Beef:
3 lbs beef beef blade roast or brisket
Salt and pepper
2 tbsp vegetable oil
5 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1 onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 cups water
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 to 2 chipotle chiles en adobo
2 bay leaves
1/4 cup molasses
Season the beef generously with salt and pepper, to taste. Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil and heat just until beginning to smoke. Add the meat and cook, turning once, until browned on both sides, about 10 minutes total. Transfer the meat to the slow cooker and leave the skillet on the heat. Add garlic, onion, chili powder, coriander, and cumin to drippings in the skillet and stir until fragrant, about one minute. Add vinegar and boil until it’s almost gone (be careful not to breathe in the steaming vinegar fumes), scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Stir in water and pour the mixture over the brisket. Add the tomatoes, chipotles, bay leaves, and molasses. Cover the cooker, set it on LOW, and cook the beef until it pulls apart easily with a fork, about 8 to 10 hours.
Green Onion Slaw:
1 cup green onions, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 tbsp mayonnaise
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup pure olive oil
1 head cabbage, finely shredded (or a bag of coleslaw)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves
Blend green onions, vinegar, mayonnaise, salt, pepper and oil in a blender until emulsified. Place cabbage in a bowl, add the dressing and stir until combined. Fold in the cilantro and season with salt and pepper to taste.
For serving:
Small Soft Tortillas
Pickled Jalapeños
Green Onion Slaw
Pull the meat out of the slow cooker and place on a cutting board. Remove and discard bay leaves from the sauce. Pull the meat apart with two forks and place shredded beef back in the slow cooker with the sauce. Stir to combine.
To serve, use a slotted spoon and scoop about a 1/4 cup of shredded beef onto your tortilla. Top with about a 1/4 cup of green onion slaw and some pickled jalapenos.
