Best Barbacoa Beef Tacos With Two Sauces Recipes

Barbacoa Beef Tacos with Two Sauces Recipe - (4.3/5) image

Provided by DreiFromBK

Number Of Ingredients 17

4 large ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
4 dried chipotle chiles, stemmed
3 celery ribs, chopped
2 medium carrots, chopped
1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
15 garlic cloves, crushed and peeled
8 bay leaves
6 (1-pound) beef short ribs, English-cut and bone-in
2 tablespoons dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Kosher salt
Pepper
Warm corn tortillas
Cilantro sprigs
White onion, finely chopped
Lime wedges
Fresh salsa verde

Steps:

BRAISE THE MEAT: Preheat the oven to 325°F. In a medium skillet, toast the ancho chiles over moderate heat, turning, until pliable and charred in spots, about 2 minutes; let cool slightly, then tear into pieces. In a large roasting pan, toss the ancho and chipotle chiles with the celery, carrots, onion, garlic and bay leaves. In a large bowl, toss the short ribs with the oregano, cumin and 2 tablespoons of salt. Arrange the ribs over the vegetables in the roasting pan. Add 2 cups of water to the pan, cover tightly with foil and braise in the oven for about 3 1/2 hours, until the meat is very tender. CHILE SAUCE: Transfer the ribs to a baking sheet. Strain the braising liquid through a colander set over a heatproof bowl; skim off any fat. Discard the bay leaves and return the vegetables and chiles to the braising liquid. Working in batches, purée the vegetables and liquid in a blender until smooth. Season the sauce with salt and pepper. GRILL: Light a grill or preheat a grill pan. Working in batches if necessary, grill the ribs over high heat, turning occasionally, until charred and crisp, about 5 minutes total. Transfer to a platter and, using two forks, shred the meat; discard the bones. Serve the barbacoa in warm corn tortillas with the sauce, cilantro, chopped onion, lime wedges and fresh salsa verde.

Beef Barbacoa Tacos image

Provided by Food Network Kitchen

Categories main-dish

Time 2h45m

Yield 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 15

8 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
2 plum tomatoes, quartered
1 small white onion, quartered
8 cloves garlic, unpeeled
Kosher salt
2 pounds beef chuck, cut into 1- to 2-inch pieces
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro (leaves and stems)
1 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro (leaves and stems)
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
2 bay leaves
Freshly ground black pepper
Corn tortillas, warmed, and assorted toppings, for serving

Steps:

Heat a large cast-iron skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chiles and cook, pressing them down with a spatula, 10 seconds per side; transfer to a plate. Add the tomatoes, onion and garlic to the skillet and cook, stirring once or twice, until the vegetables are charred in spots, about 10 minutes.
Peel the garlic and transfer to a blender along with the tomatoes and onion (reserve the skillet). Tear the chiles into pieces and add to the blender along with 1/2 cup water and 1 teaspoon salt; pulse until smooth. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into the skillet, pressing it through with the back of a spoon.
Add the beef to the skillet and turn to coat in the chile sauce using tongs. Cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until a crust starts to form on the meat, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle in the cumin, cinnamon and cayenne pepper and cook 1 more minute. Meanwhile, puree 2 1/2 cups water, the cilantro and thyme in the blender; add to the skillet along with the bay leaves.
Reduce the heat to low. Cover and gently simmer until the meat is very tender, about 2 hours, adding up to 1 1/2 cups water if the sauce gets too thick. Remove the bay leaves and season with salt and black pepper. Serve in tortillas with assorted toppings.