Description
Beef chuck is slow-braised in a complex liquid of red wine, coffee, and spices until fall-apart tender. This rich, shredded beef is perfect for loading into warm tortillas.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 2 pounds (900g) beef chuck,cut into 2-inch (5 cm) strips
- Salt and black pepper,to taste
- Butter,for browning
- Water,as needed
- 1 cup (240ml) red wine
- 3/4 cup (200ml) black coffee or cold brew
- 1 teaspoon (5ml) MSG
- 1 beef stock cube
- 2 teaspoons (10ml) dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons (10ml) onion powder
- 1 teaspoon (5ml) garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons (10ml) ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons (10ml) ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon (5ml) red chili flakes
- 1/3 cup (79ml) ketchup
- 3 tablespoons (44ml) honey
- Warm tortillas
- Optional toppings: chopped cilantro,diced red onion,lime wedges,crema,pickled jalapeños
Instructions
- Cut the beef chuck into thick strips, about 2 inches (5 cm) wide. Season all sides generously with salt and pepper.
- In a large pan over medium heat, add a pat of butter or oil and brown the beef in batches until all sides are seared. This should take about 7–10 minutes total. Do not overcrowd the pan—browning in batches helps build flavor.
- Once all beef is browned and removed, pour a splash of water into the hot pan and scrape up any browned bits with a wooden spoon (deglazing).
- Pour the deglazing liquid into a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven.
- Add the browned beef to the pot. Pour in red wine and enough water to fully submerge the meat.
- Add the coffee or cold brew, MSG (optional), beef stock cube, ketchup, honey, dried oregano, onion powder, garlic powder, ground cumin, ground cinnamon, and red chili flakes. Stir once to distribute.
- Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover the pot with a lid, and simmer gently for 3 hours.
- After 3 hours, remove the lid. Raise the heat to medium and let it simmer uncovered until the liquid reduces to about 1 cup (roughly 1/4 of the original volume), about 45 minutes. The sauce should thicken slightly and just coat the bottom of the pan—monitor closely during this reduction.
- Remove the pot from the heat, take out the beef and allow to rest uncovered for 30–45 minutes.
- Use two forks to shred the beef into bite-sized pieces. Transfer the beef back into the pot and stir with the remaining sauce.
- Serve the pulled beef in warm tortillas with your preferred toppings (chopped cilantro, diced red onion, lime wedges, crema, pickled jalapeños, etc.).
Notes
- Cut the beef into large strips (2 inches) instead of dicing for better texture after shredding.
- Monitor the sauce closely during the 45-minute reduction period to ensure it thickens slightly and coats the bottom of the pan.
- Allow the beef to rest uncovered for 30–45 minutes after braising before shredding and tossing with the reduced sauce to retain juiciness.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 270 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Braising
- Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Nutrition
- Serving Size: Approx. 3-4 tacos per person
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 10
- Sodium: 700
- Fat: 25
- Saturated Fat: 10
- Unsaturated Fat: 12
- Trans Fat: 1
- Carbohydrates: 15
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 35
- Cholesterol: 120