Barbacoa II

I've been making barbacoa for quite some time in my crockpot until my husband made Rick Bayless' braised short ribs~then everything changed. I have taken that process & ingredients, merged it with mine & refined my Barbacoa II. I'm excited to share this recipe with you because we've never looked back. Not joking, this will be your favorite shredded beef filling for LIFE! 

INGREDIENTS:

4-6 lbs Chuck Roast, all sides seasoned with salt

Pork lard (bacon fat or oil)

1 medium onion in 1/2 slices

6 cloves garlic

1/2 bottle of beer

28 oz can whole tomatoes

1 lb roasted green chiles, sliced

Chili powder

Cumin

Salt

DIRECTIONS:

Start with the lard in your dutch oven or deep pot...good for the stove top & oven.

Season your roast & sear it on all sides.

Set aside. Hello...They already look gorgeous. See, sear them well - until nice and golden brown. 

Add your onion & sauté until also golden brown & delicious. I have also been known to sneak more pork lard in at this step. When the onion is golden brown, add the 6 garlic cloves (chopped - or through your garlic press). Give the garlic 30 sec in the hot pot til you can smell it, but not too long or it will burn & become bitter. 

Ah, next add 1/2 of a beer & the can of tomatoes. You'll bring this to a simmer..

Chop your green chiles..If you're not familiar with roasting a pound of green chiles, you could use a canned. We stock up in the fall & freeze 1 lb bags. This year we froze 9 bushels which is roughly 72 lbs. That's another story for another day.

As the roasts are resting, I rub them down with chili powder & cumin. There's no measurement here. Just go for it & coat them on all sides. 

Then tuck those darlings back into your pot. 

Place in a 300 degree oven for 6 hrs. Check it at 4 hours & turn the roasts at some mid point. 

If you don't have 6 hrs, kick it up to 325 for 4. No sweat. But, the longer the better! 

In the last hour, shred the meat & lower the oven temp to 170 to hold until your ready to eat. 

OMG. No, for real. This will be your favorite barbacoa ever. Not even kidding. 

Prepare a bowl of chopped white onion (rinsed in cold water) & cilantro...along with lime wedges. This fresh topping brightens the taco & takes it to the next level.

Serve with whatever else you can pull together! 

Check out my other recipes to accompany: 

Fresh brothy beans

Auntie's Mexican tomato Rice

Fresh tortillas

Roasted salsa

ENJOY and share your pics with me when you make it!

xo Momma xo

Breakfast Tacos w/ Avocado/tomatillo salsa

[Seriously. The. BEST. Flavor. You. Will. Ever. Taste.] 

The amazing marriage of chorizo & egg with the avocado/tomatillo salsa is amazing. It's hands down our favorite breakfast. But in the summer, we'll grab a zuccinni from the garden & saute it with the chorizo for a delicious dinner...OR...dice up a potato, partially boil it & add to the pan with the (cooked) chorizo. 

If you have a tomatillo or 2, cilantro, serrano & an avocado. then get ready...That's all you need for the salsa. 

If you keep chorizo on hand, then dreamy breakfasts, brunches, lunches, dinners or appetizers await. 


Have I convinced you? ah geez....

Directions:

Brown 4 oz of chorizo

Drain it on a paper towel, and it needs it...

Add the partner of choice to the filling,

-scrambled eggs

-diced, partially boiled potato

-diced zuccinni 

Here, I've added scrambled eggs...

Now for the avocado salsa..


-Tomatillo (2-3)
-Cilantro (small handful - 1/4 C chopped)
-Serrano (1/2 - 2 however hot you like it)
-Garlic (1/2 clove)
-Avocado (1 whole, beautifully ripened)

...Is that cumin? Quite possibly...that's cause this was me sneaking a pic of Mike's cooking... ;)

Grab a fresh corn tortilla, we're about to make tacos...

Confession: this pic was taken when we didn't have an avocado in the house. The salsa is still amazing even without the avocado. Don't let that stop you! 

Serve with beans...refried black beans, 
our favorite with it & top with crumbly, queso fresco. Yummo!