Ancho Braised Beef Tacos
Ancho (Ahn-cho) Chile (Capsicum Annum) means Wide Chile Pepper. This chile ranges from 3 – 4 on a heat scale of 1 to 10. An Ancho is the dried form of a Poblano Pepper and often is mislabeled as a Pasilla or Mulato Pepper. Anchos have sweet fruity flavor with hints of cherry, prune, and fig. Anchos, combined with the Pasilla and Guajillo, form the Holy Trinity of chiles used to prepare the traditional mole sauces. Scoville heat units are 1,000 to 3,000.
Suggested Use:
Anchos are great in salsa, soups, enchilada and any sauce needing mild heat and chile flavor. Chopped, pureed or ground, they can be added directly to your recipes.
Ingredients:
For the beef:
one 2 and 1/2 to 3 lb beef roast (I used rump roast from Hemlock Hill)
salt & freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp olive or vegetable oil
1 medium yellow onion, coarsely chopped
2 medium ancho chiles
2 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 tsp dried orgegano, or 1 tbsp fresh (I used Mexican)
one 8-oz jar marinated green peppers one
8-oz jar fire-roasted tomatoes
1/3 cup red wine one
16-oz jar fire roasted tomato and ancho chile sauce
For the tacos:
whole wheat flour tortillas
mixed baby greens
shredded cabbage
chopped green scallion
chopped fresh cilantro
salsa
Instructions:
Remove the beef from the refrigerator and allow to warm to room temperature while you prep the vegetables. Rinse the beef in cool water, dry well, and season liberally with salt & pepper.
Heat the oil over medium-high flame in a 5-quart Dutch oven (or other heavy-bottomed pot with a tight-fitting lid) until hot and sliding easily across the pot when swirled. Add the beef and sear each side until nicely browned, about 3 – 5 minutes/side remove to a clean plate.
Lower the heat to medium-low and add the onions and jalapeño peppers. If your beef is very lean, you may need to add another tablespoon of oil to prevent sticking. Sauté vegetables until lightly softened, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add oregano and garlic. Sauté for 1 minute. Add marinated green bell peppers and tomatoes, breaking up larger vegetable pieces with a spoon, and sauté for 1 minute.
Add wine and scrape up any fond from the bottom of the pot. Add tomato-ancho sauce and bring mixture to a boil over medium heat. Add beef, turning to coat all sides in sauce. Cover tightly and reduce heat to the lowest setting. Braise, turning the beef every 30 to 60 minutes, until falling-apart tender, about 5 – 6 hours. Alternatively, you can transfer everything to a Crock-Pot or slow cooker and cook on low for 6 – 8 hours.
Shred the beef, in the pot, with two forks. Transfer beef and sauce to a large serving dish. Serve warm, with taco fixings.
Serves 10.
From localkitchenblog.com