Shredded Beef Tacos (Carne Deshebrada)
By Andrew JanjigianPublished on January 8, 2014
Time
3½ to 4 hours
Yield
Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients
BEEF
1 ½ cups beer ½ cup cider vinegar 2 ounces (4 to 6) dried ancho chiles, stemmed, seeded, and torn into 1-inch pieces2 tablespoons tomato paste 6 garlic cloves, lightly crushed and peeled3 bay leaves 2 teaspoons ground cumin 2 teaspoons dried oregano Salt and pepper ½ teaspoon ground cloves ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 large onion, sliced into ½-inch-thick rounds3 pounds boneless beef short ribs, trimmed and cut into 2-inch cubesCABBAGE-CARROT SLAW
1 cup cider vinegar ½ cup water 1 tablespoon sugar 1 ½ teaspoons salt ½ head green cabbage, cored and sliced thin (6 cups)1 onion, sliced thin1 large carrot, peeled and shredded1 jalapeño chile, stemmed, seeded, and minced1 teaspoon dried oregano 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro 18 (6-inch) corn tortillas, warmed4 ounces queso fresco, crumbled (1 cup)Lime wedgeBefore You Begin
Use a full-bodied lager or ale such as Dos Equis or Sierra Nevada. If you can’t find queso fresco, substitute feta. If your Dutch oven does not have a tight-fitting lid, cover the pot tightly with a sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil and then replace the lid. To warm the tortillas, place them on a plate, cover them with a damp dish towel, and microwave them for 60 to 90 seconds. The shredded beef also makes a great filling for empanadas, tamales, and chiles rellenos.
Instructions
- 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 single layer on bottom of pot. Place beef on top of onion rounds in single layer. Cover and cook until meat is well browned and tender, 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
- While beef cooks, whisk vinegar, water, sugar, and salt in large bowl until sugar is dissolved. Add cabbage, onion, carrot, jalapeño, and oregano and toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours. Drain slaw and stir in cilantro right before serving.
- Using slotted spoon, transfer beef to large bowl, cover loosely with aluminum foil, and set aside. Strain liquid through fine-mesh strainer into 2-cup liquid measuring cup (do not wash pot). Discard onion rounds and bay leaves. Transfer remaining solids to blender. Let strained liquid settle for 5 minutes, then skim any fat off surface. Add water as needed to equal 1 cup. Pour liquid in blender with reserved solids and blend until smooth, about 2 minutes. Transfer sauce to now-empty pot.
- Using two forks, shred beef into bite-size pieces. Bring sauce to 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, passing slaw, queso fresco, and lime wedges separately.
for the beef
for the cabbage-carrot slaw
Time
3½ to 4 hoursYield
Serves 6 to 8Ingredients
BEEF
1 ½ cups beer
½ cup cider vinegar
2 ounces (4 to 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
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 large onion, sliced into ½-inch-thick rounds
3 pounds boneless beef short ribs, trimmed and cut into 2-inch cubes
CABBAGE-CARROT SLAW
1 cup cider vinegar
½ cup water
1 tablespoon sugar
1 ½ teaspoons salt
½ head green cabbage, cored and sliced thin (6 cups)
1 onion, sliced thin
1 large carrot, peeled and shredded
1 jalapeño chile, stemmed, seeded, and minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
18 (6-inch) corn tortillas, warmed
4 ounces queso fresco, crumbled (1 cup)
Lime wedge
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
BEEF
1 ½ cups beer
½ cup cider vinegar
2 ounces (4 to 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
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 large onion, sliced into ½-inch-thick rounds
3 pounds boneless beef short ribs, trimmed and cut into 2-inch cubes
CABBAGE-CARROT SLAW
1 cup cider vinegar
½ cup water
1 tablespoon sugar
1 ½ teaspoons salt
½ head green cabbage, cored and sliced thin (6 cups)
1 onion, sliced thin
1 large carrot, peeled and shredded
1 jalapeño chile, stemmed, seeded, and minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
18 (6-inch) corn tortillas, warmed
4 ounces queso fresco, crumbled (1 cup)
Lime wedge
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
BEEF
1 ½ cups beer
½ cup cider vinegar
2 ounces (4 to 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
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 large onion, sliced into ½-inch-thick rounds
3 pounds boneless beef short ribs, trimmed and cut into 2-inch cubes
CABBAGE-CARROT SLAW
1 cup cider vinegar
½ cup water
1 tablespoon sugar
1 ½ teaspoons salt
½ head green cabbage, cored and sliced thin (6 cups)
1 onion, sliced thin
1 large carrot, peeled and shredded
1 jalapeño chile, stemmed, seeded, and minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
18 (6-inch) corn tortillas, warmed
4 ounces queso fresco, crumbled (1 cup)
Lime wedge
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
In order to achieve a moist, tender, and richly flavored beef taco filling, we cooked boneless short ribs slowly and gently in a covered Dutch oven over a sauce base of dark beer, vinegar, and dried ancho chiles. In order to maximize browning during the braise (and skip searing beforehand), we set the meat over thick onion slices to expose more of its exterior to the oven’s heat.
Before You Begin
Use a full-bodied lager or ale such as Dos Equis or Sierra Nevada. If you can’t find queso fresco, substitute feta. If your Dutch oven does not have a tight-fitting lid, cover the pot tightly with a sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil and then replace the lid. To warm the tortillas, place them on a plate, cover them with a damp dish towel, and microwave them for 60 to 90 seconds. The shredded beef also makes a great filling for empanadas, tamales, and chiles rellenos.
Instructions
- 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 single layer on bottom of pot. Place beef on top of onion rounds in single layer. Cover and cook until meat is well browned and tender, 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
- While beef cooks, whisk vinegar, water, sugar, and salt in large bowl until sugar is dissolved. Add cabbage, onion, carrot, jalapeño, and oregano and toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours. Drain slaw and stir in cilantro right before serving.
- Using slotted spoon, transfer beef to large bowl, cover loosely with aluminum foil, and set aside. Strain liquid through fine-mesh strainer into 2-cup liquid measuring cup (do not wash pot). Discard onion rounds and bay leaves. Transfer remaining solids to blender. Let strained liquid settle for 5 minutes, then skim any fat off surface. Add water as needed to equal 1 cup. Pour liquid in blender with reserved solids and blend until smooth, about 2 minutes. Transfer sauce to now-empty pot.
- Using two forks, shred beef into bite-size pieces. Bring sauce to 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, passing slaw, queso fresco, and lime wedges separately.
for the beef
for the cabbage-carrot slaw
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