Shredded Beef Tacos

We eat a lot of chicken (you may have noticed) and hamburger at my house.  blah, blah, blah.  To get out of that rut I like to make this shredded taco meat for a change.  This cooking method is universal, you can use many kinds of meat in place of beef. Here goes-

I'm starting with a 4lb beef chuck roast, but I always tell the meat man (or woman) how I'm cooking it to make sure I get the right one. Plus they may know something that I don't, give me helpful cooking tips and can steer me in better direction (did you get that? steer.  lame I know).

Anyhoo, 4 lb roast, salt & pepper generously into a large, heavy oven proof pot that has a lid to brown  in olive oil on all sides.

Remove meat from pot to a plate and place in 2 onions, chopped large, with a little salt to sweat the onions.

Once they start to break down place in the garlic, spices and roast.

Cover the roast with tomatoes and the liquid in the can.  I used the very large can from costco, it was just the right amount and cost me $2.65.  I'm feeling a little jipped for every time in the past that I've made this using 14,000 small cans of tomatoes at $1 each:-/  Oh well, live and learn and now I know.

Bring this to a boil, cover and place in 350F oven for about 3 hours.  At 3 hours check the meat.  It should be fork tender, if not stick it back in the oven and check 30m later.

Here it is coming out of the oven.

Once the meat is tender take it out of the liquid to rest and cool a bit.  You won't be able to shred it while it's super hot.  Also, fish out the bay leaves, not yummy.

If you have a stick blender then blend the remaining tomatoes and onions in the pot.  If not, these things are super handy and a great, inexpensive tool to have.  You could also use a blender.

Blend it to your desired consistency.

After the meat is cooled down and ready to handle then, using 2 forks, shred the meat.  It helps to cut it against the grain into big chunks first, then shred those pieces and place on a serving platter.  Serve with the sauce on the side, simple salsa and sour cream.  So good!

Shredded Beef Tacos

4 lbs beef chuck roast
2 onions, chopped large
4 garlic cloves, smashed
1 large (restaurant size) can tomatoes in tomato juice or puree
2 T chili powder
1 T cayenne or red pepper
1 T ground cumin
3 bay leaves

Season roast on all sides with salt and pepper and brown in olive oil on mh heat in a large oven safe pan that has a lid.  While roast is browning preheat oven to 350F and prep onions, garlic and spices.  When roast is browned all all sides remove to a plate.  Add into pot the onions with a little salt.  Let cook down for a couple minutes.  Add in garlic and remaining spices and give a good stir.  Place roast and any drippings back into the pan.  Add tomatoes over roast.  As best as you can give it a stir so the the tomato juice gets into the seasonings and vice versa, it'll be pretty full though.  Bring this to a boil, cover and place in the oven for at least 3 hours or til meat is fork tender.  Remove from oven and gently move meat to a platter and fish out the bay leaves.  Using your stick blender blend the pot juices til desired consistency and place in a serving bowl.  Shred meat and serve with tortillas, sauce, simple salsa and sour cream.  Enjoy!

*note- this recipe can be halved, still cook the meat for 3 hours though.