Spicy Shredded Beef - Slow Cooker Recipe

Thought I'd post my newest Hell Beef recipe. It is fast and easy, and super tasty, especially on a cold day. Even better after a day in fridge, or when defrosted as left overs. Perfect for the busy holiday season. Will make your house smell FANTASTIC!!!!!




HELL BEEF
Slow Cooker recipe for a spicy shredded beef suitable for burritos, soft tacos or plain as a meat main dish.

Heat Category Varies: this incarnation is about a 5 – 7 depending on how used to spicy food you are.

Difficulty level: Very Easy

Tools: 5 -6 qt crock pot , food processor, ladle and medium bowl for reserve use

Serves: 4 – 6 people. If cooking for 2 makes about 3 servings. Freeze unused portions in meal servings for ease in defrosting. (ex: 2 people get 3 servings, one that day, and 2 to freeze for 2 add’l meals)

Time: 7-8 hours

Ingredients
(2) Large Jars store brand salsa – Hot, thick and chunky (want less spice, go medium) You will need at least enough to come ¾ up the way of the roast. So if it’s bigger, use more.
(1 or 1 and 1/2) 7 oz (aprx) can of Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce (Goya is best)
(1) 3 – 3.5 lb Top Round or Bottom Round Roast (don’t substitute, these shred like a charm)

Steps
1. Put about a jar and a half of salsa and all of the chipotle peppers and sauce in food processor, and pulse until you have ground down all the large bits and the mix is a uniform sludge. (the more chipotle, the more smoky/spicy warm the mix will be. I usually go for one and a half)

2. Throw this in the crock, and taste PRIOR to adding raw meat. (Saftey first!) If you want to spice more, add red pepper in ¼ tsp increments. Otherwise, let it be.

3. Throw in the roast. The liquid should come up almost ¾ of the way to the top, if not a wee bit more. It’s okay as it will get very watery as it cooks. You need the larger pot to accommodate the liquid without having to ladle out during the cook process. If you want more liquid, puree the other 1/2 jar of Salsa and throw in.

4. Crank to high and cook for 1 hour, medium 6. Or just use High to 6 hours or so. (if you are home during this, mid way flip the roast. It’s optional, not critical)

5. At hour 7 or there about, you pull the roast out to cut and shred. These style of roasts shred along the long grain, so first, cut across the long grain, if possible into three sections. This will give you a 2 – 3 inch sized shred piece.

6. Once cut, take a fork and knife and pull beef apart into shredded clumps. Not too thick because you want folks to be able to wrap in soft tacos, and for it to cook all through with the sauce.

7. Before you put back into crock, ladle out about 1/3 of the liquid into a near by bowl. Add the shredded meat back in. Mix with liquid so that it just barely reaches the top of the meat shred pile. You should have some sticking up, a very thin layer of beef rising just above the fluid level. Add or subtract as necessary, and put the lid back on.

8. Cook for one additional ½ hour with lid on. Toss reserve liquid.

9. Pull lid off after ½ hour and let it cook uncovered for about half hour. This reduces the liquid again.

10. Tong out beef into a separate container to serve or put in fridge.

To Serve:
Can be very juicy, so if necessary, drain. Use tongs as it allows you to drain as you take from the serving bowl. This is a great crowd pleaser.