Anyone familiar with this blog is aware that I love Mexican dishes, all of them: tacos, burritos, enchiladas, tamales…. I always have Sopa de Arroz and Cuban style black beans stashed in the freezer. They are staple side dishes that go with every Mexican meal. In fact, I am happy just to eat a big bowl of beans and rice with some fresh cilantro scattered over the top.
Cook’s Illustrated, with their tried and true recipes, once again caught my eye with this recipe; shredded beef tacos. The idea of tender, shredded beef on warm corn tortillas was just too inviting. I called Times Supermarket and asked the butcher if he could prepare 3 pounds of boneless short ribs cut into 2-inch cubes for me. No problem! Knowing that short ribs are quite “rich” I was a bit nervous when I picked up my order. The short ribs were beautiful. Just slightly marbled, but overall well-trimmed and lean.
I was skeptical about the procedure to brown the meat called for by the recipe. I shouldn’t have had any doubts. The meat was browned to perfection. Never doubt Cook’s Illustrated.
Decadent and rich, the short ribs turned out great. We warmed corn tortillas on the comal and served them with a cabbage-carrot slaw.
Shredded Beef Tacos
Adapted from Cook’s Illustrated
Serves 6 – 8
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups beer (I used Sierra Nevada)
1/2 cup cider vinegar
2 ounces (4 – 6) dried ancho chiles, stemmed, seeded, and torn into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons tomato paste
6 garlic cloves, lightly crushed and peeled
3 bay leaves
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons dried oregano
Salt and pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 large onion, sliced into 1/2-inch thick rounds
3 pounds boneless beef short ribs, trimmed and cut into 2-inch cubes
Preparation
Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees.
Combine beer, vinegar, anchos, tomato paste, garlic, bay leaves, cumin, oregano, 2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, cloves, and cinnamon in Dutch oven. Arrange onion rounds in a single layer on the bottom of pot. Place beef on top of onion rounds in a single layer. Cover and cook until meat is well browned and tender, 2 1/2 – 3 hours.
Using a slotted spoon, transfer beef to a large bowl, cover loosely with foil, and set aside. Strain liquid through a fine-mesh strainer into a 2-cup liquid measuring cup (do not wash pot). Discard onion rounds and bay leaves. Transfer remaining solids to the blender. Let strained liquid settle for 5 minutes, then skim any fat off the surface. Pour 1 cup liquid into blender with reserved solids and blend until smooth, about 40 – 60 seconds. Transfer sauce to now-empty pot.
Using two forks, shred beef into bite-size pieces. Bring sauce to a simmer over medium heat. Add shredded beef and stir to coat. Season with salt to taste. (Beef can be refrigerated for up to 2 days; gently reheat before serving).
Spoon small amount of beef into each warm tortilla and serve with cabbage slaw, queso fresco (I used feta), sour cream and lime wedges.