These recipes come together differently, but they share a result: spicy, fork-tender meat. All you need is a stack of hot corn tortillas to sop up the delicious juices
San Francisco's Tacolicious ($$; tacolicioussf.com) serves this braised pork in tacos, but owner Joe Hargrave also makes it at home as a fall stew. The chiles fall apart as the dish cooks, giving the meat a mellow, earthy spiciness.
Recipe: Shot-and-a-Beer Pork Stew
Jeff Smedstad, chef-owner of Elote Cafe ($$; closed Sun; elotecafe.com) in Sedona, Arizona, learned the secrets to great adobos (a type of chile-rich sauce) in the markets of central Mexico. This lamb dish is adapted from one in his book, Elote Cafe Cookbook (Elote Cafe Publishing; $30).
Recipe: Lamb Shanks Adobo
This recipe is adapted from one in Amor y Tacos (Stewart, Tabori & Chang, May 2010; $19) by San Diego–based chef Deborah Schneider.
Recipe: Cola Shredded Beef Tacos
Brown meat in fat to develop rich flavor. For best color, it's important to be patient and not crowd the pan.
Toast chiles a little to intensify their flavor, then add them to the meat with the liquids, onion, garlic, and other seasonings. Cook the meat long and slow, tightly covered to retain moisture. It's done when you can slide a fork right in.