Here's my recipe:
Ingredients:
1. five lbs. chuck (usually blade as you need lots of connective tissue), cut into 1/2", 3/4" or 1" cubes, whichever you prefer.
2. five dried ancho chiles, seeds removed
3. five Serrano chiles, seeds removed
4. ten cloves of garlic, minced
5. five teaspoons cumin (toast the seeds, then grind into powder)
6. five teaspoons Mexican oregano
7. one jalapeno chile, seeded and finely diced
8. three chipotle chiles, and three tablespoons of accompanying adobo sauce
9. two tablespoons of peanut oil
10. masa harina as needed (usually a tablespoon or two will do the trick)
Tools:
1. Heavy dutch oven (plain cast iron or enameled cast iron is best)
2. Separate two-quart pot for boiling chiles.
2. Patience
Steps:
1. Salt cubes of beef liberally and let sit on rack for 15 minutes. The proteins will come to the surface and will make for better browning.
2. Heat one tablespoon of oil and brown cubes of beef. Don't crowd the pan. Will probably have to do in five to eight sections. Pull cubes and put into a bowl.
3. While browning meat, cut the tops of ancho and Serrano peppers, strip the seeds and veins and put into bowl. Cover with water and bring to boil. Simmer for 20 minutes until soft and rehydrated. Then, strain out chiles, reserve water (now made into "chile tea") and either dice to paste or put into blender/food processor adding chile tea until a smooth paste is accomplished.
4. Use same pot that you browned beef in (with the beef fat and fond remaining), add the last tablespoon of oil and throw in diced jalapeno and minced garlic. Saute on medium heat until soft.
5. Add cumin and oregano and sautee for two minutes.
6. Add beef back in and all liquid that came off beef after browning.
7. Add in chile paste and enough "chile tea" to cover.
8. Bring to simmer and cook for 4-5 hours with lid off or splatter screen. When it gets too dry, add more chile tea. When chile tea is depleted, add water.
9. When chile is completed, let rest for 15-30 minutes, skim off fat and bring back to simmer. Add masa harina until thickened.
It's good enough alone, but you can serve it with pinto beans, onions, cheese, rice, whatever. I tend to make a big batch because it takes a while. It freezes well.
