Beef barbacoa

Ingredients

For 2 people

• 12 oz beef chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
• 2 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
• 1 dried ancho chile, stemmed and seeded
• 4 oz yellow onion, chopped
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp dried Mexican oregano
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tbsp neutral oil
• 1 cup beef broth
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup water
• 4 small corn tortillas
• 2 oz white onion, finely diced
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tbsp lime juice

Method

1. Toast and soften the chilesSet a small dry skillet over medium heat and toast the 2 guajillo chiles and 1 ancho chile for 20 to 30 seconds per side, just until fragrant and pliable. Move them to a bowl, cover with hot water, and soak for 10 minutes while you build the base. Drain before blending.
2. Brown the beefHeat the oven to 325 F. In a 3-quart Dutch oven, warm the 1 tbsp neutral oil over medium-high heat. Pat the 12 oz beef chuck roast dry, season it with 1/2 tsp of the kosher salt, and sear the pieces in one layer for 3 to 4 minutes per side until deeply browned. Work in batches if needed so the meat browns instead of steaming.
3. Cook the onion and aromaticsReduce the heat to medium. Add the 4 oz chopped yellow onion to the pot and cook for 4 minutes, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom. Stir in the 2 tsp minced garlic, 1 tbsp tomato paste, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp dried Mexican oregano, and the remaining 1/2 tsp kosher salt. Cook for 1 minute to toast the spices and remove the raw tomato paste taste.
4. Blend the barbacoa sauceIn a blender, combine the soaked guajillo chiles, ancho chile, 1 cup beef broth, 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar, and 1/4 cup water. Blend until very smooth, about 30 to 45 seconds. If your blender struggles, let it run a little longer rather than adding more liquid right away, because a thicker sauce clings better to the beef.
5. Braise until tender, then restPour the chile sauce into the Dutch oven and add the bay leaf. Bring the pot to a simmer, then cover and transfer it to the oven. Braise for about 2 hours, stirring once midway, until the beef is fork-tender and the sauce has darkened slightly. Remove the pot from the oven and let it rest, covered, for 15 minutes.
6. Shred and reduce the sauceDiscard the bay leaf. Transfer the beef to a bowl and shred it with two forks. Return the meat to the pot and simmer uncovered over medium heat for 8 to 12 minutes, stirring often, until the sauce lightly coats the beef instead of pooling at the bottom. If it seems dry, add a splash of broth; if it seems loose, keep simmering.
7. Warm the tortillas and make the toppingWarm the 4 small corn tortillas in a dry skillet over medium heat for about 30 seconds per side, or wrap them in foil and warm them in the oven during the last few minutes of braising. Toss the 2 oz finely diced white onion with the 2 tbsp chopped cilantro and 2 tbsp lime juice so the topping tastes fresh and bright against the rich beef.
8. ServeSpoon the beef barbacoa into the warm tortillas and top with the onion-cilantro mixture. Serve immediately with extra sauce from the pot spooned over the beef. The finished filling should be juicy, deeply red-brown, and easy to mound without falling apart.