Board Meeting Pulled Beef Chorizo and ChickenTacos

Made these for our latest board meeting (hosts prepare dinner for the board) and they proved to be a big hit. The chicken tacos are a healthy and tastily juicy taco fodder. The Beef Chorizo tacos are actually two meals in one - day 1 - classic American pot roast with a little bit of flair - day 2 - meltingly awesome tacos.

All tacos served with pinto beans, onions, cilantro, lime, fresh queso and crema with warm tortillas and a choice of homemade pico de gallo, tomatillo salsa and guacamole..

Poached Chicken Tacos

1/4 c salt

1 tbsp smoked paprika

1 tbsp oregano

1 tbsp Cumin

1 tsp Chile Powder

1 tsp Adobo Powder

10 whole black peppercorns

2 lbs chicken breasts

Combine all the spices with enough water to come up halfway a pan big enough to hold the chicken breasts. If the breasts are too thick, slice in. Add the chicken and bring to a brief boil. Reduce the liquid to a simmer. Check the chicken in about 8 minutes and flip for another 6 minutes.

Remove chicken breasts from liquid and bring to a boil for 10 minutes and remove from heat. After the chicken has cooled slightly, use two folks to shred the chicken. Put the chicken in a heat proof container and pour the broth over the chicken and let it sit in the fridge for a few hours. Reheat in a pan and serve.

Pulled Beef Chorizo Tacos

Day 1 Pot Roast Dinner

6 lbs Chuck Pot Roast, trimmed of excess fat and silverskin (2 roasts)

1 yellow onion, chopped

2 stalks celery, sliced

2 carrots, sliced

5 cloves garlic, sliced

1 tsp Smoked Paprika

2 sprigs Sage, crushed

3 sprigs Thyme

3 sprigs Rosemary

2 cups low sodium Beef Broth

2 tbsp flour

vegetable oil

Heat the oven to 350F

Pat the roasts dry with paper towels. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the roasts.

Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a dutch oven over hight heat and when shimmeringly hot, sear the roasts for 5 minutes per flat. Remove the roasts to a plate.

Turn the heat to medium. Add more oil to the pan and saute the onion, celery and carrots for 10-15 minutes until soft. Scrape the bottom to pickup the browned pan bits. Add the garlic and saute to fragrant.

Nestle the roasts and collected juices into the vegetables, add the herbs around the roasts and then add broth to 3/4 the height of the roasts. Bring to a boil.

Clamp the lid on the pot, place in the oven for 3.5 hours. The meat should be frighteningly tender. Remove the roasts to a board, cover with foil. Strain the solids from the remaining juices. Use a fat separator to remove the fat.

Add two more tbsp oil to the pan and heat. Add flour and stir into the oil. Cook, stirring, until the flour is golden, about 2-3 minutes. Pour a small amount of the juice into the pan and stir vigorously. After it thickens, add jus gradually and stir until smooth. When the full jus is added, bring to a boil and reduce until thick.

Slice the meat, have some gravy and nom away.

Day 2 - Taco Night!

Leftover Pot Roast

1 lb Mexican Chorizo

Smoked Paprika

Cumin

Chile Powder

2 cups Beef Broth

2  cups water

1 shot tequila (2 if the cook needs one)

Shred cold pot roast into bite size threads.

Heat one tbsp oil in the pan. Squeeze the chorizo into the pan and heat through. Keep it moving. Once the chorizo is melted and the fat is hot, add the shredded beef. Add the spices, stir and coat the beef. When the spices are aromatic, add the broth, water and tequila. Reduce to medium heat. Use a spoon to skim the fat away. Allow the liquid to reduce slowly until it forms a thick sauce and the beef is lucious and soft.

Serve on tacos!