For years my pressure cooker has sat unused, taking up valuable cabinet real estate. I keep it on the front of a shelf, as a reminder of my fear. Every time I make a casserole or pan of lasagna I have to move the pressure cooker to get to my 13-by-9-inch baking dish. This is by design, a psychic nudge to someday get over my anxiety.
The fear is irrational, I know, but the childhood memories of kitchen ceilings stained with the remains of pressure cooker calamities has keep me from embracing the appliance.
Last week, I had a breakthrough. I not only braised a roast, I stayed in the kitchen working on other things during the 45 minutes (can you believe a whole 3-pound eye of round roast cooked in just 45 minutes!) as it cooked.
And the results were divine -- tender, flavorful, falling apart meat.
If you don't have a pressure cooker, or if you'd rather not use it, this recipe can also be prepared in a slow cooker with equally good, but much more patience-demanding results.
Chipotle Beef Barbacoa
4 canned chipotle peppers in adobo OR 1/4 cup chopped chipotles in adobo
1 small or 1/2 medium sweet or red onion, roughly chopped
3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon cumin seed
Juice of 2 limes
2 tablespoons tomato paste, divided use
2 1/2 to 3 pounds eye of round roast
Kosher salt
Ground black pepper
2 bay leaves
1 cup beef broth or stock, salt-free recommended
In a food processor or blender, process the chipotles, onion, garlic, spices, lime juice and 1 tablespoon of the tomato paste until smooth. Set aside.
Cut roast into 4 equal pieces. Season with salt and pepper. Place roast pieces in pressure cooker. Spoon chipotle puree over meat, add bay leaves and 1 cup beef broth. Securely lock lid. Bring cooker to high pressure (according to manufacturer's instructions) and cook for 45 minutes. Let pressure release naturally.
Transfer meat to a cutting board. Discard bay leaves. Set aside 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Leave the remaining liquid in the pot. Shred beef using your fingers or two forks. Place meat in a bowl and add the 1 cup reserved cooking liquid. Set aside.
Whisk the remaining tablespoon of tomato paste into the cooking liquid in the pot. Bring to a boil and cook until mixture has thickened and reduced slightly. Return shredded beef to pot and stir to combine.
The meat makes an excellent filling for tacos, burritos, enchiladas or a tamale pie.
Makes 8 to 10 servings.
Slow cooker instructions: Cook meat and sauce in a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker for 9 hours on low or 5 hours on high, or until falling-apart tender. Shred and mix with 1 cup of the cooking liquid as directed. Transfer remaining cooking liquid to a Dutch oven or other heavy pot. Whisk in tomato paste, bring to a boil and cook until mixture has thickened and reduced slightly. Add shredded beef and stir to combine.
Recipe adapted from Eat What You Love Everyday by Marlene Koch
Food on 05/21/2014