Fast or Slow Barbecued Shredded Beef with Coffee and Vinegar

EASIER

GLUTEN-FREE

Makes 6 to 8 servings

Coffee makes an amazing barbecue sauce. It’s got the right mix of bitter- and savory-ness to set off the sweet undertones in barbecued brisket. There’s also plenty of sweetness in the raisins and even the balsamic vinegar. Want to go nuts? Ladle the shredded beef over a bowl of Fritos and top with some shredded Cheddar. Or just serve it over brown rice with some bottled hot sauce on the side.

1½ cups strong black coffee

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons finely grated orange zest

2 tablespoons packed fresh oregano leaves

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce, stemmed, seeded if desired, and minced

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 teaspoon table salt

½ teaspoon ground allspice

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

3 pounds beef flank steak or skirt steaks, cut into 4 or 5 portions

1 medium red onion, halved and sliced into thin half-moons

⅓ cup raisins

1. Combine the coffee, vinegar, orange zest, oregano, cumin, chile, garlic, salt, allspice, and pepper in a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker or a 6-quart stovetop or electric pressure cooker.

2. Add the beef, then the onions and raisins. Toss well to coat in the sauce.

3. To cook the beef in the slow cooker: Cover and cook on high for 5 hours or on low for 9 hours, until the meat is fork-tender. Shred the meat with two forks right in the cooker. Mix it with the sauce and serve warm.

To cook the beef in the pressure cooker: Lock the lid onto the cooker and cook at high pressure for 35 minutes in a stovetop pot (15 psi) or for 42 minutes in an electric pot (9 to 11 psi). Remove the pot from the heat or turn off the electric pot; let the pressure come back to normal naturally, 15 to 20 minutes. Unlock the lid and remove it. Shred the meat with two forks right in the cooker, toss with the sauce, and serve warm.

Test Kitchen Notes

• The coffee should be quite strong. Use 50 percent more grounds than you might—or make espresso.

• Or make very strong coffee by whisking together equal parts water and instant espresso powder.

• Skirt steak may have a thin, translucent membrane on one side. Peel it off before using, or have the butcher do it for you.

• The mixture is itself gluten-free—and will definitely be so if served on gluten-free buns.

Voilà! To keep raisins fresh, remove them from their original packaging and place in a sealable plastic bag. Squeeze out all the excess air and seal tightly. Store in a cool pantry for 6 months, maybe more.