Yummy Shredded Beef Tacos

So, I posted on Facebook how yummy my house smelled today with my special creation in the crockpot...and I said if it turned out I would post the recipe on my blog...well IT TURNED OUT BETTER than I even imagined. I was super proud of myself :) And it was so incredibly easy because it was in a crockpot! But I must say, I will make this again and again...

I always google for different/easy recipes. I came across this one. It sounded good, and I had a 3 pound roast. (I made this for a friend of mine who just had a baby girl a few weeks ago; so no it wasn't all for Jacob and me ;)) I did tweak it just a tad...I didn't have any tomato paste and I just had regular paprika...and also after I put everything in the crockpot, I covered it with a little bit of salsa verde! Mmmmmmmmm.....

So here's the recipe if you don't want to click on the link...

Shredded Beef Tacos

• 1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 pounds beef (boneless chuck roast)
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 cup beef stock
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, minced
• 1/2 large sweet onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• Flour tortillas
• Favorite taco toppings – lettuce, tomato, onion, avocado, lime, cilantro, etc.

Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat.  Meanwhile, combine the chili powder, cumin, and smoked paprika in a small bowl.

Rub the spice mix into the beef, covering each side evenly. Once the oil is hot (it will shimmer a bit in the skillet), place the beef in the skillet and sear on each side.

Remove the beef from the skillet and place in the bottom of a slow cooker.  Leave the pan on the heat, and deglaze the pan with the beef stock, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.  Add the tomato paste and minced chipotle and whisk into the pan sauce. Bring the sauce to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for a few minutes until the sauce has reduced and thickened slightly.

Add the diced onion and minced garlic on top of the seared beef in the slow cooker.  Pour the pan sauce down over the onions, garlic, and beef.  Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours .

Remove the beef from the slow cooker and shred with two forks (if necessary – mine was so tender it just fell apart when I took it out of the slow cooker).  Use a slotted spoon to remove the onions from the slow cooker, and mix into the shredded beef.

Serve the beef in the flour tortillas, topped with your favorite taco toppings.  I like to top mine with fresh lettuce, tomato, onion, avocado, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime.

 I made guacamole too & added sour cream to my burrito along with black beans, pico, and cheese :) It was pretty tasty! 

I also made butterscotch pound cake...and if you've never had it, it is a must try (maybe I'll post the recipe at a later date...it's super easy)! My friend, Becky, and her husband, Nate, enjoyed it!

If you make it, I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!