Machaca o Carne Seca (Mexican-style Jerky)

A favorite in Sonora, Mexico, and southern Arizona (south of the Gila River).

4 cups Shredded Beef
Juice of 1 Mexican lime
2 tablespoons garlic pur?e
1/4 cup olive or vegetable oil
1/3 cup onion, minced
1/2 cup green chile, seeded and chopped
1 tomato, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon pepper, or to taste
2 tablespoons garlic pur?e

Prepare garlic pur?e by blending 16 cloves of peeled garlic in just under 1 cup of water.

To "dry" the meat, toss it with the lime juice and 2 tablespoons garlic pur?e, place it on a cookie sheet, and bake it for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. The meat should be quite dry and beginning to stiffen. If not, continue baking a few more minutes. The meat can be prepared to this point and then refrigerated, if desired.

To prepare the filling, heat a large skillet over moderate heat. Add the oil, then the onion, and saut? it until it is just soft but not browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the green chile, tomato, dried meat, salt, pepper and 2 tablespoons garlic pur?e and cook, stirring often, for 3 to 5 minutes.