Beef Tortilla Stack

Tried and true. I used to make this all the time and recently I realized I hadn't made it in a while, so I decided to make it. My daughter ooo'd and aww'd and asked what was wrong with me because I hadn't made it in so long. She claimed it was her favorite dish I've made. It is essential to shred the meat as the liquid will absorb into the crevices of the shreds, otherwise leaving it in chunks will be more runny. To save time, I've normally completed the cooking of the meat the day before and I finish it off the next day. Voila, it's done. I think I found this recipe in Good Housekeeping magazine, but I can't quite recall. I have changed it through the years, adding my own tweaks.

• Ready In: 2 hrs 30 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 6  tablespoons  vegetable oil
• 1 1⁄2 lbs  boneless beef chuck shoulder  steak
• 1  large onion, diced
• 1 (1 1/4ounce) package  taco seasoning mix
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon pepper
• 2  cups water
• 4  flour tortillas, 8 inch
• 1  ripe medium avocado, chopped into 1/2 inch chunks
• 1 -2  ripe medium tomatoes, chopped into 1/2 inch chunks
• 1 (8 ounce) container sour cream
• 1 (8 ounce) jar salsa or 1 (8 ounce) jar  picante sauce

Directions

1. In 5 quart Dutch oven over medium high heat, add 1 T salad oil. Once oil is hot, add onions and sauté until golden brown. Remove onion and set aside. Add 1 T more of oil to hot pan to heat. Add steak and sear until well browned on both sides.
2. Add onion back to Dutch oven, taco seasoning mix, salt, pepper, and water over high heat, heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 1 ½ to 2 hours until meat is very tender and falls apart when tested with a fork.
3. When meat is done, remove steak from pan and transfer to a plate. Shred meat with a couple of forks. Return meat back to pan and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally with wooden spoon, until liquid has absorbed; keep warm if using that same day or you can cook up to this point the day before and refrigerate. If making the beef a day ahead keep in mind to reheat before proceeding.
4. In a 10” skillet over medium high heat, add 1 T vegetable oil, cook one tortilla until lightly browned and puffy. Turn tortilla over and repeat, so that both sides are golden brown.
5. Remove tortilla to cookie sheet; keep warm. Repeat with remaining tortillas, using 1 T oil for each.
6. On serving plate, place one tortilla. Spread one-fourth of sour cream evenly on tortilla. Top with one-third of meat mixture, then spoon 1/3 of salsa over top, then one-fourth of chopped avocado. Repeat layering two more times.
7. Place the fourth tortilla over the top. Dot with sour-cream and spread evenly, sprinkle with chopped tomato and remaining avocado.
8. To serve, slice as you would a cake. Serve and enjoy.