tacos

it's getting to be that time of year when preparing slow roasted meats or dishes in the slow cooker sound wonderful. this recipe was inspired by a dish we saw on diners, drive-ins & dives from a fantastic looking mexican place in cleveland - slow cooked brisket, shredded and served as yummy tacos! and it's the perfect dish to smother with this roasted tomatillo salsa.

excited to go apple picking with a friend from out of town this week and to check out this farm stand. also had an amazing day wandering among sculptures and beautiful fall colors in the hudson valley here - definitely worth the drive out of the city!

happy weekend!

Braised Beef Tacos

serves 4 to 6

for beef:

3 1/2 lb beef brisket

3 tbs ground coffee

2 tbs kosher salt

1 tsp jalapeno powder

1 tsp ground chipolte chile

2 tbs olive oil

2 cups tomato juice

1 cup coffee

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1 large onion, cut into quarters

3 bay leaves

3 sticks mexican cinnamon

6 cloves garlic, smashed

1 lime, juiced

for tacos:

1 tbs olive oil

2 red bell peppers, thinly sliced

1 large onion, peeled & thinly sliced

3 cloves garlic, chopped

3 tbs heavy cream

1 tbs dried oregano

corn tortillas

tomatillo salsa

cotija cheese

avocado

preheat oven to 300 degrees F. in a small bowl, combine coffee, salt, jalapeno powder and chile powder and mix. rub all over brisket to coat well.

heat a large dutch oven over medium high heat and add olive oil. sear meat on each side until nicely browned. add remaining ingredients plus 2 cups water and bring to a simmer. cover and transfer pot to oven and cook for 3 hours or until tender. remove meat from broth and set aside until cool enough to shred. strain liquid and return to pot. simmer over medium heat until slightly reduced. stir shredded meat into broth and keep warm.

heat olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium high heat. add peppers, onion and garlic and saute 10 minutes or until softened. stir in heavy cream and oregano.

for each taco, top a warm corn tortilla with about 1/4 cup meat, a few tablespoons of stewed peppers and onions, salsa, cheese and avocado. enjoy!

beef, it's what's for dinner

looking back on recent posts, we realized that we haven't shared many beef recipes. with weather warming up, bbq season fast approaching and cinco de mayo just around the corner, we thought this simple marinade for easy & fresh carne asada tacos sounded perfect. you are welcome to throw in some sour cream, pico de gallo or any of your favorite taco garnishes but we wanted to keep this recipe basic and fresh, just like the delicious tacos we get at our local taqueria or taco truck. enjoy these tasty tacos on a warm afternoon with good friends and a great margarita!

Carne Asada Tacos

for the carne asada:

1 1/2 lbs flank steak

1 red onion, sliced

6 cloves garlic, smashed

1 small bunch cilantro, roughly chopped

1 lime, juiced

1 orange, juiced

1 chipolte chili in adobo, chopped

1 tbs chili powder

1 tbs ground cumin

1 tbs olive oil

place flank steak and all remaining marinade ingredients in a large zip lock bag and massage to evenly distribute flavors over meat. refrigerate for minimum of 1 hour and up to 6 hours. preheat grill or grill pan over high heat. grill steak approximately 3 minutes per side, or until center reaches 145 degrees F, for medium doneness. let rest 5-10 minutes before slicing.

for the tacos:

1 1/2 lbs grilled & sliced carne asada

8 corn tortillas, warmed

1/2 onion, diced

1 small bunch cilantro, chopped

1 avocado, pitted, peeled & sliced

1-2 limes, cut into wedges

to assemble taco, place a few slices of steak in warmed tortilla and top with avocado, onions and cilantro. squeeze generously with juice from lime wedges.