Michael likes shredded beef tacos while I prefer ground beef tacos. Michael prefers mild while I prefer spicy. Yesterday we met in the middle with spicy shredded beef tacos with homemade tomatillo salsa. I used a small cross rib roast, slow cooked in the oven with taco seasoning and beef stock. I made salsa verde with tomatillos, garlic, onion, adobo seasoning, and cilantro. The tacos were delicious. The tomatillo salsa was tangy and tart. Perfect. Of course this was my plate, not Michael’s, hence the jalapeños.
Shredded Beef Tacos and Tomatillo Salsa
- <em>For the tomatilla salsa:</em>
- 1 pound tomatillos (husked, cored, and quartered)
- 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
- 2 cloves garlic chopped
- 1/2 jalapeño pepper (cored and seeded)
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- 1 tablespoon dry Mexican oregano
- 1 tsp Adobo seasoning (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt (or to taste)
- 2 cups water
- <em>For the shredded beef:</em>
- 1.5 pounds cross rib roast or rump roast (trimmed of fat and silverskin)
- 1 package taco seasoning (optional I used Taco bell brand)
- 2 15 ounce cans beef stock
- 3 cloves garlic
- For the salsa:
- Place all ingredients into a saucepan. Pour in water. Bring to a boil over high heat, Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until the tomatillos are soft, 10 to 12 minutes. Allow to cool slightly then carefully puree in a food processor or blender until smooth or chunky as you like it. Cool before serving and store in a covered container in the refrigerator.
- Cut the beef into large chunks about 4-5 inches in diameter. Place the meat, seasoning, garlic and broth in a large, covered Dutch oven. Cook at 300 degrees until the meat is tender and shreds easily with two forks. Check meat every half hour to make sure the liquid has not absorbed. Add additional broth or water as necessary. After shredding the meat, return it to the pan with the juice and keep warm until serving time.
- Serve on corn or flour tortillas with your choice of taco fixings. We like lettuce, tomato, cheese, sour cream, jalapenos, and tomatillo salsa.
Tomorrow I am going to use the remaining tomatillo sauce to make chile verde enchiladas!