Ingredients

• 4 to 5 pounds chuck roast, cut into large 4-inch chunks
• ½ tablespoon kosher salt
• ½ tablespoon black pepper
• 1 ½ tablespoon olive oil
• 12 guajillo chiles, rinsed, stemmed, and seeded (about 2.5 oz)
• 5 ancho chiles, rinsed, stemmed, and seeded (about 2 oz)
• 5 árbol chiles, rinsed and stemmed (about 0.1 oz)
• 2 large Roma tomatoes
• ½ medium yellow onion
• 1 4-inch Mexican cinnamon stick
• 3 bay leaves
• ½ teaspoon whole black peppercorns
• Water, as needed
• 2 cups beef broth
• ¼ cup distilled white vinegar
• 5 cloves garlic
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
• ½ teaspoon ground cloves

Instructions

1. Season the chuck roast generously on all sides with the kosher salt and black pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
2. Working in two batches, sear the meat until browned on all sides. Once browned, remove the pot from the heat, return all the meat to the pot, and set aside.
3. While the meat is browning, place the guajillo chiles, ancho chiles, árbol chiles, tomatoes, onion, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, and peppercorns into a medium pot. Add enough water to fully cover the ingredients. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the softened chiles and the rest of the cooked ingredients to a large blender. Add 1 cup of the chile cooking liquid, the beef broth, white vinegar, garlic, cumin, oregano, and cloves. Blend on high until the sauce is completely smooth. If needed, blend in batches.
5. Strain the blended sauce through a fine mesh strainer directly into the pot with the seared meat, discarding any solids left in the strainer.
6. Stir to combine the meat and sauce. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 3 to 3½ hours, until the beef is very tender and easily shreds.
7. Transfer the meat to a large bowl and shred using two forks. Return the shredded meat to the pot with the consommé. Serve as a stew topped with diced onion and chopped cilantro, or use the meat and broth to make tacos in corn tortillas with shredded Oaxaca cheese, cilantro, and diced onion.

• Mexican cinnamon: Also called Ceylon cinnamon. It is soft and brittle and blends easily into the sauce. If unavailable, use a regular cinnamon stick and remove it before blending, or substitute with 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon.
• Mexican oregano: Regular oregano can be used if Mexican oregano is not available.
• Spice level: This recipe is medium to hot. For medium heat, use only 3 chiles de árbol. For mild heat, omit them entirely.
• Instant Pot method: Sear the meat using the sauté function, add the blended chile sauce, seal the lid, and pressure cook on high for 60 minutes. Allow a 10-minute natural pressure release before venting.
• Slow cooker method: Sear the meat separately, then transfer it with the blended sauce to a slow cooker. Cook on low for 7–8 hours or on high for 5 hours.