixto

This Molcajete Mixto loads a screaming hot volcanic stone bowl with carne asada, shrimp, chicken, queso panela, cactus, and charred vegetables all swimming in a delicious, fire-roasted salsa. It's a full showstopper meal built entirely on the grill and served sizzling at the table.
Prep Time35 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time1 hour 15 minutes
Course: Dinner, entertaining, Main Course, Main Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: Avacado Salsa, Carne Asada, chicken, dinner, entertaining, family style, grilled, molcajete, party, Shrimp
Servings: 6 servings

Equipment

Ingredients

For the Proteins:

  • 1 pound flap meat or carne ranchera
  • 1 pound large shrimp peeled and deveined
  • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • 1 tbsp neutral oil
  • Salt to taste

For the Salsa:

  • 4 Roma tomatoes
  • 4 tomatillos husked
  • 4 garlic cloves unpeeled
  • ¼ large white onion
  • 2 chiles de árbol stems removed
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • Salt to taste

For the Vegetables and Cheese:

  • 6 oz queso panela
  • 2 jalapeños whole
  • 2 cactus paddles cleaned and thorns removed
  • 2 large green onions whole
  • 1 tbsp neutral oil
  • Salt to taste

For Serving:

  • Fresh corn tortillas

Instructions

  • Heat the grill to high. In a large bowl, toss the steak and chicken with the soy sauce, lime juice, garlic powder, cumin, smoked paprika, black pepper, salt, and oil until evenly coated. Season the shrimp separately with a light sprinkle of salt, pepper, and a drizzle of oil. Set everything aside to marinate while you prep the salsa ingredients.
  • Place the tomatoes, tomatillos, and onion directly on the grill grates. Wrap the chiles de árbol and garlic cloves together in a small piece of aluminum foil and place on the grill alongside the vegetables. Close the lid and grill for 8–10 minutes, opening occasionally to turn everything, until deeply charred on all sides and cooked through.
  • Transfer everything except the tomatillos to a blender. Add the cumin and salt and blend until smooth but still slightly textured. Add the tomatillos and pulse 5–6 times so they break down but the salsa stays chunky. Taste and adjust salt. Set aside.
  • Brush the jalapeños, cactus, green onions, queso panela, and proteins with oil and place everything on the grill. Cook each item until charred and cooked through — shrimp 1–2 minutes per side, green onions 2–3 minutes, queso panela 2–3 minutes per side until golden grill marks form, cactus 3–4 minutes per side, chicken and steak 3–4 minutes per side, and jalapeños 6–8 minutes turning occasionally until fully blistered all over. Remove each item as it finishes and set aside.
  • Place the molcajete upside down directly on the grill or stovetop over high heat for at least 10 minutes until screaming hot. Using thick oven mitts, carefully flip it right side up and transfer to a wooden cutting board or heat-safe surface.
  • Pour the salsa in — it should sizzle and bubble dramatically. Arrange the proteins, cactus, jalapeños, cheese, and green onions over the sauce and serve immediately with fresh corn tortillas on the side.

Notes

  • Heat the molcajete for a full 10 minutes minimum, it geniunely needs to be screaming hot so the salsa sizzles on contact and stays warm throughout the meal.
  • Pull each protein off the grill as it finishes rather than trying to time everything together - shrimp overcooks in seconds and steak needs more time than chicken thighs.
  • Wrap the garlic and chiles in foil so they roast and steam rather than burn directly on the grates.
  • Let the steak rest a few minutes before slicing so the juices redistribute and every bite stays tender.