Tomatillo Pulled Beef
This beef with salsa verde makes amazing sandwiches, tacos or quesadillas! Avocado leaves – ever popular in Mexican cusine – add a light anis fragrance, alongside Morita chilies, which contribute a touch of smokey heat. If you don’t have brisket, the flank or another cut that braises well will do.
Ingredients
- 2 lb brisket
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 onions
- 1 Tbsp cumin
- 1 Tbsp oregano, Mexican if possible
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 5 medium new potatoes
- 4 avocado leaves
- 6 to 8 tomatillos
- 2 morita chilies or chipotles
- 4 garlic cloves
- ¼ cup fresh coriander, chopped
Method
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1
Heat a heavy-bottomed pot on medium-high heat. Pour in the oil and brown the beef on all sides. Set aside.
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2
Slice the onions into thick rings and brown for 2 minutes on either side.
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3
Place the beef on the onions and pour ½ cup of water into the pot.
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4
Lightly roast the cumin, then the oregano for a few minutes in a dry pan, on medium heat. Add them to the pot. Lightly toast the avocado leaves for a few seconds until they darken in colour and become fragrant. Add them to the pot, salt and pepper to taste.
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5
Cover and let simmer on low heat for 2 to 2 ½ hours., until the meat is tender. Alternately, cook for 6 to 7 hours in a crock pot, on low heat.
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6
Meanwhile, prepare the salsa verde. Remove the envelope around the tomatillos and place them in a small pan with just enough water to cover them. Bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes on medium heat.
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7
Heat a pan on medium heat and grill the chilies for 15 to 20 seconds on either side, until they become fragrant and lightly toasted. Toast the garlic cloves for 3 to 4 minutes on each side to blacken them a little.
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8
Place cooked tomatillos, with a little of their water in a blender, crush the chilies with your fingers and add to the blender with the blackened garlic and fresh coriander. Salt and blend into a purée. Set aside.
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9
Cut potatoes into small pieces ½ hour before the beef is cooked then add them to the pot (1 hour before if you’re using a crock pot).
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10
Remove the beef and most of the remaining liquid, once cooked. Pour the cooking juice into the pan and mix gently so as not to bruise the potatoes. Let simmer a few minutes.
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11
Meanwhile, shred the meat using two forks along with some of the cooking juice to make it more tender. Transfer the hot liquid into a dish, place the meat on top and garnish using the fresh coriander.
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12
Conserve the remaining liquid from the beef and use in rice or a soup.
