Remove the stems and seeds from the dried peppers by cutting off the top stem, cutting up the pepper vertically, and using your fingers to remove the seeds. Discard the seeds.
Place clean peppers in a large bowl and cover with hot water. Place a small plate or bowl over top to weigh them down and submerge them. Soak until soft, about 30 minutes
While the peppers are soaking, I like to chop the onion, grate the garlic, and prepare the beef. Prepare the beef by removing all excess fat. Then, cut into large pieces, about 3x3x3" up to 5x3x3". I prefer the larger size. Season the beef with salt and pepper.
After the peppers are finished soaking, remove them from the bowl and place them in the food processor, carefully to reserve the water. Add the cumin, black pepper, salt, cayenne, smoked paprika, and ½ cup of reserved water to the food processor. Puree the mixture to form a smooth paste, adding more water only if needed. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350℉
Heat a large Dutch Oven with lid over high/sear heat and lightly coat with olive oil. Sear the meat in batches to brown all sides of the chunks. Do not overcrowd the pot, do this in batches as needed. Transfer beef into a bowl and reserve.
Reduce the pot to medium heat and add the onion to cook until translucent, a few minutes. Add garlic and the pepper spice paste in, stirring well to combine, and cook for another 2-3 minutes until fragrant. While stirring, scrape up any brown bits on the bottom of the pot using a wooden spoon.
Stir in additional water so that the braising liquid will go up ½ way to ¾ way up the beef after you add the beef in. The total amount may vary depending on the size of your pot and how much beef you have. If you're unsure, start with a small amount and add more after if needed after adding in the beef.
Add the beef back into the pot along with any juices from the holding plate. Put the lid on the Dutch oven and braise for 3-4 hours until fork tender. I like to check on the pot about 2 ½ hours in to make sure there is still enough liquid in the pot (you don't want it to get too low).
