Toast the dried guajillo chiles, ancho chiles, and chipotle chiles in a dry cast iron skillet over medium heat for about 2 minutes until fragrant, stirring to prevent burning. You should see them darken slightly and smell smoky.

Soak the toasted chiles in hot water for 10 minutes to soften them. Press a piece to confirm it bends easily.

Drain the chiles and blend with the halved onion, crushed garlic, cumin, oregano, and apple cider vinegar until smooth. Scrape down the sides so the mixture stays even.

Strain the blended chile sauce through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl. Stop when only fibrous solids remain.

Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. The pot should be hot enough to immediately sizzle.

Add the strained chile sauce and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to deepen the color. It should look thick and fragrant.

Add the beef broth, tomato paste, bay leaves, and cinnamon stick to the pot and bring to a boil. Look for rolling bubbles across the surface.

Add the beef chuck roast chunks and return to a boil, making sure the liquid reaches a steady simmer. The beef should start cooking right away.

Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 90-120 minutes until the beef is fall-apart tender. Skim lightly if needed and watch for the meat to shred easily with a fork.

Season with salt and pepper to taste and stir to combine. Adjust gradually until the consomé tastes balanced.

Shred the cooked beef and keep it in the consomé so it stays moist. The fibers should separate easily.

For tacos, dip corn tortillas in the hot consomé and then fill with shredded meat. Repeat quickly so the tortillas soften and lightly coat.

Top the tacos with diced onion and cilantro and serve with lime wedges. The garnishes should look bright against the deep red broth.

For stew, ladle meat and consomé into bowls and serve with lime wedges. The bowl should be steaming with visible tender meat in the red broth.