Copycat Chipotle Barbacoa Beef with Cilantro Lime Rice

I can't think of a more delicious bundle of goodness than a giant Chipotle burrito, packed to the gills with barbacoa beef, black beans, corn salsa, and that most wonderful of concoctions--cilantro lime rice.  I don't think I will ever tire of biting into a burrito the size of my head.  It's almost as great as digging through the treasures hidden inside like some sort of excavator.

Back to reality.  There are no Chipotles in North Dakota.  (There are no Aldis either.  You would think that a business with locations in Hungary and Australia could set up a nice little store in Fargo.  Not.)  I have brainstormed a list of potential solutions to this tragic problem:  1) eat at Chipotle every day for the next month, in hopes that I will somehow sate any future cravings all at once; 2) buy a lifetime supply of Chipotle barbacoa burritos and bring them to North Dakota with me; or 3) invent my own version of Chipotle that tastes awesome and doesn't cost $8 a pop.

I went with the last one.  Shipping a freezer-ful of burritos across the country could be a logistical nightmare.

Copycat Chipotle Barbacoa Beef with Cilantro Lime Rice
Time:  Begin at least 8 hours ahead

Filling options:
Black beans, drained, rinsed, and heated
Cooked sweet corn, cut from the cob and heated (leftover grilled corn is my favorite)
Tomato, diced
Lettuce, finely chopped
Cheddar or Mexican-blend cheese, shredded
Sour cream
Guacamole (or thinly sliced avocado)
Barbacoa beef (see below)
Cilantro lime rice (see below)

Another option is corn salsa with lime (combines black beans, corn, tomatoes, and onion with seasonings).  I haven't tried it yet, but it looks good!

Flour tortillas (8-inch or burrito-size)

Slow-Cooker Barbacoa Beef (from this recipe)
While this doesn't taste exactly like the Chipotle version, it is pretty tasty.  I haven't made any major changes to the original recipe--mostly I cut down the amounts to make a smaller recipe.  I also think that there are much better uses for beef brisket, so I used an arm roast that I found at the co-op months ago.  Any inexpensive roast will do.  If you go with a tougher cut of meat, however, you will need to cook it "low and slow."  I found that the method of cooking on high then on warm was not enough to break down the meat fibers.

2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (from a can), chopped, plus 2 T. of the sauce
1/2 bunch cilantro, coarsely chopped
1/2 red onion, peeled and cut into large chunks
5-6 large garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
3 dry bay leaves
1 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
juice of 2 limes
1/4 cup cider vinegar
3 to 4 pound beef roast (see note above), excess fat removed
2 to 3 cups beef or chicken stock

In a food processor, pulse together chipotle peppers and sauce, cilantro, red onion, and garlic. Combine with clove, cumin, salt, lime juice, and cider vinegar in the insert of a slow cooker. Place the beef on top (cut it into pieces if doesn't fit). Add stock to cover the meat and place bay leaves on top.

Cook on low for at least 6 to 8 hours.

Remove meat from slow cooker and place on rimmed baking sheet. Use two forks to pull the meat apart. Place shredded beef in large bowl and ladle cooking liquid over the top, until it is saturated but not soupy.

The remaining liquid can be frozen for use in other recipes.  The meat itself also freezes well (for tips on making an extra-large batch, see the original recipe).

Cilantro Lime Rice
I roughly followed the recipe here, but modified it for use in my rice cooker.  Whatever method you use to cook the rice, just toss it with the other ingredients and serve hot.

1 cup white or basmati rice, cooked with 2 cups water and 1 tsp. salt
2-3 tsp. lime juice
3 T. fresh chopped cilantro
2-3 tsp. vegetable oil

Spicy Shredded Chicken Sandwiches

My crock pot is the most forlorn member of my kitchen appliances.  I almost never get it out.  To be sure, the idea of throwing a bunch of ingredients together in the morning and coming home to a deliciously aromatic dinner in the evening is an appealing one.  There's one problem, though:  every crock pot recipe that I make tastes the same--like crock pot.  And I'd rather spend an extra half hour cooking a delicious stovetop dinner than eating something that tastes like it came out of, well, a crock pot.

