Chipotle Shredded Beef for Tacos or Burritos

A crockpot can really be so useful for the busy cook and I've always said that all you need is a handful of reliable slow cooker recipes to get you past your most busy times. Besides, think of the money that would be spent on take-out. This particular dish produces a good homemade meal and perhaps better than a restaurant. Here are a variety of accompaniments: flour tortillas or taco shells, lettuce, tomato, onion, avocado, cheese, lime, cilantro or pico de gallo. One from My Kitchen Addition blog with slight modifications.

• Ready In: 8 hrs 20 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 1 -2  tablespoon olive oil
• 2  lbs  boneless beef chuck
• 1  teaspoon chili powder (chipotle or ancho works well)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon cumin
• 1⁄2 teaspoon  smoked paprika
•  salt
• 1  cup  beef stock
• 1  tablespoon tomato paste
• 1  chipotle chile in adobo, minced (adding a little of the sauce)
• 1⁄2 large onion, diced
• 3  garlic cloves, minced

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, combine the chili powder, cumin. smoked paprika and salt in a small bowl.
2. Rub the spice mix into the beef, covering each side evenly. Once the oil is hot, place the beef in the skillet and sear on each side. Do NOT MOVE the meat while it cooks for 2-3 minutes on each side.
3. Remove the beef from the skillet and place in the bottom of a slow cooker. Leave the pan on the heat and add in the beef stock to deglaze, 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.
4. Add the diced onion and minced garlic on top of the seared beef in the slow cooker. Pour the pan sauce over the onions, garlic and beef. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours until fork tender.
5. Remove the beef from the slow cooker and shred with two forks. Use a slotted spoon to remove the onions from the slow cooker and mix into the shredded beef.