I'm a little late for Cinco de Mayo. Our Mexican food festivities extended through the weekend. On Sunday, on behalf of my mother, I made our family dinner. I have three sisters, two of whom (is that proper English?) are hard to feed. The youngest will eat almost anything- and I adore that quality! The older two (twins, actually), have picky palates and it frustrates me (but I still love them to death). So when I'm visiting home, the food I cook tends to be a little tamer. How can you go wrong with beef tacos?
This recipe was a hit! A slow-roasted beef shoulder is shredded and topped with homemade salsa and guacamole. We were going to be gone all afternoon so instead of roasting mine on the stove top or in the oven, I went with the slow cooker. If you link to the original recipe you can find out how to do it in 3 hours. The meat was tender and juicy. The guacamole was fresh and creamy. It was the salsa that surprised me the most. It called for canned tomatoes. I followed Tyler Florence's advice and used San Marzanos (which are unbelievable, trust me). I swear this salsa is so fresh and fabulous that you'd never know the tomatoes weren't picked yesterday. I want to eat this salsa every day. And I probably will- with the help of a food processor making it is so dang easy!
INGREDIENTS
2-3 lb. beef shoulder (chuck roast)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, smashed
1 large onion, sliced
1 (28-oz.) can crushed tomatoes (San Marzano recommended)
1 Tbsp. ancho chili powder
1 tsp. cayenne pepper (up to 1 Tbsp. to taste)
1 Tbsp. ground cumin
3 bay leaves
whole wheat flour tortillas, warmed for serving
cabbage or romaine lettuce, shredded for serving
Tomato Salsa:
1 (28-oz.) can whole tomatoes (San Marzano highly recommended), drained and juice reserved
1 small red onion, roughly chopped
1 serrano chili, stemmed and seeded
1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
2 limes, juiced
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Guacamole:
5-6 ripe avocados, halved and pitted
3 limes, juiced
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1-2 serrano chiles, minced (to taste)
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
tomato, diced (optional)
DIRECTIONS
1. To prepare the beef, preheat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the beef with salt and pepper. Add the garlic and onions and brown the beef on all sides until a nice crust forms and onions are tender. Transfer to a slow cooker. Add the crushed tomatoes, ancho chili powder, cayenne, cumin, and bay leaves. Cover and cook on high for 1 hour. Reduce heat to low and continue cooking 7-8 hours, until the meat is tender and falling apart. Shred with a fork, removing any grisly pieces. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
2. To prepare the salsa, pulse to combine the tomatoes, onion, chili, garlic, lime juice, and cilantro in a food processor. Add some of the reserved tomato juice if it is too thick. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Drizzle with a little olive oil. Cover and refrigerate several hours to allow the flavors to meld.
3. To prepare the guacamole, combine the avocados and lime juice in a large bowl. Mash with a fork or potato masher until you reach a chunky-smooth consistency. Fold in the onion, garlic, serranos, and cilantro. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil and top with diced tomatoes (optional). Place a layer of plastic wrap over the surface of the guacamole (to prevent browning) and chill for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to meld.
4. Serve the shredded beef on warmed tortillas with lettuce, salsa, and guacamole.
Serves 6-8 (depending on the size of roast you use).
(Adapted from Food Network)
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