Juicy

One of my favorite Mexican restaurants when I need a quick fix has got to be Chipotle. You can get quality flavor packed food in a jiffy. My go to is their carnitas and my husband can’t resist their barbacoa. It is kind of funny, Chipotle’s barabcoa meat literally makes him sweat when he eats it. But he still loves it! I can’t help but laugh as soon as the sweat starts to bead up on his forehead. Does anyone else do this when they eat something with a little kick? I swear it reminds me of something from a cartoon. I love that guy.

I made this recipe and it is without a doubt a near perfect match of Chipotle’s barbacoa meat. It is a tender, juicy, flavor packed meat perfect for burritos, tacos, or even nachos. I personally love it with a side of my Cilantro Lime Rice. Muy bien!

Note: This meat definitely has a bit of heat in it from the chiles in adobo sauce so if you have a member of your household that doesn’t like heat I would either cut back the chiles or leave them out completely.

INGREDIENTS
3–4 lb beef chuck roast
1/3 c apple cider vinegar
1/2 yellow onion
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tbsp, garlic, minced
4 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp oregano
1 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp ground cloves
2–3 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
3/4 c beef stock

SOME FABULOUS GARNISHES
 cotija cheese , crumbled
chopped green lettuce
diced tomatoes
diced onion
guacamole or sliced avocado
sour cream
pico de gallo
chopped cilantro
lime wedges

STEPS

Trim excess fat off of the roast.
Spray your crock-pot with cooking spray (this helps a good deal with cleanup).
Place roast in crock-pot.
Place all of the ingredients, except for the chuck roast, in the blender and puree.
Pour the pureed sauce over the roast.
Cook on low for 8–10 hours, or high heat for 5–7.
When the roast is done cooking, transfer it to a large cutting board.
Using a large fork shred the meat and place it back in the crock-pot to soak up some of the tasty sauce.
Serve in a warm tortilla with your favorite taco toppings.

Recipe adapted from Unsophpisticook.

I know what you are thinking, that is a pretty big name for a pork tenderloin recipe. But this recipe really did result in the best pork tenderloin I have ever had in my life! (And I have eaten pork tenderloins, prepared in many different ways in my lifetime.) The flavors from the marinade are incredible and they seem to seep their way into the meat, it was super moist since you cook the tenderloins right in the sauce, and it was cooked absolutely perfect. My husband and I could not get enough. We each ate over a half pound of pork and chowed down on the cold leftovers for lunch the next day. The flavors are sweet, tangy, and garlicky. Awesome, awesome, and more awesome. If you are looking to mix things up in the kitchen I highly recommend you give this recipe a try. Your mind will be blown and your palette and belly happy.

INGREDIENTS
1 package of pork tenderloins (2–2.5 lbs), there should be two small tenderloins in the package
6 garlic cloves, sliced in half lengthwise
1/4 c soy sauce
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
4 tbsp honey
2 tbsp orange juice
1 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
1 tsp pepper
3 tbsp olive oil

STEPS

Preheat your oven to 350º.
Spray an 11” x 17” baking dish with cooking spray.
Use a sharp knife to poke 6 holes along the topside of each of the tenderloins going about an inch deep.
Push a sliver of garlic into each hole and place the tenderloins in the baking dish.
In a small bowl whisk together the soy sauce, mustard, honey, juice, rosemary, pepper, and olive oil.
Pour the marinade over the tenderloins.
Bake uncovered for 45 minutes basting every 7–10 minutes. This gives the tenderloins a delicious glaze over the top.
Transfer the tenderloins to a large cutting board and allow them to rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
Thinly slice the tenderloins and transfer to a serving dish or plates.
Drizzle the marinade from the pan over the sliced pork medallions and enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Lick the Bowl Good.