Smokin’ Hot Beef Tacos

My fabulous mother gave me a beautiful red Dutch Oven for Christmas that I was eager to use. This was the first recipe I decided to try and I was very happy with the results! If you don’t have a Dutch Oven, you can use any oven-proof heavy pot with an oven-proof, tight-fitting lid.

I was slightly concerned half-way through this recipe … the beef did not look tender and I worried it would be a flop, but after another hour it was perfect. So if you run into the same problem, don’t worry – it’s a lot like a Crock Pot, it eventually hits the tender point and everything melds together nicely. Speaking of, you could also do this recipe in a Crock Pot! Just mix all ingredients and cook on high about 3 hours. I served with corn salsa, green onion guacamole, and sour cream.

• Approx. 3 pds. Boneless beef chuck roast (trim any excess fat)

• 3/4 cup ketchup

• 8 garlic cloves, chopped

• About 1 tbsp. each course ground S/P

• ½ tbsp. dried Italian seasoning

• Chopped canned chipotle peppers in adobo – how much you add will depend on your preferred heat. I used an entire small can, probably about ½ cup. My tacos were SMOKIN’ HOT! We like hot food so it worked for us. For mild flavor, I would suggest 2-3 tbsp. and increase by tablespoons if you want more heat.

• Tortillas

• Corn salsa:  Mix 1 can corn (no salt), chopped tomatoes, dash olive oil, dash red wine vinegar, and S/P to taste.

• Green onion Guac: Mix 1 ripe Haas avocado, S/P (or red salt if you have), and chopped green onions to taste.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Add all ingredients from ketchup to peppers in your pot.

3. Cut the beef into 4 pieces and place in the pot, stir to coat beef with mixture. Heat on the stove, bring to a boil and then transfer pot to oven.

4. Bake, covered, until beef is fall-apart tender. About 2-3 hours.

5. Shred beef and place in large dish. Add sauce from pot to dish and stir into beef. Season with a dash or two of S/P.

6. Serve with tortillas and toppings.

Recipe Source: Adapted from a March 2009 Food Everyday recipe.

Serves: 4-6

Time: ~3 to 4 hours total