George “Tex” Jasso is the owner and chef of Tex Kitchen, a food truck located at Panama City’s famous No Name Lounge. Known for its strong drinks, live music scene, and dazzling sunsets thanks to its location on the base of the Hathaway Bridge facing St. Andrew Bay, No Name Lounge has been a Panama City institution since 1980.
Born and raised in Corpus Christi, Texas, Jasso graduated from Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Atlanta in 2004 and has traveled the country learning different cooking styles. Upon moving to Florida, he missed the flavors of Texas, and subsequently opened Tex Kitchen to share the food of the Lone Star State.
Photo by: James Smith
recipe 
yields
Yields 12 tacos
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 pounds boneless chuck roast
1 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning roast
Freshly ground black pepper
1 onion, halved
2 dried Ancho chiles, stems and seeds removed
3 dried guajillo chiles, stems and seeds removed
2 roma tomatoes
3 garlic cloves
1 (1/2-inch) cinnamon stick
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
½ teaspoon black peppercorn
7 cups beef broth, divided
12 corn tortillas
½ cup Mexican melting cheese
¼ cup cilantro
Toppings for serving, such as additional cilantro, onions, cheese, plus sliced jalapeños and lime wedges
ingredients
steps
- Heat olive oil in a large pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat. When hot, season beef with salt and pepper and add to pot. Sear on all sides. Add half of onion to pot and cook 2 minutes more. Remove from heat and set aside.
- In a medium pot, combine chiles, tomatoes, remaining onion half, garlic, cinnamon stick, and bay leaf. Add enough water to cover (about 4 to 5 cups) and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Stir in oregano, thyme, cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, and black peppercorns and simmer for 10 more minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Pour sauce through a fine-mesh strainer into a large bowl. Discard bay leaf and cinnamon stick, then transfer remaining solids to a blender. Add 2 cups of liquid from sauce and 1 cup beef broth to the blender and process until smooth. Taste and add more salt as needed.
- Return pot with beef and onion to stove over medium heat. Pour blended sauce over beef—if it’s not enough to lightly cover the beef, add additional beef broth. Bring it to a simmer, then cover and lower heat. Simmer until meat is tender and shreds easily, about 2 to 3 hours.
- Once beef is tender, remove from sauce and shred. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Using tongs, dip tortilla in sauce, then place in hot skillet. Top with shredded beef, cheese, and cilantro, and fold tortilla over. Fry until crispy, about 1 minute on each side. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Serve warm with a bowl of birria jus for dipping and additional toppings like cilantro, diced onions, cheese, sliced jalapeños, and lime wedges.
Date Published: 03.10.22
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- Created by George "Tex" Jasso, Tex Kitchen, Panama City, Florida
