Sweet & Smoky Chuck Roast Nachos
A hunk of meat tossed in the slow cooker at 9am that yields a shredded, tender pile of protein by dinner time is my love language. Truly, it feels like I’ve given myself a gift every time I have the forethought to get dinner started while cleaning up after breakfast. My go to for this is a shredded meat that can be piled on a bun with slaw for a sandwich, tucked in a tortilla with salsa for a taco, or scattered over a tray of chips with cheese for nachos. This sweet and smoky chuck roast works in all these ways, but my favorite is piled atop a plate of nachos. The flavors work so well with the slightly sharp cheese, the cool creamy greek yogurt, and the tang of hot sauce dolloped throughout. Dinner is served.
Makes 4 servings (with enough for leftovers)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 pounds chuck roast
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons coconut sugar
½ teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons salt
1 14 oz. can of crushed tomatoes
1 cup bone broth (chicken or beef both work!)
1 tablespoon molasses (can sub maple syrup for a bit less depth of flavor)
For nachos:
A bag of tortilla chips
grated mild cheddar cheese
greek yogurr for dolloping
salsa and/or hot sauce for drizzling
thinly sliced green onions or cilantro for a bit of brightness
Directions:
You can cook this in an instant pot or slow cooker. For the instant pot, set to sauté and put a bit of olive oil in the bottom of the pot. Rub the dried seasonings over the chuck roast and brown on all sides. This helps create a layer of flavor that you don’t get in the slow cooker. When it’s browned, add the crushed tomatoes, bone broth, and molasses (or maple syrup) and give it a good stir. Put the lid on and cook on high pressure for 90 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally and use two forks to shred the meat. If it’s not quite tender enough, you can cook for another 30 minutes on high pressure and it should be perfect!
If you’re using a slow cooker, the steps are the same except you won’t be browning the roast first. Simply add all of the ingredients but the chuck roast to the pot and give it a good stir. Nestle the roast in and use a spoon to ladle the seasoned liquid over the top. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Give it a good shred and add back to the liquid!
Assemble your nachos starting with the chips, then layer the meat and cheese. Broil in the oven for a few minutes until the cheese is melty. Top with the rest of your chosen toppings and enjoy!
