Beef Birria

Toast the whole spices (guajillo, ancho, árbol chiles, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, whole cloves, Mexican oregano, and the cinnamon stick) in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 2–3 minutes; set aside.

While the spices toast, preheat a large Dutch oven over medium‑high heat and add a thin layer of high‑heat oil.

Char the whole vegetables—Roma tomatoes, the halved white onion, and the whole garlic cloves—in the Dutch oven, turning occasionally, until the skins are blistered and lightly blackened, about 5–7 minutes; remove and set aside.

In a medium saucepan, combine the toasted dried chiles, the charred tomatoes, onion, garlic, toasted cumin and coriander seeds, whole cloves, Mexican oregano, beef bouillon powder, and beef broth. Bring to a simmer and cook until the chiles and vegetables are very soft, about 10–15 minutes.

Transfer the softened mixture to a blender, add a splash of the broth if needed, and blend until completely smooth.

Strain the blended sauce through a large fine‑mesh strainer back into the Dutch oven, pressing the solids to extract maximum flavor; discard the solids.

Return the Dutch oven to the stove, bring the sauce to a gentle simmer over medium‑high heat, and cook for 5 minutes to meld the flavors.

Season the sauce with a pinch of salt, then add the searing oil back to the pot.

Pat the chuck roast chunks dry, season generously with salt and pepper, and sear them in batches in the Dutch oven until browned on all sides, about 3–4 minutes per batch; set the browned meat aside.

Return all seared beef pieces to the pot, add the low‑sodium soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, the whole cinnamon stick, and the bay leaves.

Reduce the heat to low, cover the Dutch oven, and let the birria simmer gently for 3 to 4½ hours, or until the meat is fork‑tender and falls apart easily. Check after 3 hours; if using larger ½‑lb chunks, allow up to 4½ hours.

Once tender, remove the cinnamon stick and bay leaves. Skim any excess fat from the surface if desired.

Serve the birria hot, ladling the rich broth (consommé) into bowls. Garnish each serving with chopped cilantro, a squeeze of lime, diced raw onion, and warm corn tortillas on the side.