I do have one recipe, though, that works every time and tastes delicious.  Unfortunately, you'll have to go to the real store to buy some uncooked chicken for this one.  I won't pay more than $2 a pound for boneless chicken; sometimes you can find fresh chicken on sale, but if all else fails, you can get frozen chicken at Aldi.  They have three-pound bags of boneless skinless breasts or thighs for $5.99.  I really can't think of a way to make Brakebush work in a crock pot.  If you've figured it out, let me know.

Anyway, these spicy sandwiches are brought to you by the same friend who introduced me to Rustic Herb Bread, so you know they've got to be good.  The ingredient list is short, and you really just dump everything into the slow cooker--there's no pre-cooking or chopping or anything that will force you to get up a half hour early to get it ready.

P.S.  If you have a good co-op worthy crock pot recipe that you'd like to share, I'd love to try it out.  Just use the "Share!" button under "Submit a Recipe" on the right-hand side of the page.

Spicy Shredded Chicken Sandwiches
Time:  4-6 hours
Serves about 6

4 uncooked boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, thawed if necessary
1/4 cup Frank's Red Hot sauce (or the generic equivalent)
2 T. vinegar
2 T. butter
Hamburger buns
Mayonnaise, blue cheese dressing, and/or additional Frank's Red Hot, for serving

Combine first four ingredients in crock pot; slow cook on low for 4-6 hours.  Shred chicken into the juice with a fork.  Serve on buns with mayo, blue cheese dressing, and/or Frank's Red Hot.

Slow Cooker Pork and Black Bean Soup

Finally, a recipe that uses those mysterious pork neck bones that always seem to be lurking in the co-op freezer!  The original recipe calls for boneless pork shoulder, but I tried it with pork neck bones and they worked fine.  Use a whole package, as only about half of it is actual meat.  Also, if you've never ventured into the world of pork neck bones, do beware that 1. it is a really gross looking cut of meat, and 2. the bones have a tendency to fall apart in the slow cooker, so you'll need to watch out for rogue shards in the soup.

Almost all of the other ingredients are often available at the co-op.  Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce are $1.67 at Kroger/Scott's (in the international/Mexican food section).  They add a flavor that is definitely worth the cost!

Top with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of diced tomatoes and fresh cilantro ($.50 a bunch at Meijer or Kroger/Scott's) to complement the spicy flavors.  Serve with fresh-based cornbread or corn muffins for a hearty cold-weather meal.

Slow Cooker Pork and Black Bean Soup (based on the recipe here)
Active time:  30 minutes
Total time:  6-1/2 hours to 8-1/2 hours
Serves 6

6 cups low-sodium chicken broth (if you use a bouillon-based broth, just reduce the amount of salt)
1 T. chopped canned chipotle peppers in adobo, plus 2 T. adobo sauce
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 large red onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 pkg. pork neck bones, thawed and extra fat removed
3-4 cans black beans, drained and rinsed (use 4 cans for a thicker soup)
salt
sour cream, diced tomatoes, and/or fresh chopped cilantro, for serving

1.  In a 5- to 6- quart slow cooker, whisk together chicken broth, chipotles and adobo sauce, and cumin; stir in the onion and garlic.
2.  Add the pork and cook, covered, until pork easily pulls apart, on low for 7 to 8 hours or on high for 5 to 6 hours.
3.  Transfer pork to a bowl or cutting board (use a slotted spoon to remove any loose bone pieces).  Use a spoon to skim extra fat off surface of broth (optional).  Add beans to broth mixture, cover, and continue to cook on high.
4.  Using a fork, break pork into large pieces; discard bones.  Using a handheld immersion blender or a standard blender, puree soup (I like it pretty creamy, but you can leave it more chunky if you wish).
5.  Stir the pork back into the soup and season with 1/2 tsp. salt (optional).  Serve with sour cream, tomatoes, and/or cilantro, if desired.