Recipe Thursday - Shredded Beef

Cold weather requires a more substantial meal.  A crisp green salad just doesn't cut it when the wind is whipping snow all over the place and the mercury has dipped significantly below the freezing mark.  Time to pull out the big guns.  In my family that means Shredded Beef.  This recipe has been a family favourite since I first tried it in 1996.  It is from Taste of Home August/September 1996.   I had a subscription for several years and tried many of the recipes. 

First picture shows the cooking sauce simmering.  You really must allow it to cook for the full fifteen minutes before pouring over the roast.  This lets the flavours mix really well.

Once you have poured the sauce over the beef, put it in the oven with a lid and leave it alone for a couple of hours.  You can do this in a crock pot, though the sauce will be a bit thin, so leave the lid off the crock pot while you are shredding the beef.  Note, I didn't have time to brown the beef before putting it in the oven, and  it turned out perfect.

Final step, is to remove the cooked meat from the pot and place it on a large cutting board.  I use two regular forks, one to hold the meat in place and the other to pull off strips.  Then place all the shredded meat back into the pot and serve.

Shredded Beef
1 boneless beef chuck roast (about 4 pounds)

3 tbsp cooking oil, divided
2 large onions, chopped
1 cup ketchup
1 cup beef broth
2/3 cup chili sauce
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp prepared mustard
2 tbsp molasses
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp pepper

12 - 16 kaiser rolls or hamburger buns.

In a dutch oven, brown roast on all sides in 1 tbsp of oil.  Meanwhile, in  a large saucepan, saute onions in remaining oil until tender, about 10 minutes.  Add remaining ingredients except rolls; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Pour over the roast.  Cover and bake at 325 F for 2 hours.  Turn the roast and bake for 2 more hours or until meat is very tender.  Remove roast; shred with a fork and return to sauce.  Serve on rolls.

Note:  I didn't use the type of roast called for, I tend to use what ever cut is on sale, this time it was an outside round.  Choose the cut you like and can afford.  The long cooking is a great tenderizer.  You can skip the salt if you wish, since there is enough in the ketchup and the chili sauce.  This time I used a Thai Sweet and Spicy sauce and it added a little extra kick.  I often use plum sauce instead of chili sauce.  Don't be afraid to substitute for any item you don't happen to have in your pantry.

I served this to my parents and my dad even asked for some to take home for dinner the next day.

Weekend Cooking is hosted by Beth Fish Reads.  On the weekend I will update the link to this week's foodie post.  You are invited to join in the fun and visit with all the other participants and see what they have been cooking.  Also includes various other food related posts such as cookbook and restaurant reviews and reviews of food related novels.