Shredded Roast Beef Tacos

The absolute easiest way to make these tacos is to cook up a roast in the crock pot earlier in the week for a family meal. My crock pot recipe is Crock Pot Pot Roast with Potatoes and Shredded Carrots. Select a roast that is larger than what you would typically  eat in a single meal, and save the left over roast beef for the tacos.

Or cook up a small roast in a crock pot just for these tacos. You could cook the roast that morning, or several days in advance – whatever works best for you schedule. Since I plan ahead, my shredded beef is in the refrigerator as we speak, just waiting to be “reborn” in a second round of roast beef goodness.

With the cost of a chuck roast these days, to get multiple meals from a single roast is a great thing. It reminds me of growing up, when my parents (especially in the winter months when times were lean) would look for big cuts of meat to feed us throughout the week. While Roast Chicken was a big part of our Sundays, Roast Beef was a close second.

Traditionally speaking, roasted beef was the meat of choice in 17th century England, particularly in Yorkshire – said to be the birthplace of The Sunday Roast. Sunday Roast was also a tradition observed in Ireland and eventually expanded throughout Europe. It is believed that both religious practices and the industrial revolution were key factors in the birth of The Sunday Roast.

Families often worked six days a week, with Sundays held as a day of rest. A big rack of meat could be put into the oven on Sunday mornings, and then allowed to slow cook while the family attended church services. After church, the meal was nearly complete. The women-folk would add a few vegetables, mash a pot of boiled potatoes and whip up a gravy made from the pan drippings before joining their families for a day of leisure.  Generally, more meat was roasted than could be consumed on Sunday, and the cold meat became lunch for the better part of the following week.

Today, that left over roast can become more than a just cold sandwich . . .

Shredded Roast Beef Tacos
2 lbs Shredded Roast Beef
1 Tablespoon Bacon Drippings
1 Small Can Tomato Sauce
4 Tablespoons Taco Seasoning
1/4 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
1/2 Head Lettuce, Shredded
3 Tomatoes, chopped
12 Taco Shells, soft
1/2 Cup Sour Cream
1 Cup Mexican Cheese

Heat bacon drippings in a large skillet. Gently fry shredded beef in drippings. Add tomato sauce. and season with taco seasoning, cayenne pepper. Simmer until meat is heated through. Taste and adjust seasoning.

While meat heats, shred lettuce and chop tomatoes. Set aside until ready to use.

Spray taco shells with cooking spray. In a flat skillet, warm tortilla shells until soft. Set aside.

Fill shells with shredded meat. Top with lettuce, tomatoes and cheese.

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