Agujas: slowly cooked, smoky barbecued chuck steaks
From: Fine Cooking #46 September 2001: Barbecuing northern Mexico Style
Serves: 4
Chris Shenton 2006-05-14

This is a simple dish with a big rustic flavor.  Beef chuck is
flavorful and has enough fat to keep it from drying out in the
extended cooking that keeps it from being tough; these are not meant
to be served rare like a more tender cut.  They should be no more than
3/4 inch thick, well-marbled, and ideally bone-in.  Cooking over
Mesquite is best but other woods can be substituted.  I use hardwood
chunk charcoal topped with mesquite or other flavorful wood.

These are traditionally served with flour tortillas, pico de gallo, salsa
and beer.  I like to make masa tortillas for these.  I didn't find his
Salsa de Serrano o Jalapeno Asado very tasty -- heat without flavor;
I much prefer Rick Bayless' roasted tomatillo and chipotle salsa.

		Mesquite chunks or or soaked chips
2	pound	Chuck Eye Steak bone-in, 3/4 inch thick (1/2 pound boneless)
		[at a store near us, we got Chuck Blade Steak which was good]
1-2	limes	Lime Juice, freshly squeezed
		Salt
				
Light 5 quarts mesquite or hardwood chunks.  When burning well, bank
coals to one side of grill.  Grill any Chilis and Tomatos for salsas
over direct heat.

Let coals burn down until covered in gray ash and there are no flames,
about 30-40 minutes.  The temparature on the grate away from the coals
should be 250-275F with the grill lid on; this is the same temperature we
use for long smoked meats in our offset smoker.

If the steaks are thicker than 1/2 inch, pound to 1/2 inch thick.
Brush steaks with lime juice and sprinkle with salt.

Put the Mesquite chunks or soaked chips onto the coals.
Place the steaks on the grate opposite the coals -- indirect heat --
and cover the grill; after 15 minutes, turn the steaks.
They should be charred and well done but tender after 30 minutes total.
Remove from grill, chop or slice very thinly.
Serve with salsas on tortillas.

Pico de Gallo

1	medium	Tomato, ripe, cored, seeded, finely chopped
3		Serrano Chiles (or 2 jalapenos), cored, seeded, minced
2		Scallions (white and green parts), minced
3	tbs	White Onion, finely chopped
1	tsp	Lime Juice, freshly squeezed
		Salt to taste

Toss all ingredients together and mix.
Serve immediately or it will lose its fresh taste.