Mexican Shredded Beef Tacos

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I LOVE going to On the Border to eat!  But, it quickly became that I would always order the same thing!  Now, this may have been because I always had a little one to look after and sitting and browsing the menu options quietly and thoughtfully like my other table mates *sigh* just was not gonna happen!  So, I found something I liked, and just went with it:  3-item combo with shredded beef soft tacos and all rice for the side (and then I'd end up having to give ALL of that rice to the boy!)  Not much of a meal, but truth be told, I would go there everyday and eat it!  LOL 

So, I decided last week to finally try my hand at making shredded beef and it was nearly a huge fail!  (Can't call this one a Pinterest Fail, as I was just going by instinct!  LOL)  But my readers came to the rescue and my dinner was saved!  Turns out Mexican shredded beef is super-easy to make, and if I dare say so myself, what I made was so much better than OTB!  I would still go for the Sopapillas though! 

Mexican Shredded Beef Tacos for the Crock Pot

2 - 3 lbs of Boneless Beef Chuck Roast

(1) 8 oz. can of tomato sauce

(1) packet of your favorite Enchilada or Taco seasoning mix

2 cups water

Salt

Pepper

1. In the crock pot, add the tomato sauce, seasoning packet, and about 1 1/2 cups of water.
2. Rinse the meat with cold water and pat dry.
3. You can cut the meat up into 2-inch cubes, but I prefer to just toss the whole thing in.
4. Season the meat with salt and pepper.
5. Add the meat to the cooker.
6. Cover and set on high.
7. Keep an eye on the meat and check the level of the liquid.  You can add a bit more water as necessary if the level becomes too low or the meat is looking dry.
8. Cook for 8 - 10 hours or until the meat is fork tender and falls apart easily.
9. Serve with flour tortillas or over my yummy Mexican Rice with Corn!  Enjoy!
     

The beef should be fall-apart tender when done.  I was able to gently smash the meat with a fork and it flaked apart nicely!  (And yes, that crock pot needed a good soak and a scrub afterwards!  If you'd like to avoid the hassle of cleaning that bad boy up or don't have a hubby whose willing to scrub like mine is ;) here's a great coupon for the Reynolds Slow Cooker Liners!)

 

I really enjoyed making this meal for my little family.  When I was growing up, I could not have been less interested in what my mother or grandmothers were doing in the kitchen.  And now that they have all passed, I dearly regret with every holiday, birthday, family dinner, or Wednesday that goes by not learning from those beautiful women who raised me.  I make it a point now, whenever I am in the kitchen (no matter how stressed or frustrated I become), to include my little boy in the process.  Hopefully one day he'll remember the recipes that his mama made for him and share them with his family.  ♥ 

NOTE from the gal behind the stove:

Now, I do not ever live under the pretense that I can actually 'cook', but what I strive for (and what I hope all kitchen-haters like me are aiming for) is making tasty meals that my family will enjoy, using recipes that are understandable, simple to put together, and super easy to replicate. I am often modifying recipes I find and basing them on familiar tastes or on the ingredients I have on hand at the time. Not every recipe is a keeper, but that's all a part of the learning curve!