What's in your Slow Cooker 2019

I use the SC for cheaper cuts that benefit from slow cooking. One of our favourites is a South American recipe, barbacoa, made with beef cheeks (usually available in Waitrose) and served in tortillas with 'pink pickled onions'

Serves 6-8 (depends how many tacos each person can eat!)
Pickled Onions
• 1 red onion
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup cider vinegar
1. Slice the onions very thinly and put them in a saucepan. Add the salt and sugar. Cover everything with water and vinegar.
2. Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Cool, then refrigerate overnight.

Barbacoa Beef Cheeks
• 1 kgbeef cheeks
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 tablespoon natural peanut butter
• 1 ancho chili
• 1 teaspoon instant espresso
• 2 tablespoons olive oil (plus 2 more for cooking)
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 1 teaspoon smoked sweet paprika
• 1 handful fresh coriander
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup beef stock
• 3 limes
• 1 avocado
• Tortillas

1. Clean and trim the cheeks. Put them in a container that you can marinate them in.
2. Remove the stem and seeds from the ancho, cut it up into chunks and rehydrate in a little water (I stick it in a ramekin and microwave for 30 seconds)
3. Peel and chop the garlic. Put everything from the garlic to the salt in the food processor (including the water from the chili) and blend into a paste. Toss the paste with the cheeks and marinate for several hours or better yet over night.
4. When it is time to cook, heat 2 tbs olive oil in a large frying pan. Brown the cheeks on both sides. Use the broth to rinse the rest of the marinade into the slow cooker, then squeeze the juice of 3 limes in.
5. Cook on low for 6 - 8 hours - turn the cheeks over once or twice while they cook and if the liquid dries up add a bit more broth
6. When the cheeks are fall-apart tender, using 2 forks, pull the meat apart in the pan so that it mixes in with all of that juicy goodness.
7. To serve - heat 2 tortillas (I like to double wrap the taco as they are juicy). Fill with barbacoa, a slice of avocado, some of pickled onions and fresh coriander. Serve and enjoy!!!

I usually make this the day before we eat for a couple of reasons

1 I like to make sure it pulls apart easily so if it needs more cooking time I can allow it and

2 the flavour is really enhanced the next day - simply put some of the pulled meat into a frying pan to heat through.

It also freezes really well.