Almost every bar I pass by has a weathered sign on the outside of their door reading Taco Tuesdays. Have to admit, I’ve never indulged in Taco Tuesday bar fare, but it’s a brilliant concept for cheap eats to accompany a tall brew when you’re deep into day two of the week. I assume it’s a “must-do” some weeks. We regularly have Taco Tuesday at home, so that’s really why I haven’t ducked in to one of the umpteen bars that advertise their Tuesday specials.
We love chuck roast for beef tacos. It’s easy to prep, season and leave unattended for hours so it can do it’s thing. Probably one of the most flavorful cuts, but you can use brisket or pork or even chicken to reinvent the dive bar delicacy. Corn tortillas and simple toppings like shredded cabbage, corn salsa, sliced avocados, diced onion, cheese, sour cream, your favorite hot sauce and fresh limes to squeeze all over the top of everything and you’ve got a great meal and most likely some leftovers for salads, burritos or amazing lettuce wraps the next day.
FOR THE BEEF
1 tsp each: onion powder, tajine, cracked black pepper
1 boneless chuck roast (approximately 3 lbs), fat trimmed, cut into 2 inch pieces
2 T extra virgin olive oil, plus more for browning meat and vegetable saute’
1 large white onion, diced
6-8 cloves fresh garlic, minced
5 chipotle peppers, rough chopped
2 T adobo sauce
1/3 C fresh lime juice
2 C organic beef stock or chicken stock
1 T fresh lime zest
4 organic bay leaves
4 large organic poblanos, stemmed and seeded
2 C homemade or store bought corn salsa
1 C organic cilantro, chopped
1/2 C red onion, diced
2 limes, sliced
Shredded cheeses – Cotija, cheddar and Monterey Jack
Sliced avocado
Diced ripe tomatoes
Shredded cabbage
Fresh corn tortillas, warmed
In a medium size mixing bowl, add all spice ingredients in first two bullets. On a parchment lined sheet pan, place chuck roast. Drizzle olive oil over meat and rub to completely cover. Sprinkle spices on all sides of meat and gently rub in so to cover all sides of the meat. On medium-high heat, place Dutch oven and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add meat in batches and brown all sides – about 5-6 minutes per batch. Add more oil if necessary. Remove browned pieces onto plate. Repeat until all meat is browned. Reduce heat to medium, add another tablespoon of oil. Add in diced onions and saute’ for about 3-4 minutes. Add in garlic and saute’ for another 2 minutes. Add in chipotles and adobo and cook for about 2 minutes. Deglaze with lime juice, scraping up browned pieces on bottom – approximately 3-4 minutes. Add in stock, lime zest, bay leaves and browned meat. Stir to cover meat and incorporate all liquids and aromatics. Cover Dutch oven, reduce heat to low and simmer for 3-1/2 to 4 hours. Meat should be fall apart tender after 4 hours. While meat is cooking, roast poblanos. This can be done over a gas flame, gas flame barbecue or under the broiler. Lightly rub poblanos with olive oil and roast until skin is blackened, turn and blacken other side. Remove from flame or from broiler and place in container with lid for approximately 10 minutes. Once cool enough to handle, remove blackened skin and rough chop peppers. Do not run under water, as this takes away some of the smoky flavor. Set chopped peppers aside until taco assembly. Once meat is completely cooked, shred the meat with two forks. Leave in Dutch oven until ready to assemble tacos, then place meat on a platter and garnish with cilantro, diced red onion and sliced limes.Assemble tacos on warmed tortillas. Start with a good portion of shredded meat. Top with choice of cheeses, roasted poblanos, corn salsa, shredded cabbage, diced tomatoes and sliced avocado.
COOK’S NOTES
Add to the festive meal by offering sour cream, guacamole, additional salsas such as pico de gallo or tomatillo salsa.
This is a good recipe for instapots. Read directions for your instapot, brown meat and cook accordingly.
