Shredded Beef Tacos and Slaw

Ingredients for Shredded Beef:

a lean chuck roast, about 2 1/2 - 3 lbs. before trimming

1 T steak seasoning of your choice 

2 tsp. olive oil, for browning meat

1 1/4 cup mild or medium salsa

1 can (4 oz.) diced green chiles

2 T fresh squeezed lime juice

1 T taco season

1/4 - 1/2 tsp. salt

Ingredients for Spicy Slaw:

1/4 small head green cabbage, very thinly sliced, then slightly chopped

1/4 small head red cabbage, very thinly sliced, then slightly chopped

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

2 T mayo

2 T fat free Greek yogurt or sour cream

1 tsp. green Tabasco sauce 

Ingredients for Tacos:

8 organic corn tortillas

2 avocados, diced

2-3 tsp. fresh squeezed lime juice, to toss with avocado

cut lime pieces to squeeze on tacos (optional)

extra green Tabasco sauce for serving (optional)

Instructions:

Trim all visible pieces of fat and gristle from the chuck roast and cut it into several pieces.  (I save the meat scraps in the freezer to make homemade beef stock.)  Rub the pieces of roast all over with steak seasoning.  Heat the oil in a heavy frying pan and brown the meat well on all sides, about 8 minutes total browning time. 

While the meat browns, mix together the salsa, diced green chiles, lime juice, taco seasoning, and a little salt.  Put the browned meat into the slow cooker, pour the sauce over, and cook on low until the meat is tender and shreds apart easily, about 6 hours.  

When the meat is done, remove it to a cutting board.  Pour the sauce mixture into a small pan and simmer on medium until the sauce thickens and reduces by about half, about 10 minutes.  Shred the meat apart with two forks and put it back in the slow cooker to keep warm.  When the sauce has reduced, mix it with the meat and continue to keep warm in the slow cooker.

Thinly slice and chop the cabbage and chop the cilantro.  Mix together the mayo, Greek yogurt and green Tabasco sauce to make the dressing and mix it with the cabbage.  Dice the avocados and toss with the lime juice.  

Heat a non-stick pan over medium-high heat and cook 2 or 3 tortillas at a time (whatever you can fit in the pan.)  Turn tortillas several times until they are just starting to get firm, then fold each one over in half to make a taco shell. 

To assemble the tacos, spread 2-3 tablespoons of shredded beef on the bottom of a taco shell, top with a thin layer of slaw and a couple of spoonfuls of avocado.  Serve with extra piece of lime and more green Tabasco sauce to add at the table, if desired.