Ingredients
- 2 lbs of beef brisket
- 2 lbs of beef cheeks
- Salt to taste
- 2 cups of beef stock
- 8 cloves of garlic
- 4 guajillo chiles
- 3 ancho peppers
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 teaspoons of oregano and cumin
- 1/4 cup of water
- 1 cinnamon stick, about 3 inches (not in the original notebook, called for in step 4 but absent from his list; Mexican canela if you can get it)
Equipment. Dutch oven or heavy lidded braiser, Parchment paper
Method
- Cut the beef into 3 inch cubes, season with salt
- Sear the beef for 3-4 minutes
- Turn off the heat
- Add the stock, garlic, whole chiles, cinnamon stick, bay leaf and oregano and cumin
- Add a layer of parchment paper on top
- Cover and put in the oven at 300F for 4 to 6 hours, until a fork shreds the beef with no resistance, roughly 203F inside
How long does it need in the oven?
300F, covered, for four to six hours. At 325F expect it done nearer four hours. At 275F it will want the full six.
The fork is the answer, not the clock. It is ready when a fork pulls the meat apart with no resistance, which lands at roughly 203F inside.
Should you toast the chillies first?
Yes. Chillies that go into the pot whole and untoasted give a thinner, paler broth.
Toast them 30 to 60 seconds a side in a dry pan until they smell nutty. Soak them in hot water for 15 to 20 minutes, blend with a little of the soaking liquid, then strain into the pot. The skins do not break down and leave grit if you skip the straining.
What do you do with it when it comes out?
Lift the meat out, shred it with two forks and skim the fat off the liquid. Put the meat back in for twenty minutes, then taste for salt.
Tacos with white onion and coriander is the default. Cool it within two hours and store the meat in its liquid, or it dries out in the fridge.