Coffee Braised Chile Beef
Coffee braised beef roast with spices and a hint of balsamic vinegar, cooked low and slow for fall apart tenderness
Coffee braised beef roast with spices and a hint of balsamic vinegar, cooked low and slow for fall apart tenderness
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 2 1/2 pounds beef roast leanest cut available
- 4 cloves garlic minced or pressed
- 2 teaspoon cocoa powder
- 3 tablespoons ancho chili powder
- 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder optional if you like spicy food
- 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 3/4 cup coffee brewed strong; preferably cold brewed
- 1/2 red onion large; thickly sliced
- Carbohydrate 11.9910537093602 g
- Cholesterol 187.106852625 mg
- Fat 49.4473950759429 g
- Fiber 2.0546045942423 g
- Protein 54.6297588225069 g
- Saturated Fat 19.7659661085237 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (387g)
- Sodium 199.381575787869 mg
- Sugar 9.93644911511788 g
- Trans Fat 6.40950646852483 g
- Calories 722 calories
Step-by-step
- Combine all ingredients except for the beef, coffee, onion, and vinegar. Add enough water to form a loose paste. Rub the beef with the spice paste on all sides.
- Spread the onion in the bottom of your slow cooker. Place the beef roast on top. Stir the vinegar into the coffee and pour it over the roast.
- Cook for 6-8 hours on low or until very tender.
- Simpler variation: Use a pre-made spice mix such as VSpicery Cocoa Loco or Penzeys Chili 9000 instead of the spice mix. Just season the roast liberally and braise in the coffee-vinegar mixture.
Long cooking windows demand careful planning, particularly when utilizing a standard slow cooker that requires six to eight hours on low heat to properly break down tough collagen fibers into gelatin without scorching the exterior. Selecting a cut with adequate intramuscular fat ensures the meat remains succulent during this extended thermal processing. Successful execution relies on precise preparation techniques and proper hardware management from the initial paste application to the final shredding phase.
- Mix the cumin, oregano, cocoa powder, ancho chili powder, cinnamon, chipotle powder, and salt with water until a loose, cohesive paste forms rather than a dry rub, ensuring the aromatics adhere evenly across the entire surface of the lean beef roast.
- Layer thick slices of red onion at the base of the ceramic insert before introducing the meat; this acts as a crucial thermal buffer that prevents direct contact scorching against the heating element while imparting foundational allium sweetness to the surrounding braising liquid.
- Brew strong coffee, preferably cold-brewed to minimize bitter secondary compounds, and thoroughly stir in the balsamic vinegar before pouring the mixture around the base of the roast rather than directly over the spiced exterior, which would otherwise wash away the seasoned crust.
- Shred the resulting tender beef directly within its residual cooking juices and store any portions destined for later use in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days, where flavors will continue to meld and deepen significantly.
Leftover portions transform effortlessly into fillings for enchiladas or tacos after a quick reheating in a skillet with a splash of water. Repurposing the chilled meat in this manner provides a convenient second meal with minimal active kitchen time.
