Beef Carnita Tostadas

Beef Carnita Tostadas

Carnitas actually means 'little meats' in spanish. Most commonly carnitas are shredded pork, but this recipe is shredded beef. This is very similar to my Shredded Pork Burritos but instead of using pre packaged taco seasoning, I used a wet rub on the beef before slow cooking it for 4 hours. At the end I added a combination of diced tomatoes, green chiles and several more spices to develop a succulent mixture that I served over crispy flour tacos! This would be a fantastic recipe for the crock pot and the meat can be used as a filling for burritos, taco's, or even a sandwich. Add any toppings you like!

origin - lisa lou
difficulty - easy
health meter - medium (chuck roast isn't the leanest cut of meat!)

2-3 lb beef chuck roast
wet rub
1/4 cup prepared salsa
2 tbsp chile powder
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 tbsp cumin
1 tsp salt
1 tsp onion powder
2 cloves minced garlic *optional

1 small yellow or vidalia onion chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
1 can diced tomatoes including juice
1 can chopped green chiles
2 tbsp fresh cilantro chopped
1 tbsp chile powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp dried coriander
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp salt

Combine wet rub ingredients and pat all over the chuck roast. Enclose the beef in a tinfoil pouch and place in roasting pan. Cook for 4 hours in a 300 degree oven. Remove from pouch and cut away any fat or bones. Shred the beef with two forks. Saute the onion and olive oil over medium heat in the same pan until softened - about 7 minutes. Add the beef and remaining ingredients and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. I like to serve over pan fried flour tortillas with guacamole, shredded cheese, salsa fresca, and sour cream!