Beer-Braised Mexican Shredded Beef Recipe

Ingredients

Chiles & Sauce Base

• 1 dried New Mexican chile (destemmed and seeded)
• 1 dried guajillo chile (destemmed and seeded)
• 1 dried arbol chile (destemmed and seeded)
• 2 cups beef stock or water with 2 heaping teaspoons Better Than Bouillon Beef Base
• 3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (seeds left intact)
• 2 tablespoons adobo sauce

Beef & Aromatics

• 3 pounds chuck roast
• salt and pepper
• pinch all-purpose flour (for dusting)
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 yellow onion (diced)
• 5 garlic cloves (grated or minced)

Spices & Seasonings

• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons Mexican oregano
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 0.5 teaspoon ground cloves
• 0.5 teaspoon ground coriander

Braising & Finishing

• 1 12-ounce bottle stout beer
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 dried bay leaves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 tablespoons masa harina (optional)
• water (optional)

Instructions

Prepare the Chile Sauce

1. Heat oven to 275 degrees. Over medium-high heat, toast the dried chiles until fragrant, about two to three minutes.
2. Add stock, cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes until the chiles soften.
3. Pour the chiles and stock into a blender and add chipotles and adobo sauce. Blend until smooth.

Sear the Beef

1. Heat canola oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Generously season the chuck roast with salt and pepper and dust with flour.
2. When the oil begins to shimmer, add the chuck and sear until browned, about five minutes. Carefully flip the beef to the other side and brown.

Build the Sauce

1. Remove the beef from the Dutch oven and lower heat to medium. Cook onions until softened, about four or five minutes.
2. Add garlic, cocoa powder, tomato paste, cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, cloves and coriander. Continuously stir for 30 seconds.
3. Pour in the beer and apple cider vinegar. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up the brown bits from the beef. Simmer for about five minutes to allow the beer to slightly reduce.
4. Stir in the blended chile mixture to make one cohesive sauce.

Braise the Beef

1. Return the beef to the Dutch oven along with the bay leaves and cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil.
2. Once boiling, cover the Dutch oven and place in the 275-degree oven. Cook until the beef easily shreds with a fork—approximately 3-4 hours depending on roast size. Judge doneness by whether it's easily shreddable, not by cooking time.
3. When the beef is ready, move to a cutting board and shred with two forks once cool enough to handle.

Thicken Sauce (Optional)

1. If you'd like to thicken the chile sauce, mix the masa harina with just enough water to make a thick but stirrable paste.
2. Add the masa paste to the chile sauce and bring to a simmer on the stove, constantly whisking. Keep whisking until it thickens to your liking. Start with 2 tablespoons but know you can always add more if you'd still like it thicker.

Serving

1. Use the beer-braised Mexican beef for tacos, tostadas, burritos, nachos or any other dish you'd like. Enjoy!

Notes

• You can use either oven-braising or a slow cooker. For slow cooker method, cook on low for eight hours.
• Don't judge the beef's doneness on cooking time alone—judge it on whether it shreds easily with a fork.
• Chuck roast varies in how long it takes to break down, so cooking times may vary.
• The masa harina is optional but helps thicken the sauce if desired.