Two-Way Shredded Beef Ingredients:
1 medium onion, quartered
3 whole cloves garlic, peeled
3- to 3 1/4-lb. boneless beef chuck shoulder or bottom round roast, cut into 4 large chunks
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
3/4 cup water
Preparation:
Place onion and garlic in slow cooker. Top with beef chunks. Sprinkle beef with salt and pepper, then add water. Cover and cook on low for nine to 9-1/2 hours or until beef is tender. Stirring is not necessary.
Remove beef from cooking liquid and allow to cool slightly. Meanwhile, strain cooking liquid and skim off fat. Set aside. Trim and discard excess fat from cooked beef. Shred beef with two forks.
Divide shredded beef into half, then add 1/4 cup reserved cooking liquid to each. Use one portion to prepare Tex-Mex Beef Wraps with Tomato-Corn Salsa and the other portion for Honey Mustard BBQ Beefwiches. Cover and refrigerate unused portion for up to four days, or freeze one portion in a covered container for later use. Defrost before using.
Yield: 7-1/2 cups shredded beef
Tex-Mex Beef Wraps with Tomato-Corn Salsa
Ingredients for Tomato-Corn Salsa:
1/2 cup frozen whole kernel corn, defrosted
1 small tomato, chopped
1 Tbs. chopped cilantro
Preparation:
Combine all ingredients with 2 tablespoons thick-and-chunky salsa in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Ingredients:
1 portion Two-Way Shredded Beef
one 16-oz. jar thick-and-chunky salsa
2 Tbs. chopped cilantro
four 10-inch in diameter flour tortillas, warmed
chopped cilantro for garnish
Preparation:
To make wraps: In slow cooker's removable crock or 1-1/2-quart microwave safe dish, combine one portion shredded beef, remaining prepared salsa, and cilantro. Cover and microwave on high for seven to eight minutes or until hot, stirring once.
Spoon 1/4 of beef mixture evenly over each tortilla, leaving 1-1/2-inch border on all sides. Top each with 1/4 cup Tomato-Corn Salsa. Fold right and left edges of tortilla over filling. Fold bottom edge, then roll up in jelly-roll fashion. Garnish with additional chopped cilantro. Serve immediately.
Yield: 4 servings
Honey-Mustard BBQ Beefwiches
Ingredients:
1 portion Two-Way Shredded Beef
1 cup honey-mustard barbecue sauce
4 hamburger buns or kaiser rolls, split
chopped green bell pepper, optional
chopped sweet onion, optional
Preparation:
In slow cooker's removable crock or 1-1/2-quart microwave-safe dish, combine one portion shredded beef and barbecue sauce. Mix thoroughly. Cover and microwave on high five to six minutes or until hot, stirring once.
Place equal amounts of beef mixture on bottom half of each bun. Top with bell pepper and onion, if desired. Close with top half of bun.
Yield: 4 servings
Mediterranean Beef Pot Roast and Vegetables
Ingredients:
8 new red potatoes (about 1 lb.)
1/2 lb. peeled baby carrots
3- to 3 1/4-lb. boneless beef bottom round rump or chuck shoulder roast
4 whole cloves garlic, peeled
1 tsp. dried rosemary leaves, crushed
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup dry red wine
2 Tbs. cornstarch dissolved in 2 Tbs. water
Ingredients:
In slow cooker, place potatoes, carrots and garlic. Rub beef pot roast with rosemary, salt, and pepper, then place on top of vegetables. Add water and wine. Cover and cook on low for 10 to 11 hours or until beef and vegetables are tender.
Remove pot roast and trim fat, if necessary. Arrange pot roast and vegetables on serving platter. Cover and keep warm. Just before serving, carve pot roast across the grain into thin slices.
For gravy, strain cooking liquid; skim off fat. In small saucepan, combine two cups cooking liquid and cornstarch mixture until blended. Bring to a boil, cook and stir for one minute or until thickened. Garnish beef and vegetables and parsley. Serve with gravy.
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Old South Pulled Pork on a Bun
Ingredients:
1 Tbs. vegetable oil
2 onions, finely chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbs. chili powder
1 tsp. cracked black peppercorns
1 cup tomato-based chili sauce
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. liquid smoke
1 boneless pork shoulder, trimmed of excess fat, about 3 lbs.
kaiser or onion buns, halved and warmed
Preparation:
In a skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook until soft. Add garlic, chili powder and pepper and cook, stirring, for one minute. Add chili sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce and liquid smoke. Stir to combine and bring to a boil.
Place pork in slow-cooker stoneware and pour sauce over it. Cover and cook on low for 10 to 12 hours or on high for six hours, until pork is falling apart.
Transfer pork to a cutting board and pull the meat apart in shreds, using two forks. Return to sauce and keep warm. When ready to serve, spoon shredded pork and sauce over warm buns.
Yield: Serves 6 to 8
Shredded Chicken
Ingredients:
3 to 4 lbs. chicken pieces, skin on
1 onion, peeled and quartered
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cracked black peppercorns
1 bay leaf
Preparation:
Place all ingredients in slow-cooker stoneware, laying dark meat on bottom and white meat on top. Add water to cover. Cover and cook on low for six hours, until chicken is cooked through. Allow to cool in liquid. Remove skin and bones from chicken and shred by pulling the meat apart. Cover and refrigerate for use the next day in tacos or enchiladas.
Yield: 4 to 6 cups
Source: The 150 Best Slow Cooker Recipes (Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service.)
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