Set it and Forget it Shredded Beef (for Burritos and so much more!)

Feels like there have been a few too many treats around the All Things Libby family lately, between Easter coming up and a birthday celebration, not to mention some overripe bananas, so another batch of   Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins were made.  This time with 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed added to continue to challenge the how-much-health-food-can-I-add-to-these-before-you-notice-it threshold. 

Still, ah-mazing!  Nothing, other than deliciousness, detectable.

So, before you are all convinced that we don't eat anything other than gluten and sugar laden treats, I thought I'd bring back a super easy and versatile dinner option.

Ours was made with some of the last remaining venison steaks from our freezer, but is ideal for a beef roast (or chicken breasts) and after a day in the slow cooker, can be used for some sandwiches, burritos or quesadillas, depending on what you have on hand and what you are in the mood for.

Most importantly, I'm thrilled to have finally been able to consistently achieve moist tender roasts in the crockpot.  I was struggling with that for a while and I was worried I my family was going to lose faith in me.

First thing into the crockpot was the meat, seasoned with a salsa seasoning (which can be a source of spicy-ness that my kids weren't thrilled with) as well as steak seasoning.  Then, I poured in a can of diced tomatoes and a half cup of water, which definitely helps with the tender and moistness that was evading me.

After cooking on low for nearly 8 hours, the meat was extremely tender...like could-barely-get-it-out-of-the-slow-cooker-without-it-splashing-back-into-the-juices-as-it-fell-apart tender.

The fat, which also aids in the moistness of the meat, was trimmed before shredding.  Then, a few large spoonfuls on the juice from the slow cooker were added back, as much as the meat would absorb upon stirring.

It's a fine line between being dry and being soggy, but I know my family would prefer a little more moist than not enough.

Finally, the burritos were prepared with some shredded cheese, corn and black bean salsa and, of course,  wouldn't be complete without Libby's Chunky Guacamole, finally topped with a dollop of sour cream.

Truth be told, about half way through this meal, I abandon the tortilla shell and just devoured the filling.  Qdoba is on to something with their burrito bowls.

In the future, I'll just leave the tortillas for the Chicken Quesadillas.