Chopped Cheese Empanadas

For the dough

1. Add the flour, salt, and ground achiote to a food processor and pulse to combine.

2. Add the cold lard and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

3. Whisk the egg with a little extra achiote powder in a small bowl, then pour into the food processor.

4. Add the vinegar and slowly pulse in the cold water a little at a time until the dough just comes together.

5. Turn the dough out onto a board, compress it into a cohesive ball, cut it into quarters, and stack them to create layers.

6. Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator while preparing the filling.

   Then 30 min of waiting

For the chopped cheese filling

7. Heat 1 tablespoon of lard in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

8. Add the ground beef formed into rough patties and sear for 2 minutes per side until browned around the edges.

9. Break up the beef with a wooden spoon into a fine mince and cook until the released moisture evaporates.

10. Push the beef to one side of the pan, add the onion and red bell pepper to the empty side, season with salt, and cook until softened, 3–4 minutes.

11. Stir in the sliced garlic and chopped jalapeños along with their brine, deglazing the pan.

12. Sprinkle over the garlic powder, onion powder, and sazón, stirring well to combine everything in the pan.

13. Lay the American cheese slices over the top of the beef mixture, allow them to melt, then fold them into the meat.

14. Scatter half of the shredded Mexican cheese blend over the meat, transfer the mixture to a large bowl, add the remaining cheese, and fold together until uniform and cohesive.

For assembling and cooking

15. Divide the dough in half and roll out on a lightly dusted surface until thin.

16. Punch out circles using a ring mold, then roll each circle out further to roughly the size of your hand.

17. Lightly brush water around the edge of one half of the dough circle.

18. Scoop a dense ball of filling onto the center, fold the dough over, and press the air out towards the edges to seal.

19. Trim the edges with a fluted pastry cutter or crimp with a fork, then place the assembled empanadas on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze until completely solid.

    Then 120 min of waiting

To deep fry from frozen

20. Heat 2 inches of neutral oil with a spoonful of lard in a deep skillet to 365–370°F (185–188°C).

    Preheating slightly higher compensates for the temperature drop when adding frozen empanadas, dropping it to the ideal frying temperature of 340–350°F (170–175°C).

21. Lower the frozen empanadas gently into the hot oil and fry until golden brown and blistered, 4–5 minutes.

    Then 4 min of waiting

22. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a wire rack before serving. To bake or air fry (alternative method)

23. To bake, preheat oven to 400°F (200°C), brush empanadas with egg wash, and bake on a tray for 25 minutes until golden.

    Then 25 min of waiting

24. To air fry, brush with egg wash and cook in an air fryer at 375°F (190°C) for 25 minutes.

    Then 25 min of waiting

For serving (optional)

25. Whisk together the mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, jalapeño brine, and sazón seasoning in a small bowl until smooth.

26. Arrange empanadas over a bed of shredded lettuce, top with diced tomatoes, and drizzle generously with the sauce.

27. Freezing the dough before deep frying creates thermal shock, evaporating internal moisture rapidly to build an exceptionally flaky, blistered crust.