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.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Add all ingredients from ketchup to peppers in your pot.
- 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.
- Bake, covered, until beef is fall-apart tender. About 2-3 hours.
- 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.
- Serve with tortillas and toppings.
Recipe Source: Adapted from a March 2009 Food Everyday recipe.
Serves: 4-6
Time: ~3 to 4 hours total