I get asked to share this recipe more than almost any other. It’s true that cooking a tender, shredable bone-in chuck roast takes time, but slow cooking makes the perfect base for these Asian-inspired barbecue beef tacos. And if you’re not a taco fan, use Hawaiian rolls or serve the beef over rice. Whatever you do, don’t forget the persimmon salsa. The sweet and spicy blend complements the flavors in the meat. It’s a crowd-pleaser, for sure.
SERVES 4–6
For the beef
1 (4–5 pound) bone-in chuck roast
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 tablespoons avocado oil
2 large cloves garlic, sliced
1 teaspoon chili garlic paste
4 cups bone broth (see recipe on page 22)
For the barbecue sauce*
½ cup liquid aminos
½ cup water
¾ cup maple syrup
⅓ cup pear purée (no sugar added)**
2 cloves garlic, grated
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
½ teaspoon chili garlic sauce
For the persimmon salsa*
2 persimmons
½ white onion
½ bunch fresh cilantro
½–1 whole fresh jalapeño
Juice of 1 lime
Preheat oven to 250°F.
Pat dry the chuck roast and generously salt and pepper the meat. Set aside. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of avocado oil, sauté the sliced garlic cloves until aromatic, and then add the roast, searing on all sides. Add the garlic paste and bone broth. Cover the Dutch oven and braise in the oven for 6–7 hours, until the meat is falling off the bone.
Meanwhile, combine all of the ingredients for the sauce and store until ready to toss with the shredded beef.
Peel and chop the persimmons and white onion, chop the cilantro, and seed and dice the jalapeño. Combine in a small bowl with the lime juice and set aside until ready to serve.
When the meat is falling off the bone, remove from the Dutch oven and use 2 forks to shred the meat. Toss with ⅔ of the barbecue sauce. Spread the shredded beef onto a sheet pan and broil for 3–4 minutes, until the meat gets crispy edges. Keep a close eye on the beef as the time will vary from oven to oven.
Remove from the oven, add remaining sauce, and transfer to a serving platter. Serve family style with your choice of corn or flour tortillas and persimmon salsa.
*The barbecue sauce and salsa can be made 1 or 2 days ahead and stored in the refrigerator until ready to use.
**I use a small jar of Earth’s Best pear purée baby food with no sugar added.
Wine Pairing
2021 Scar of the Sea Zinfandel “Lopez Vineyard” Rancho Cucamonga
This delightful Zin comes from the old wine country of the Cucamonga Valley 70 miles to the east of Los Angeles under the watchful eye of the San Gabriel Mountains. Due in part to the harsh growing conditions of the area’s desert-like soils, this Zin is light on its feet, fruity like a young-vine wine (although it was planted in 1918), and has zippy acidity to break through fatty, fruity dishes like our Asian beef tacos. It would also be fun to try with the blackberry beet reduction on the elk loin.
Available at Mischa’s in Bozeman. $36
Recommendation by Norm Page, sommelier at The WineTrust, Bozeman.
Brew Pairing
By All Means Brewery “Phantasm” Double IPA
A recent release from The Lab at By All Means in Billings, where the brewery innovates and redefines brewing, this DIPA throws all the hops into the kitchen sink. Top varieties include Cashmere, Citra, El Dorado (Lupomax), Galaxy, and Rakau. The result is an 8.8-percent ABV that’s intensely hopped but is an extremely well-balanced sipper. The aromatic floral notes of a hoppy beer like this will do wonders with any barbecue sauce, especially one with the subtle fruity flavors of the persimmon salsa in these Asian-inspired tacos.
Available at Single Barrel in Bozeman. $30 for a 4-pack (16-ounce cans)
Recommendation by Norm Page, sommelier at The WineTrust, Bozeman.
