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Chex Mix
Lidey Heuck
247 ratings with an average rating of 4 out of 5 stars
247
1 hour, plus cooling
Updated May 17, 2024
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Heat oven to 275 degrees. Heat lard in a large, heavy-bottom pot or Dutch oven over medium and add onion and garlic, stirring occasionally, until just tender and beginning to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Add guajillo and morita chiles, stirring occasionally, until beginning to darken and moritas are slightly puffed, about 90 seconds. Add bay leaves, thyme, oregano, peppercorns and cumin seeds and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, 60 to 90 seconds.
Stir ¾ cup water and salt into the pot, then arrange beef on top. Bring to a boil, cover and transfer to the oven. Roast until beef is very tender and it shreds easily, 3½ to 4 hours. Let cool for 15 minutes, then transfer beef to a large bowl and, using a potato masher or 2 large forks, smash or pull beef until completely shredded.
Skim fat from the chile liquid in the pot. Transfer chile mixture and the liquid to a blender and process until smooth, adding a few splashes of water if mixture is very thick and difficult to blend. Transfer blended mixture to the bowl of shredded beef (or return everything to the pot) and stir until completely coated. Taste and season with salt, if necessary.
Serve barbacoa with warm tortillas, onion, cilantro, lime wedges and salsa, if desired.
Instead of 4 hours in the oven, cook it in a pressure-cooker for 1 hour 15 min.
Spicesinc.com has all the dried chilis you could hope for at very reasonable prices, especially if you buy in bulk and get whole chiles, not pre-ground. Stored carefully, they will last forever! A great site for spices of all kinds, and prompt service. (I’m not on their payroll, just love the site.
Here in Oaxaca, the "secret" for an outstanding barbacoa is avocado leaves.
Thoughts about subbing brisket for chuck?
This is the best thing I’ve ever made. I followed the recipe and it turned out incredible. Made it the night before and reheated it in a hot cast iron to crisp a little before stuffing it in tacos with cilantro, onion and radishes. Had a little avocado on top. Incredible.
Followed the recipe with a 4.5lb cross rib roast, used whatever dried chili’s available and no fresh thyme. Four hours in the oven and the meat was perfectly tender, and the reserved sauce was rich and flavorful. A delicious and satisfying cook!
2 tsp diamond crystal salt was still too salty for us.
How is the best way to reheat the meat? I have to make it a day ahead and transport it to a function and I wondered if you have suggestions for the best way to do that?
What is the best method to reheat the meat? I need to make it a day ahead and reheat it and keep it warm for a function. Would you recommend keeping it in a crockpot?
Can this be called barbacoa if it’s braised in a pot in the oven? I think it’s just a braise. Barbacoa is a specific method of cooking that’s done in a pit outdoors with different types of meat.
Not sure what I’m doing wrong, but it comes out too mild, and I definitely do not have much heat tolerance. I use more than twice the recommended amount of chipotle in adobo and have increased the other chilis as well.
Key ingredient in my region’s barbacoa is a blend of avocado, bay leaf, marjoram leaf, cumin slow cooked for 9 hrs. Cilantro, minced onion, spicy guacamole rolled in a corn tortilla. It’s a wkd family meal.
Outstanding recipe.
This recipe is a sleeper, SO easy and so good. Bang for buck is high.
@javiertoleda: how much avocado leaves would you use?! Thanks for the tip!
Sooo good! Used the canned chipotles - and my grocery store didn’t have anything dried, so I used dried red Hatch chiles instead.
What an outstanding recipe -- this was a big hit with my family. I didn't have morita chiles on hand so I used two chipotle peppers in adobo, and the results were great (and not at all spicy, if anyone at the table is spice-averse). Make sure you remove the bay leaves (and fish out some of the whole peppercorns, if you can) before blending the braising liquid at the end. The leftovers were even more flavorful on day 2. The next time I make this, I'll definitely do it one day before.
Pretty good. Doubled the sauce and used 6 lbs of chuck roast. Did not double the salt, used single amount. Best served with cotija cheese.
I used chile pasilla, (big red and dried) because that is what I had but otherwise followed the recipe to the t and it is fantastic. Picking up some fresh El Milagro tortillas tomorrow for a feast!
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