One Chuck Roast, Three Tacos

One Nolan Ryan Beef chuck roast can take your taco night three completely different directions. Chuck is built for low and slow: it's well-marbled and full of connective tissue, so after a few hours in the slow cooker it shreds with a fork and soaks up whatever sauce you put it in.

For National Taco Day, we're giving you three ways to do it. Pick one, or grab a few roasts and make all three for a taco bar. Each recipe uses a 3 to 4 lb chuck roast and feeds 6 to 8.

Ancho Chile Chuck Roast Tacos

Dark, smoky, and a little warm from the cinnamon. Toasted ancho chiles, cumin, and garlic turn this one into fall comfort food that tastes like Texas.

Cook time: 6 to 8 hours on LOW or 3 to 4 hours on HIGH

For the ancho chile braise:

• 3 to 4 lb Nolan Ryan Beef Chuck Roast
• 4 to 5 dried ancho chiles, stems and seeds removed
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 Tbsp olive oil

For serving: Warm flour tortillas, chopped cilantro, diced white onion, sliced avocado, lime wedges, pickled jalapeños, sour cream or crema, and cotija cheese or pico de gallo if you like

Instructions:

1. Toast the chiles: Heat a dry skillet over medium heat. Toast the ancho chiles for about 30 seconds per side until fragrant, taking care not to burn them.
2. Soak: Cover the toasted chiles with hot water and let them soak for 15 minutes until soft.
3. Blend the sauce: Drain the chiles and blend them with the broth, vinegar, garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, cinnamon, salt, and pepper until smooth and dark red.
4. Sear: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chuck roast 2 to 3 minutes per side until deeply browned.
5. Slow cook: Move the roast to the slow cooker and pour the ancho sauce over it. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, until it shreds easily.
6. Shred: Pull the beef apart with two forks, discarding any large pieces of fat. Return it to the slow cooker and stir to coat in the sauce.
7. Build the tacos: Warm the tortillas in a dry skillet or over an open flame, then top the beef with cilantro, onion, avocado, pickled jalapeños, crema, and a squeeze of lime.

Barbacoa-Style Chuck Roast Tacos

Rich and earthy, with a guajillo and ancho chile paste that cooks down into the beef. Keep the toppings simple so the meat does the talking.

Cook time: 8 to 10 hours on LOW or 5 to 6 hours on HIGH

For the chile paste:

• 4 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
• 3 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
• 1 1/4 cups water
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1/4 large onion, cut into chunks
• 1/4 tsp dried Mexican oregano
• 3/4 tsp kosher salt

For the braise:

• 3 to 4 lb Nolan Ryan Beef Chuck Roast
• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup beef broth
• 1/2 large onion, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

For serving: Warm corn tortillas, diced white onion, chopped cilantro, lime wedges, and your favorite salsa

Instructions:

1. Blister the chiles: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ancho and guajillo chiles and press them flat with a spatula, turning occasionally, until they blister, about 30 seconds.
2. Make the paste: Move the chiles to a saucepan with the water, garlic, onion chunks, oregano, and salt. Bring to a boil for 5 minutes, then simmer about 20 minutes until the chiles are tender. Blend until smooth.
3. Sear: Rub the chuck roast all over with the chile paste. Heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat and sear 4 to 5 minutes per side.
4. Slow cook: Move the roast to the slow cooker. Add the broth, sliced onion, garlic, bay leaves, vinegar, and any leftover paste. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours or HIGH for 5 to 6 hours.
5. Shred: Remove the bay leaves. Pull the beef apart with two forks and stir it back into the juices.
6. Build the tacos: Pile the barbacoa into warm corn tortillas and top with onion, cilantro, salsa, and a squeeze of lime.

Salsa Verde Chuck Roast Tacos

Bright, tangy, and a little spicy. Charred tomatillos, poblano, and jalapeño make a green salsa that the chuck roast braises in all day.

Cook time: 8 to 10 hours on LOW or 5 to 6 hours on HIGH

Ingredients:

• 3 to 4 lb Nolan Ryan Beef Chuck Roast
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 lb tomatillos, husked and halved
• 1 poblano pepper, seeded and quartered
• 1 to 2 jalapeños, stemmed (seed them for less heat)
• 1 white onion, quartered
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1/2 cup beef broth
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp dried Mexican oregano
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

For serving: Warm corn tortillas, crumbled queso fresco, sliced radish, diced white onion, cilantro, avocado, and lime wedges

Instructions:

1. Char the veggies: Spread the tomatillos, poblano, jalapeños, and onion on a sheet pan and broil for 8 to 10 minutes until blistered.
2. Blend the salsa: Blend the charred veggies with the garlic, broth, cumin, oregano, and salt until mostly smooth.
3. Sear: Season the chuck roast with salt and pepper. Sear it in olive oil over medium-high heat, 3 to 4 minutes per side.
4. Slow cook: Move the roast to the slow cooker and pour the salsa over it. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours or HIGH for 5 to 6 hours.
5. Shred: Pull the beef apart with two forks right in the slow cooker. Stir in the lime juice and cilantro.
6. Build the tacos: Pile the beef into warm tortillas and top with queso fresco, radish, onion, and avocado.

Grab Your Chuck Roast

Nolan Ryan Beef Chuck Roast is available at Kroger stores across Texas. Pick one up, load the slow cooker in the morning, and let dinner handle itself. Happy National Taco Day.