Barbacoa

Dry the beef with a paper towel. This step is really important to get a nice crust on the beef. Generously salt and pepper the beef. Brown the beef in a few tablespoons of oil, in batches if you don’t have room in your pan.

Take the beef out and add the onions. Add more oil if you need it. Season the onions with some kosher salt and pepper. Cook until soft, about 8 minutes. Add in the garlic, cook for a few seconds. Add the cumin, oregano, chipotle, and cloves to the pan. Cook while stirring for a minute.

Add the beef, chicken stock, water, and bay leaves to the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and cover with a lid. I put the beef in a 325-degree oven for approximately 2 hours or until the beef is fork tender. You could also keep this on the stove and simmer it until tender.

After about 2 hours in the oven, test to make sure that the beef is tender enough to shred with a fork. If it is not shredding easily, put it back in the oven for a bit longer. When it is ready to come out of the oven, I take out the chipotle pepper. Add the vinegar.