Barbacoa Tacos
Description
These barbacoa tacos are filled with deliciously tender beef flavored with smoky chipotle chile peppers, charred onions, tomatoes, and garlic.
Ingredients
•
2 ripe plum tomatoes
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1 small white onion, quartered
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2 cloves garlic
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4 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
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3 teaspoons kosher salt
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1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
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1 teaspoon ground cumin
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1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
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1 (3 pound) beef chuck roast
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2 tablespoons olive oil
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1 cup water
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1 tablespoon light brown sugar
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2 teaspoons dried oregano
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3 fresh bay leaves
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1 tablespoon lime juice
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corn tortillas, warmed
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2 ripe avocados, peeled, pitted and sliced
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1/2 bunch radishes, thinly sliced
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2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, or to taste
Directions
1
Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high. Arrange whole tomatoes, onions (cut-side down), and garlic in the dry skillet in a single layer, working in batches if needed. Cook, turning occasionally, until charred on all sides, about 6 minutes for the garlic and about 12 minutes for the onions and tomatoes.
2
Transfer charred vegetables to a blender and add chipotle peppers. Process until smooth, about 1 minute.
3
Stir salt, chili powder, cumin, and black pepper together in a small bowl; season beef evenly with salt mixture.
4
Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add beef in batches and cook, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer browned beef to a large plate.
5
Pour water into the Dutch oven and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in onion-tomato mixture, brown sugar, oregano, and bay leaves. Reduce heat to medium-low and bring to a simmer.
6
Nestle beef back into pot and cover. Cook, stirring and re-nestling beef occasionally (about every 20 to 30 minutes), until beef is tender and pulls easily apart with a fork, 1 hour and 45 minutes to 2 hours and 15 minutes. Remove bay leaves and discard.
7
Remove beef from Dutch oven, place on cutting board; shred beef using 2 forks.
8
Return beef to the Dutch oven, add lime juice, and stir to combine.
9
Serve in corn tortillas with avocado, radishes, and cilantro.