The only time I buy pot roasts is when there is a buy-one-get-one-free sale at our grocery store. Recently I had two such roasts in my refrigerator that needed to be cooked immediately. To shake things up I decided to create pulled Mexican beef with one of the roasts, and it turned out simply delicious.
I’m a little obsessed with Mexican food—to say I love it would be putting it mildly. We have several Hispanic families who attend our church, and let me tell you, since they started attending our potlucks have become simply amazing. There’s nothing like the flavors of authentic Mexican food. Can I get an “amen”?
This recipe would be what I consider “cheater-Americanized” Mexican food, but it still tastes fabulous. The key to nailing the recipe, though, is in the “secret ingredient.”
And that secret ingredient is: Salsa.
How To Choose The Perfect Salsa For This Recipe
Be wary of strange additives, unneeded sugar (corn syrup especially), and excessive sodium in store bought salsas. Good salsa doesn’t require a lot of extra “junk” in it. Spend some time reading labels first and buy the salsa that fits your preferences, budget, and health goals of your family. Our local grocery store carries some fabulous brands of organic salsa that would work very well with this recipe.
Using prepared salsa makes the recipe easier of course, but if you want an absolute guarantee you’re eating a “whole food” salsa you can of course make it from scratch using this easy recipe.
The most important thing though is to make sure you like the salsa before using it in any recipe. Yes, this one seems like a no-brainer, but never take for granted that you like a particular salsa if you’ve never tried it. The last thing you want to do is ruin 2 pounds of meat with salsa you don’t care for.
How To Make Simple Mexican Shredded Meat and Mexican Rice
You can make this recipe with a pork roast, beef roast, or skinless boned chicken.
- Place your meat in your slow cooker. Do not fill your slow cooker more than 75%.
- Season your meat with several tablespoons of chili powder, a teaspoon (or more if you like) of cumin, a teaspoon (or more) of pepper and several tablespoons of garlic. Feel free to add additional seasonings of your choice but keep in mind the ingredients in the salsa you’ve chosen so your recipe does not become overwhelmed with any one spice. Be especially wary of adding too much salt.
- Add a full jar of salsa to your slow cooker. Feel free to add more or less based on your personal preferences. I’ve added both the large jars of salsa and small jars of salsa to my recipe with great success.
- Add bell peppers and onions to slow cooker if desired. Do not fill your slow cooker more than 75%.
- Cook your meat on High for 6 hours or low for 8 hours. Wait until it get’s tender enough to shred. Watch the liquid levels in your slow cooker the first time you try this recipe. All slow cookers run at slightly different heats and you do not want your meat to dry out.
- Before shredding your meat, use a ladle and remove as much liquid as you can.
- Take the extra liquid and use it to cook your rice on the stove top. My favorite part of this recipe is actually the rice.
- Shred your meat and serve.
Suggested Ways To Serve The Shredded Meat:
- Over nachos
- In tortillas
- In taco shells
- Over a bed of lettuce
- In lettuce wraps
- Simply over rice
Suggested Additional Toppings:
- Avacado
- Corn
- Tomatoes
- Bell Peppers
- Onions
- Black Beans
- Guacamole (check out this recipe for Creamy, No-Brown, Guacamole)
- Shredded Cheese
- Shredded Lettuce
And that’s it—a crazy easy recipe that works every time.
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