Slow Cooker Machaca

Our local Mexican restaurant, El Alazan, has a delicious breakfast burrito.  Inside the flour tortilla, you will find fried potatoes, melted cheese, sautéed jalapenos and onions, scrambled eggs, and tender shredded beef.  The burrito is smothered with spicy green chili.  We just had brunch there this morning.  The shredded beef is called "Machaca".  I looked it up on the internet and it sounds like a traditional dish made from dried beef.  To me, our restaurant version seemed like a slow cooked chuck roast in a flavorful sauce. I tried to make Machaca at home. It was not the same as the restaurant Machaca, but we liked it a lot.  We enjoyed the shredded beef in a variety of preparations:  burritos, tacos, and quesadillas.

Slow Cooker Machaca
2.5 to 3 pounds boneless beef short ribs (chuck or pot roast would also work)
1 can Rotel diced tomatoes and green chiles (hot, original, or mild/whatever you prefer))
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 sweet onion, large dice
1/2 bell pepper (red, yellow, or orange), large dice

Trim any excess fat from the beef short ribs (or beef roast).  Place the meat in the bottom of the slow cooker.  Sprinkle the spices over the top of the meat.  Add in the onion and peppers and pour the can of Rotel over it all.  Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on low for about 5 to 6 hours or until the beef shreds easily.  Carefully shred the beef in the slow cooker with two forks or remove it from the slow cooker and shred the beef with two forks on a cutting board.  Return the shredded meat to the slow cooker and stir well to coat the beef with the vegetables and the juices.

You can use the shredded beef in burritos, tacos, quesadillas... whatever you like. Above and below you can see a quesadilla made with two flour tortillas, pepper jack cheese, and shredded beef.