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Four beef chili tacos and two lime halves in a basket, with bowls of pickled onions, slaw, and a beer on the side.
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5 from 1 vote

Beef Chili Tacos

When chili con carne meets all your favorite taco fixings, the result is these beef chili tacos. The taste? Incomparable.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time2 hours 45 minutes
Course: Mains
Cuisine: Tex Mex
Servings: 6 to 8 servings
Calories: 413

Ingredients

  • 1 dried chipotle chile
  • 1 to 2 dried chiles, such as ancho or guajillo
  • 1 cup cold water
  • About 2 1/4 pounds braising steak, such as chuck shoulder or blade, cut into 1/2- to 1-inch (12- to 24-mm) dice
  • Mild vegetable oil or olive oil, for frying
  • 1 large garlic clove, minced
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon chile powder
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons dried coriander
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • Sea salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 to 2 fresh chiles, such as jalapeño, minced
  • 1 1/2 cups beer, such as Modelo
  • 1 beef bouillon cube (optional)
  • Small corn or flour tortillas
  • Lime, crème fraîche or sour cream, chopped cilantro, chopped onion, pickled red onions, diced avocado, and Cheddar cheese, for serving
US - Metric

Instructions

  • Remove the stems and seeds from the dried chipotle and ancho chiles. Toss the chiles in a small saucepan, cover with 1 cup (237 ml) water, and boil for about 15 minutes, until most of the cooking liquid has been absorbed.
  • In a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, warm 1 tablespoon oil. Add 1/3 of the beef and cook until the meat is well seared on each side, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl and repeat with the remaining meat in 2 more batches, adding 1 tablespoon oil to the pan after each batch. When the meat has been seared, toss the garlic in the pan and cook until golden brown on all sides.
  • Return the seared meat and any juices that may have collected in the bowl to the saucepan or Dutch oven. Sprinkle the meat with flour, chile powder, oregano, cumin, coriander, and sugar. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss the fresh chiles into the saucepan, too.
  • Pour the boiled chiles and their cooking water into a blender or food processor and purée. Pour the chile mixture over the meat and spices. Add the beer and the bouillon cube, if using. The liquid should just cover the meat. Cover and gently simmer the meat for at least 2 hours, or until the meat is tender and the sauce is slightly thickened and silken.
  • Serve the beef chili with the tortillas, wedges of lime, crème fraîche, or sour cream, cilantro, onion, avocado, and grated cheese.

Nutrition

Serving: 1portion | Calories: 413kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 104mg | Sodium: 278mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g