Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Braised Beef
- 1000 g beef chuck roast, cut into 5cm chunks
- 30 ml vegetable oil
- 1 white onion, roughly chopped
- 4 garlic, smashed
- 2 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
- 2 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
- 5 g ground cumin
- 2 g dried oregano
- 500 ml beef broth
- 10 g kosher salt
Pickled Onions
- 1 red onion, thinly sliced
- 120 ml apple cider vinegar
- 120 ml water
- 10 g granulated sugar
- 5 g kosher salt
Salsa Verde
- 450 g tomatillos, husked and rinsed
- 2 jalapenos, stemmed
- 2 garlic, peeled
- ½ white onion, roughly chopped
- 15 g fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
- 30 ml lime juice, freshly squeezed
- 3 g kosher salt
Assembly
- 16 corn tortillas, 15cm size
- 10 g fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- 2 lime wedges, cut into wedges
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 194 kcal
- Protein
- 16 g
- Carbohydrates
- 18 g
- Fat
- 7 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 4 g
- Sodium
- 621 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 2 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 42 mg
- Potassium
- 440 mg
- Calcium
- 53 mg
- Iron
- 2.5 mg
- Magnesium
- 44 mg
- Phosphorus
- 234 mg
- Zinc
- 5.7 mg
- Vitamin A
- 172 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 10 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.1 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.5 mg
- Vitamin K
- 10 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.4 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 1.8 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.09 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.17 mg
- Niacin
- 4.2 mg
- Folate
- 13 mcg
- Water
- 158 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Heat the vegetable oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Using tongs, sear the beef chuck roast chunks on all sides until a deep brown crust forms, about 8 minutes in total. Remove the beef and set aside.
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the chopped onion and smashed garlic to the residual beef fat in the Dutch oven and cook for 3 minutes. Add the dried ancho chiles, dried guajillo chiles, cumin, and oregano. Toast for 1 minute until highly fragrant.
Preheat your oven to 150°C/300°F. Return the seared beef to the Dutch oven. Pour in the beef broth and add the salt. Bring the liquid to a simmer, cover tightly with the lid, and transfer to the oven. Braise for 3 hours until the beef yields completely to a fork.
While the beef braises, prepare the pickled onions. In a small saucepan, combine the water, apple cider vinegar, sugar, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat until the sugar and salt dissolve. Pour the hot liquid over the sliced red onions in a glass jar. Let cool to room temperature, seal with the lid, and refrigerate.
Prepare the salsa verde. Place the husked tomatillos, jalapenos, and remaining garlic cloves on a baking sheet. Roast in the oven alongside the beef for the last 15 minutes of the braising time, or until the vegetables are softened and blistered.
Transfer the roasted tomatillos, jalapenos, and garlic to a blender. Add the raw white onion, fresh cilantro, lime juice, and salt. Blend until the salsa is uniform but still retains a slightly chunky texture.
Remove the Dutch oven from the oven. Transfer the beef chunks to a cutting board and shred them using two forks. Skim excess fat from the surface of the braising liquid, then carefully blend the liquid and softened chiles until smooth. Toss the shredded beef with the blended sauce.
Heat a dry cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Warm the corn tortillas for about 30 seconds per side until pliable. Fill each tortilla with the shredded beef, and top with pickled onions, salsa verde, and fresh cilantro. Serve immediately with lime wedges.
Chef's Notes
- Toasting the dried chiles wakes up their dormant essential oils, providing a much deeper, more complex flavor to the braising liquid that cannot be achieved through boiling alone.
- Always warm your corn tortillas before assembling. Cold corn tortillas are brittle and will shatter; heating them makes them pliable and enhances their earthy corn aroma.
- Pickled onions are best made at least an hour ahead, but they reach peak flavor and color after 24 hours in the refrigerator.
- Do not discard the braising liquid. Blending it with the aromatics creates a rich, velvety consomme-like sauce that ensures your shredded meat remains incredibly moist.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store beef, salsa, and pickled onions in separate airtight containers.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze braised beef only. Salsa and pickled onions do not freeze well.
Reheating: Gently simmer the beef in a skillet with a splash of broth or water until warmed through.
Troubleshooting
Beef is tough and chewy
Cause: Beef was not braised long enough to break down connective tissue
Fix: Return the covered pot to the oven and braise for another 30 to 45 minutes until fork-tender
Prevention: Ensure the oven maintains a consistent low temperature and allow full braising time
Corn tortillas tear or break when folded
Cause: Tortillas were not heated thoroughly or dried out during heating
Fix: Reheat the torn tortilla briefly in a skillet to soften, or double up with a second tortilla
Prevention: Warm tortillas just before serving and keep them wrapped in a clean damp towel
Cultural Context
Tacos are a foundational pillar of Mexican cuisine, originally consumed by indigenous populations in the Valley of Mexico long before Spanish arrival. Braising tough cuts of meat slowly over low heat with native chiles is a time-honored technique that transforms humble ingredients into rich, deeply flavored dishes. The vibrant contrast of rich meat, acidic pickled onions, and bright salsa verde exemplifies the masterful balance of flavors characteristic of Mexican culinary traditions.
