Bison Pot Roast

We bought a nice bison chuck roast from Whole Foods a couple of weeks ago and decided today was a good pot roast kind of day.  We decided to leave out the potatoes and make our favorite garlic mashed potatoes. 

Ingredients:
1 whole (4 To 5 Pounds) Chuck Roast
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 whole Onions
6 whole Carrots (Up To 8 Carrots)
Salt To Taste
Pepper To Taste
1 cup Red Wine (optional, You Can Use Beef Broth Instead)
2 cups To 3 Cups Beef Stock
3 sprigs Fresh Thyme, or more to taste
3 sprigs Fresh Rosemary, or more to taste

First and foremost, choose a nicely marbled piece of meat. This will enhance the flavor of your pot roast like nothing else. Generously salt and pepper your chuck roast.

Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Then add 2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil.

Cut two onions in half and cut 6 to 8 carrots into 2-inch slices (you can peel them, but you don’t have to). When the oil in the pot is very hot (but not smoking), add in the halved onions, browning them on one side and then the other. Remove the onions to a plate.

Throw the carrots into the same very hot pan and toss them around a bit until slightly browned, about a minute or so.

If needed, add a bit more olive oil to the very hot pan. Place the meat in the pan and sear it for about a minute on all sides until it is nice and brown all over. Remove the roast to a plate.

With the burner still on high, use either red wine or beef broth (about 1 cup) to deglaze the pan, scraping the bottom with a whisk to get all of that awesome flavor up.

When the bottom of the pan is sufficiently deglazed, place the roast back into the pan and add enough beef stock to cover the meat halfway (about 2 to 3 cups). Add in the onion and the carrots, as well as 3 or 4 sprigs of fresh rosemary and about 3 sprigs of fresh thyme.

I cooked this on the Egg today at 300.  For the first 90 minutes I left the lid off the Dutch oven to add a little smoke flavor.  I put the lid back on and cooked for another 2 1/2 hours for a 3 1/2 pound roast.
Once the roast is done move it to a cutting board and shred.  I combined the shredded roast with the onions and carrots.  Also, add 2 tablespoons cornstarch to a 1/4 cup water and mix with the gravy, over medium heat, stirring frequently to thicken.

The finished product: Mashed potatoes, pot roast smothered in the gravy.   Life is Good!!!

Grilled Chicken Tacos

This may now be our favorite tacos of all time.  Everyone really enjoyed these and it was super simple.

Ingredients:
Marinade 
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil  
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice  
1 teaspoon chili powder  
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt  
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper  
6  boneless, skinless chicken thighs, about 4 ounces each 

Salsa 

1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped ripe tomatoes  
large ripe avocado, peeled and diced 
4 to 5 green onions, (white part only), finely chopped 
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro  
1 tablespoon minced  jalapeño pepper, without seeds 
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice  
Kosher salt  
freshly ground black pepper  

1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese  

3 to 4 cups shredded Romaine lettuce or Iceburg lettuce 
1 cup   sour cream, thinned with 2 Tablespoons milk (optional) 
1 (15-ounce) can black beans  
10 flour tortillas (6 inches) 
 
Marinade: In a small bowl whisk together the marinade ingredients.
 
Rinse the chicken thighs under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Place the thighs in a large, resealable plastic bag and pour in the marinade. Press the air out of the bag and seal tightly. Turn the bag to distribute the marinade, place in a bowl, and refrigerate for about 1 hour.

Salsa: In a medium bowl combine the salsa ingredients, including salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a serving bowl.

Remove the chicken thighs from the bag and discard the marinade. Grill over Direct heat at 300 until the meat is firm and the juices run clear, 16 to 20 minutes, turning once halfway through grilling time. Remove from the grill, cut into 1/4-inch slices, and place in a serving bowl.

Meanwhile, grate the cheese, shred the lettuce, and prepare the sour cream. Place each in serving bowls. In a small saucepan heat the black beans in their liquid. Just before serving, drain the beans and place in a serving bowl, too.

Wrap five tortillas in each of two foil packets. Grill over Direct Medium heat for 2 to 4 minutes to warm and soften.

To serve, give each person a warm tortilla and pass around the chicken and fillings so everyone can assemble their own tacos.