Beef slow-braised in a complex dried chile sauce until melt-in-your-mouth tender. This high protein family celebration dish delivers rich, deeply spiced flavors with every bowl of consommé.
Remove seeds and stems from guajillo, ancho, and pasilla chiles. Toast chiles in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant, 2–3 minutes, turning occasionally to avoid burning.
Boil 4 cups of water and soak the toasted chiles for 20 minutes until softened. Meanwhile, cut beef into large chunks and season all over with 1 tsp salt.
In a large Dutch oven, heat 1 tbsp oil over medium-high. Sear beef pieces in batches until well browned on all sides, about 2–3 minutes per side. Set aside.
In a blender, combine soaked chiles (with soaking liquid), tomatoes, onion (quartered), garlic, cumin, oregano, cinnamon, peppercorns, and vinegar. Blend until very smooth.
Return seared beef to pot. Pour in chile sauce, add bay leaves, and top off with just enough water to submerge beef (about 3–4 cups). Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer.
Cover and braise gently for 2.5–3 hours, stirring occasionally and skimming excess fat, until beef is fork-tender and shreds easily.
Remove beef and shred with forks. Return meat to the consommé, adjust salt to taste, and simmer uncovered for 10 more minutes before serving hot.