Rec: Barbacoa

The original recipe is from recipezaar, but changed it to my liking.

Barbacoa

8 garlic cloves or more, unpeeled

¼ cup ground dried ancho chile powder

½ – 3/4 tsp gr cumin

sprinkle of black pepper

3 tbsp vinegar (cider vinegar is common in Mexico)

Salt

½ cup water or as needed

3 to 5 lbs chuck roast or other pot roast cut

1-1/2 cups dried pinto beans optional

optional garnish (I never used this)

½ cup finely chopped white onion, for garnish

½ cup chopped cilantro, for garnish

1 lime, cut into 6 wedges for serving

Cut a slit in the side of each garlic clove. Place them in a microwaveable bowl, cover with plastic wrap, poke holes in the top and microwave for 30 seconds on high. Cool until handleable, then slip off the papery husks.

One by one, drop the garlic cloves into a running food processor, letting each get thoroughly chopped before adding the next. Add the chile powder, cumin, black pepper, vinegar, 1 teaspoons salt. If too thick add some water to make it spreadable.

Scrape most of the marinade onto the meat, and  spread it all over the top and sides. Put the meat into the crock pot, marinade side down and pour the rest on top and spread it.

Pour enough water into the slow-cooker to cover the lower 1/2 inch of the roast. Cover and slow cook on high for 4 hours or until meat is tender.

Carefully remove meat with a slotted spoon onto a large plate. Let cool and slice. Defat gravy. Put meat back in the gravy to cool and to reheat in. Serve garnished with onions and cilantro.

Alternative: soak the beans overnight. Put them in the bottom of the slow cooker, make the marinade as above, but decrease the vinegar to 1 tbsp. Put meat covered with marinade on top of beans, add water to cover bottom half of meat. Cook on high for 3 hours, check, it may need more water. Cook until meat is almost done, add the 2 remaining tbsp vinegar, and salt to taste. Check on the beans, they generally take longer than the meat.

When meat is done remove and finish cooking the beans.

Serve with rice and a salad.