I have a very bad habit when I plan meals of deciding what I want to make first, and then checking the pantry and freezer to see if I have the things to make it. I also have a bad habit of picking up packages of meat at the grocery store that say "Price Cut Now!" because they're about to go past their sell-by date. Then I wrap them up and freeze them to use later. Very rarely do I go to my favorite grocery store and not come home with several packages of meat I wasn't planning to buy. I cannot pass up a cheap brisket, y'all. I can buy these things with impunity because I have TWO giant chest freezers to store it all in. (One I inherited from the previous owners of my house; I didn't purchase them both. I'm not *that* crazy.) But the freezers are filling up, so this week I was determined to check the freezer for some kind of meat to use first, and then decide what to cook. I made my selection, a couple packages of stew meat. Now, what to cook....
Problem was, I was already thinking about tacos. There are certain food items that, once I've got a hankering for them, I can't think of ANYTHING ELSE until I get them. Stew meat isn't necessarily screaming out to be made into tacos, but the thought was already in my head. So here's how the recipe selection conversation went in my head:
I could make the obvious beef stew. Dad really likes that. Doesn't sound that great to me, though.
Tacos.
Or maybe goulash. Haven't had that in a while.
Tacos.
<Searches internet for "stew meat recipes that aren't stew.">
Gurl. Tacos, dammit.
Beef stroganoff? I could do that in the instant pot.
Bitch, seriously. TACOS.
I could make mom's awesome vegetable beef soup.
YOU GET YOUR BITCH ASS IN THAT KITCHEN AND MAKE SOME TACOS GOD DAMMIT.
What the heck, I'm going to try to make shredded beef tacos!
Jesus, *finally.*
Is it ridiculous to make shredded beef tacos from stew meat? Maybe. But here we are. And I don't think you'll be disappointed.
Bonus Recipe alert: The salsa verde is totally optional, but it's a pretty nice accompaniment, and it's easy. It's good just used like a regular salsa with chips, too. And I'm planning to use my leftover and some rotisserie chicken to make enchiladas verdes. If you want to get tipsy with your tacos, Dogfish Head SeaQuench Ale would be a fantastic pairing.
Pressure Cooker Shredded Beef Taco Filling
I envisioned this served on soft corn tortillas. It was good that way, but most of us ended up liking the flour tortillas better. The new little street taco tortillas that Mission makes were great. I think it would be good with crunchy taco shells as well.
2 tsp. oil
1/2 a large onion, diced
2 cloves garlic
1 Tbs. tomato paste
2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. Mexican oregano
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. coriander
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. cloves
1 cup beef broth
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1 bay leaf
2 lbs. stew meat
Turn the pressure cooker to saute mode and add the oil. Once the oil is hot, saute the onion until softened. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomato paste, cumin, oregano, chili powder, coriander, cinnamon, and cloves and cook for a minute or two. Pour in a little of the beef broth and scrape up the fond from the bottom of the pot. Pour in the rest of the broth and stir in the salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Add the stew meat. Put the lid on the pressure cooker and set to high pressure for 45 minutes. Allow a natural pressure release for 10 minutes and then release the remaining pressure. Serve as you see fit. We topped with pickled onions and jalapenos, salsa verde (recipes below), monterey jack cheese, cotija cheese, sour cream, and cilantro.
Pickled Onions and Jalapenos
1 large red onion, sliced
1 or 2 jalapenos, sliced
1 1/2 cups red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup sugar
Put the sliced onions and jalapenos in a bowl, or in two separate bowls if you live with wimps like me who can't handle jalapenos. Pour the red wine vinegar, salt, and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer until the sugar is totally dissolved. Pour the hot vinegar over the onions and jalapenos and cover with plastic wrap for at least 30 minutes. You can make these ahead of time and chill them, or use them still warm.
Pressure Cooker Salsa Verde
1 tsp. oil
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 large onion, rough chopped
2 poblano peppers, stem and seeds removed
1 lb. tomatillos, husks removed, washed, and cut in half
1/2 cup water or chicken broth
1 tsp. sugar
salt
Turn the pressure cooker to saute mode and add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the garlic and cumin and cook for a minute or two. Add the onion, peppers, tomatillos, and water or broth. Put the lid on the pot and set to high pressure for 15 minutes. Allow a natural pressure release for at least 10 minutes. Blend the mixture until smooth with an immersion blender. Stir in the sugar and salt to taste.
