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Braised Beef Pasta Salad

Slow oven braised beef tossed together with the braising liquid and a creamy dressing to coat the shells served with freshly made pico de gallo, crumbled mexican cheese, creamy avocado all finished with lime and chipotle mayo.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time4 hours
Total Time4 hours 20 minutes
Course: Salads
Servings: 6
Author: the communal feast

Ingredients

  • 3 lb chuck roast
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 TBS ground cumin
  • 1 TBS dried oregano
  • 1 tsp ground cloves
  • 6 garlic cloves
  • 1/3 cup lime juice
  • 1/2 cup chipotle chilies in adobo
  • 1 guajillo pepper rehydrated (optional)
  • 2 cups beef broth
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 sprigs fresh oregano optional
  • 1 pound short cut pasta
  • 1 1/2 cup pico de gallo see notes
  • 1 large avocado
  • lime
  • chipotle mayo

Instructions

  • 1. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.
  • 2. Start by braising the meat. Allow the meat to come to room temperature before using. Pat dry using a paper towel and season both sides with a good amount of salt and pepper. Heat a large cast iron skillet or dutch oven over medium heat. When hot, sear the meat on all sides. Use the fat side of the meat to rub along the bottom of the pan to prevent the meat from sticking. About 2-3 minutes per side.
  • 3. To make the braising liquid: in a blender puree the ground cumin, dried oregano, cloves, garlics, chipotle chilies, guajillo pepper, lime juice and beef broth. Pour the mixture overtop the beef ensuring its fully submerged. If needed add a bit of water to cover. Add the bay leaves and fresh oregano. Cover and transfer to the oven to bake for 4 hours until the beef is fork tender. Remove the bay leaves and oregano, and shred the meat. Pour some of the sauce into a bowl for the dressing.
  • 4. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta al dente according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water.
  • 5. To the braising liquid bowl, mix 1/3 cup of braising liquid with the greek yogurt, sour cream, 1/3 cup of lime juice. Taste and adjust seasoning. Add more braising liquid if needed. Pour over the pasta, tossing well to coat and seasoning with cracked pepper.
  • 6. To serve: top the pasta with shredded meat, fresh pico, avocado, cheese and chipotle aioli. Season with more pepper if needed and fresh lime.

Notes

Homemade pico de gallo:
1 1/2 cup diced tomatoes
1/2 cup white onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup cilantro, finely chopped
1 small jalapenos, seeds removed and finely chopped
pinch of salt
1 lime, juiced