Mexican Cooking Tools: Discada

Published on July 25, 2022

You may already be quite familiar with the flat bottomed wok from China, but did you know Mexico has its own version?

As our series continues we’ll explore the Mexican Wok and its unique experience that it has to offer to your cooking arsenal.

From Farm to Table

Dating back more than a century, this unique style of outdoor cooking heralds from the resourceful thinking of farmers! Traditionally, the discs on tractors used for tilling were repurposed by filling the disco hole to create a cooker that was placed over a heat source. Due to their large surface area, they were ideal for feeding a large crowd. While this might sound like an unusual use for a farm tool, the cast iron created desirable heat distribution.

These discs – known as discada – also refer to the traditional meal prepared on them. Similar to BBQ, it often featured a selection of grilled meats.

Grill Communities are Embracing the Discada

This form of cooking has grown in popularity in recent years, and creates a fun contrast to slow cooked or smoked BBQ meats. 

Due to its nuance, many enthusiasts have taken to the challenge.The power of the heat source underneath plays a large factor in how the food will cook. The center of the discada provides the highest heat, while the outer area will keep the cooked food warm. Just like other cast iron pieces, the disc will season over time.

As the interest grows in this style of cooking, so do the options. From shallow for searing and sautéing, to deeper discs to cook saucier recipes, the possibilities of what you can create are endless.

The next time you’re ready to fire up the grill, consider checking out more about this unique style of cooking!