Ingredients

  • 2 cups vegetable stock or broth
  • 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
  • 2 chipotle peppers
  • 1 yellow onion, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 4 pounds beef round roast
  • 2 tablespoons ground cumin
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper
  • 2 poblano peppers
  • 4 tomatillos, chopped
  • 2 avocados, halved, pitted and flesh diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 lime, juiced
  • 1/4 bunch cilantro, leaves chopped
  • 1 tablespoon white vinegar
  • Pinch salt and freshly cracked black pepper, plus more for seasoning
  • 3 cups canola oil
  • 24 corn tortillas
  • 24 small flour tortillas
  • 1 small head green cabbage, shredded
  • 2 cups crumbled queso fresco

Method

  • Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
  • Add the vegetable stock, tomatoes, chipotle peppers, onions and garlic to a Dutch oven and stir to combine.
  • In small bowl, combine the cumin, chili powder, salt and black pepper.
  • Sprinkle the spice mixture over the beef so that it is evenly coated.
  • Put the seasoned beef into the Dutch oven and cover.
  • Braise in the oven until the meat is fork tender, about 3 hours.
  • Remove the beef from the pot and put it into a baking dish.
  • Shred with 2 forks and drizzle with some of the braising liquid to keep the meat moist.
  • Cover with some aluminum foil until ready to serve.
  • Green Salsa:
  • Preheat a broiler.
  • Put the poblano peppers on a sheet pan under the broiler for 8 minutes, turning every 2 minutes until the skins are charred.
  • Remove the pan from the broiler, put the peppers into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let them sit to allow the skin to separate from the flesh, about 10 minutes.
  • Core, seed and peel the charred skin from the peppers.
  • Add the peppers along with the remaining salsa ingredients, except 3/4 of the diced avocado, to a blender.
  • Puree the mixture until smooth.
  • Pour the mixture into a medium bowl, and add the remaining diced avocado.
  • Gently toss the salsa with a rubber spatula to coat the avocado.
  • Taste and adjust the seasonings with more salt and pepper, if needed.
  • Set aside
  • Tacos:
  • Bring the canola oil to 350 degrees F in a large skillet over medium heat.
  • Fry the corn tortillas in batches until crispy but still slightly pliable, about 2 to 3 minutes.
  • Transfer them to a sheet tray lined with paper towels to drain any excess oil.
  • Put the flour tortillas in a damp towel and microwave for 45 seconds on high to soften them.
  • Arrange a fried corn tortilla onto each flour tortilla.
  • Spoon some of the beef onto the fried tortilla, top each taco with some shredded cabbage, 2 tablespoons green salsa and 1 tablespoon queso fresco.
  • Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
  • Arrange on a serving platter and serve.