Barbacoa Empanadas

The real way of making Barbacoa if you are coming from the Carribean or Mexico is to use whole goats, pigs or beef head or cheeks.  While I am dying to try the real way and will look for it next time I am in the South, I make it at home with the easy-to-find beef chuck roast.  A 4 lb roast goes a long way and will fill many taco shells, but my favorite way to eat this is as a filling for empanadas, also delicious.

Ingredients

·       2 tablespoons olive oil

·       4 pounds chuck roast, cubed

·       2 large red onions, sliced

·       4 cloves garlic, chopped

·       1 bay leaf

·       4 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, with their sauce!

·       2 tablespoons tomato paste

·       1 teaspoon oregano

·       1 tablespoon cumin

·       Juice of one lime

·       1 cup chicken or beef stock

·       Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

I am not a slow cooker owner but apparently, many make Barbacoa in the slow cooker.  I use a Dutch oven, which is a heavy pot, mine is actually cast iron (Le Creuset works well).

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Heat the oil in the Dutch oven and sear the meat on all sides. Add the sliced red onion, chopped garlic and bay leaf to the pot and stir.  Turn off heat

Meanwhile, puree in a blender or food processor the chipotle peppers, tomato paste, oregano, cumin, lime juice and stock.  Pour over the meat and stir to cover completely.  If more liquid is needed, just add another ½ cup of stock. Cover the pot and add to the preheated oven and don’t think about it for 2 ½ hours.  You can check it and stir it a few times but it will not be fork tender for at least that long. At that point, the meat should easily fall apart and shred with two forks.  If it is at all tough, leave it in longer.  Check after another ½ hour.

Shred meat with two forks when ready and season to taste with salt and pepper.  I like to either serve this meat in corn tortillas with chopped onions, cilantro and a side of guac or I use it as the filling for empanadas.