Instructions

Make the Salsa

Prepare a grill for live-fire cooking with a plancha or cast-iron pan set over medium heat.

Toast the guajillo and árbol chiles on the dry plancha for a few seconds per side, just until fragrant and slightly puffed. Do not let them blacken or they will turn bitter. Transfer the toasted chiles to a bowl and cover with hot water. Let soak for 30 minutes, until fully softened.

Meanwhile, toast the garlic cloves on the plancha until lightly charred and beginning to soften. Place the tomatoes and onion directly in the coals, turning as needed, until the tomatoes are blistered and charred on the outside and the onion is deeply charred with a softened interior. Brush away any ash or charcoal.

Peel the garlic. Trim the onion and peel away the burnt outer skin, keeping the smoky softened onion underneath. Add the garlic, tomatoes, onion, vinegar, oil and a generous pinch of salt to a blender or tall mixing cup. Add the soaked chiles and a splash of the chile soaking liquid. Puree until smooth, adding more soaking liquid only as needed to help the salsa blend.

Transfer the salsa to a small pot and simmer gently for 15 to 20 minutes, until slightly thickened and darker in color. Taste and season with more salt. Keep warm.

Make the Meatballs

In a large bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, pork back fat, ancho chile powder, smoked paprika, oregano, cumin, coriander, clove, black pepper and salt.

Add the egg, grated garlic, orange zest, orange juice, minced chipotle and 1 tablespoon of the cider vinegar. Add the ground elk and mix gently but thoroughly with your hands. The mixture should feel cohesive but not wet. Add the remaining tablespoon of vinegar only if the mixture can take it without becoming loose.

For the best flavor and texture, refrigerate the mixture uncovered for 12 to 24 hours. This lets the spices bloom, the garlic mellow and the mixture dry slightly. You can cook the meatballs right away if needed, but the overnight rest makes a noticeable difference.

Wet your hands and form the mixture into golf ball-size meatballs. Reserve about 1/2 cup of the mixture for the queso fundido.

Heat a plancha or large cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add the lard or neutral oil. Cook the meatballs, turning gently with a fish spatula, until browned on the outside and set enough to handle. Transfer the meatballs to the grill grates over direct heat and cook for 3 to 4 minutes longer, turning occasionally, until lightly charred and just cooked through.

Make the Queso Fundido

Roast the poblano directly over the fire until charred in spots and softened. Remove the stem and seeds, scrape away as much of the skin as comes off easily, and finely dice the pepper.

In a cast-iron skillet or clay cazuela, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the reserved elk chorizo mixture and cook, breaking it up, until browned and cooked through. Add the diced poblano and warm through.

Add the Oaxaca and Monterey Jack cheeses and cook near the fire or over gentle heat until melted, bubbling and stretchy. Do not overwork it or try to turn it into a smooth fondue; the goal is molten, pullable cheese.

Serve

Spoon the hot queso fundido into small clay dishes or serve family-style in the skillet. Arrange the grilled elk chorizo meatballs over the top. Spoon some red chile salsa over the meatballs or serve it on the side.

Finish with chopped cilantro, minced white onion and a squeeze of lime. Serve immediately with warm flour tortillas.

Tips

• If you do not have elk, venison, wild boar or another lean game meat will work. For very lean meats, make sure to include enough pork fat so the meatballs stay juicy.
• Do not make the meatballs too small. Larger, golf ball-size meatballs are easier to keep juicy over live fire.