This "recipe" is so crazy easy that I almost feel lame posting it... but, I
have been asked about how I make shredded beef for tacos, so here it is.
Slow Cooker Shredded Beef
Ingredients:
- 4 pounds beef roast, such as a chuck roast (I buy mine at Costco).
- 2 cans chopped tomatoes with green chilies, such as Ro-Tel.
- 1/2 cup or so salsa of your choice (if you plan to re-heat the shredded beef later).
Instructions:
- Trim major fat from roast. Cut to fit slow cooker if needed. The chuck roast from Costco usually comes with two pieces in the package (each about 2 pounds), which works great for me.
- Place roast in slow cooker and cover with contents to two cans of tomatoes with green chilies.
- Cook on low until meat is falling apart. My slow cooker runs a little hot, so for me this is about six hours. It may take 8 or more, depending on your slow cooker.
- When meat is to the falling apart stage, shred with two forks. OPTIONAL: I like to remove the diced tomatoes with a slotted spoon before shredding the meat. I do this because I think that the tomatoes tend to get a little bitter and over-cooked tasting.
The shredded beef freezes fabulously - just let it cool and portion it into Ziploc freezer bags. It will reheat easily in a saucepan on the stovetop with some salsa stirred in to add some moisture.
GrandmaT and I figured out the number of portions for the almost 4 pounds of meat I cooked most recently - enough for 20! That is:
- The three of us had a dinner of shredded beef tacos the day I cooked the meat. The rest was frozen.
- The next weekend, 8 people dined on shredded beef tacos (1 - 3 each) and lots of other yumminess (to be shared in a post called "Patio Party Menu for 4/7/12" upcoming).
- The night after the patio party, the three of us had a repeat dinner of leftovers. We made a total of 8 tacos.
- The remainder was portioned into two Ziplocs and frozen, to make two more dinners.
- There was a small amount left, which Niece used to make a total of 4 tacos over the course of the afternoon as I write this.
So, four pounds of meat costing just under $20 yielded 20+ servings, which is $1 per serving. I used Hatch brand diced tomatoes and green chilies that I purchased at Natural Grocers for $1.15/can, adding 11.5 cents to the cost of each serving of meat (you can get grocery store-brand cans for as little as 79 cents). Of course, to make tacos you have to have tortillas/taco shell, lettuce, cheese, tomatoes, sour cream, etc. which obviously ups the cost of the meal as a whole, but I think the meat itself is a pretty good deal!
~Mamie
"When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro!"
(Hunter S. Thompson)
