Barbacoa Recipe

Prepare chiles

Place guajillo chiles in a heatproof bowl. Pour boiling water over them to cover and soak 15 minutes until softened. Drain, reserve 1/4 cup soaking liquid.

Make chile sauce

In a blender, combine soaked guajillos, reserved soaking liquid, chipotle in adobo, quartered onion (reserve 1/4 cup raw for later use in braise), garlic cloves, apple cider vinegar, ground cumin, oregano, ground cloves, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Blend until very smooth, adding a bit more broth if needed to get a saucy consistency (about 1/4 cup). Taste and adjust salt.

Sear beef

Cut roast into 3–4 large chunks. Pat dry and season lightly with remaining 1 teaspoon salt and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Heat vegetable oil in a heavy Dutch oven or large ovenproof pot over medium-high heat. Sear beef on all sides until well browned, about 3–4 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.

Braise

Reduce heat to medium. Add reserved 1/4 cup chopped raw onion to the pot and sauté briefly 1–2 minutes. Pour in chile sauce and beef broth, scraping up browned bits. Return beef to pot and add bay leaves. Bring to a simmer, cover, and transfer to a preheated oven at 300°F (150°C). Braise for 3 to 3.5 hours, or until beef shreds easily with a fork. Alternatively, simmer gently on the stovetop, covered, for the same time.

Shred and finish

Remove beef and shred with two forks, discarding bay leaves. Skim fat from cooking liquid and reduce sauce on stove over medium-high heat for 8–10 minutes until slightly thickened, or leave as-is for juicier tacos. Return shredded beef to the pot and stir to coat with sauce; keep warm.

While the beef braises, combine white vinegar, water, sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a small saucepan and heat just until sugar and salt dissolve. Place thinly sliced red onion in a heatproof jar or bowl and pour hot brine over it. Let cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes (best 1 hour). These will keep refrigerated up to 2 weeks.

Warm corn tortillas in a dry skillet over medium heat, 30 seconds to 1 minute per side, or wrap stacked tortillas in foil and heat in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 10 minutes.

Assemble tacos by placing 2–3 tablespoons of barbacoa on each tortilla, then top with a pinch of finely chopped white onion, a sprinkle of chopped cilantro, crumbled queso fresco, and a few slices of pickled red onion. Season with a small pinch of salt if desired and serve with lime wedges.

Serve immediately while meat is hot. Leftover barbacoa can be refrigerated up to 4 days or frozen for 3 months.