Beef Barbacoa Sliders

Method9 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Stem and seed the guajillo and ancho chiles. Heat a large dry skillet or comal over medium heat. Briefly toast the chiles in batches for no more than 20 seconds on each side, turning promptly and taking care not to burn them. Transfer the toasted chiles to a medium saucepan.

   Uses 10 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded · 10 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded

2. 2

   Step 2: Add all 5 cups of chile-cooking water to the toasted chiles in the saucepan. Heat over medium heat and cook at a gentle simmer for 12–15 minutes, checking from 12 minutes, until the chiles are softened and rehydrated. Keep the cooking liquid for the next step.

   Check the softened chiles · 12 minUses All 20 toasted chiles · 5 cups water for cooking the dried chiles

3. 3

   Step 3: Wash and quarter the tomato, coarsely chop the onion half and peel the garlic. Remove the stems from the five cloves, retaining their round heads. Blend all the softened chiles with exactly 2 cups of their cooking liquid, all the vinegar, tomato, onion, garlic, oregano, cinnamon (½ tsp), allspice (½ tsp), black pepper (½ tsp), clove heads and salt until smooth, following the blender’s hot-liquid directions. Discard the remaining cooking liquid.

   Uses All 20 softened chiles lifted from their cooking liquid · Exactly 2 cups of the actual cooking liquid · ⅓ cup apple cider vinegar · 1 medium Roma tomato, quartered · ½ medium white onion, coarsely chopped, about ½ cup · 3 medium garlic cloves, peeled · 1 tbsp dried oregano · ½ tsp ground cinnamon

4. 4

   Step 4: Wipe out the saucepan, add all the oil and heat over medium heat for 1–2 minutes. Carefully add the chile puree, avoiding splatters. Partially cover and cook for 10–12 minutes, checking from 10 minutes and stirring once or twice, until darker and thickened to a paste-like consistency.

   Check the thickened chile marinade · 10 minUses All the blended chile puree · 3 tbsp safflower or vegetable oil

5. 5

   Step 5: Remove the cooked marinade from the heat and let it cool until safe to handle before coating the raw beef. If preparing ahead, cool it promptly in a shallow container and keep it refrigerated; do not leave it out for a long cooling wait.

   Uses The cooked marinade paste

6. 6

   Step 6: Cut the raw beef into 4-inch chunks and coat with the cooled marinade in a large bowl. Cook the same day, or cover and refrigerate the marinated beef for no more than 48 hours. If using banana leaves, wash them and gently warm or rinse with warm water until pliable. Wrap each meat chunk in a leaf piece or aluminum foil, adding a generous spoonful of its marinade to each packet. Use only as much wrapping as needed; keep the marinated meat cold until ready to roast. Discard any raw-beef-contact marinade left in the bowl after wrapping.

   Uses 4 lb raw beef round roast or brisket, cut into 4-inch chunks · Cooled marinade used to coat the beef and generously fill each packet · Banana leaves from the 1 lb wrapping supply, or foil instead · Water for washing and warm-softening banana leaves if used, as needed

7. 7

   Step 7: Preheat the oven to 350°F / about 180°C. Arrange all the meat packets in a large heavy ovenproof casserole or Dutch oven and pour the whole bottle of beer into the casserole around them. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and roast for about 3 hours, until the meat is succulent and pulls apart easily with a fork. Continue roasting if needed to reach that tenderness.

   Check the fork-tender barbacoa · 180 minUses All assembled beef packets · 12 oz light beer, one bottle

8. 8

   Step 8: Move the covered casserole onto a heat-safe surface away from active heat. Let the cooked packets rest for 10–15 minutes, checking from 10 minutes, before carefully opening them to avoid hot steam.

   Rest the cooked barbacoa packets · 10 minUses The cooked casserole with all its packets and cooking liquid

9. 9

   Step 9: Carefully open the rested packets and discard the leaves or foil. Pull apart the tender cooked beef and use its cooked marinade with the meat. Fill the 24 small slider buns and pass the optional ready drunken salsa and pickled jalapeños for people to add as desired.

   Uses Fork-tender beef and cooked marinade lifted from the rested packets · 24 small slider buns, such as brioche or challah · Pickled jalapeños for optional serving, as desired · Prepared drunken pasilla, prune and orange salsa for optional serving, as desired