Smoked Chuck Texas Red
Post-oak smoked chuck braised in a deeply layered dried-chile, coffee, and chocolate red — bark and smoke up front, collagen-rich beef that yields to the spoon, finished bright with lime and cider vinegar.
- chuck roast, well-marbled3¼ lb
- kosher salt, for the rub2 tbsp
- black pepper, coarse ground1 tbsp
- ancho powder1 tbsp
- brown sugar, for rub2 tsp
- granulated garlic1 tsp
- granulated onion1 tsp
- cumin, ground, for rub1 tsp
- guajillo chiles, stemmed, seeded4
- ancho chiles, stemmed, seeded3
- pasilla chiles, stemmed, seeded2
- chiles de árbol, stemmed; adjust for heat1½
- chipotle in adobo1
- adobo sauce2 tsp
- cumin seed, whole1 tbsp
- coriander seed, whole1 tsp
- beef stock, divided; 2 cups for purée, up to 2 for braise4 cups
- brewed coffee, strong, hot1 cup
- reserved beef fat, skimmed from smoking drippings2 tbsp
- yellow onion, large, diced1
- poblano, diced1
- serrano, minced1
- shallot, minced1
- garlic cloves, minced6
- Mexican oregano1 tsp
- smoked paprika1 tsp
- cinnamon, ground¼ tsp
- ground clove1 pinch
- ground allspice1 pinch
- tomato paste2 tbsp
- brown sugar, for the chili base1 tbsp
- cocoa powder, unsweetened2 tsp
- dark chocolate, 70%+, chopped(optional)1 oz
- soy sauce1 tbsp
- fish sauce2 tsp
- masa harina, 1/4 cup cold stock to mix with1 tbsp
- apple cider vinegar2 tsp
- lime juice, fresh½ lime
- kosher salt, to finish
- 1
Night before: combine kosher salt, black pepper, ancho powder, 2 tsp brown sugar, granulated garlic, granulated onion, and ground cumin. Coat the chuck roast evenly and set uncovered on a rack over a sheet pan in the refrigerator overnight.
- 2
Run the Masterbuilt 1080 at 250°F with post oak or pecan. Smoke the chuck until internal temperature reaches 165°F, about 3–4 hours, confirming with an instant-read thermometer. Rest 20 minutes, then cube into ¾-inch pieces. Reserve all drippings; skim 2 tbsp of clear beef fat for the sofrito.
low250°F - 3
In a dry skillet over medium, toast the guajillo, ancho, pasilla, and árbol chiles 10–15 seconds per side until fragrant and pliable — don't let them scorch or they turn bitter. Remove, then toast the cumin and coriander seed until aromatic and grind fine.
medium - 4
Combine the toasted chiles with 2 cups hot beef stock, the coffee, chipotle, and adobo sauce. Hydrate 20 minutes. Blend completely smooth with the ground cumin and coriander, then pass through a fine-mesh strainer, pressing the solids. Discard skins and seeds.
- 5
In a Dutch oven over medium, heat the reserved beef fat. Cook the onion, poblano, and serrano 15–20 minutes, stirring, until deep golden. Add shallot, cook 2 minutes, then garlic, 1 minute more.
medium - 6
Push aromatics aside. Add Mexican oregano, smoked paprika, cinnamon, clove, and allspice; bloom 30 seconds in the fat. Stir in tomato paste and cook 2 minutes until it darkens to brick red.
medium - 7
Pour in the strained chile purée and fry, stirring frequently, 8–10 minutes until the fat separates at the edges and the paste darkens and tightens.
medium - 8
Stir in 1 tbsp brown sugar, cocoa, chopped chocolate, soy, and fish sauce. Add the cubed chuck and all reserved drippings. Pour in enough of the remaining beef stock (up to 2 cups) to loosen to a thick stew.
medium - 9
Bring to a gentle simmer, then drop to low. Simmer with the lid ajar 2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally and topping up with stock as needed, until the chuck smashes easily between two fingers. Skim surface fat as it pools.
low - 10
In the last 15 minutes, whisk masa harina with ¼ cup cold beef stock into a lump-free slurry, stir it in, and simmer uncovered to thicken and bind. Stir in the cider vinegar now.
low - 11
Off heat, stir in the lime juice and adjust salt to taste. Rest at least 30 minutes — ideally cool and refrigerate overnight, then gently reheat.
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