Do you use tomatillos often? I actually just really got into them a couple of years ago. Before that I know I’ve had them in store bought salsa or when someone else cooked for me, but they weren’t something I bought very often. If you aren’t familiar with them, meet them! Tomatillos are in the same family as tomatoes (but more closely related to the cape gooseberry – thanks wikipedia) and are a firm green fruit covered in a thin paper like husk. You peel off the husk before using them. Tomatillos have a slight lemon taste to me. They are pretty mild and make a great base for salsas and sauces… which is what I like to use mine for!
I actually started a bunch of tomatillo seeds a month ago and hope to grow my own! So far they are still living, but we’ll see. I am not that great of a gardener, but I really hope they thrive so I can can a ton of tomatillo salsa. Fingers crossed!
Back in February I made this crockpot dinner. I had only jotted down the ingredients I used, but not really the measurements. Roasted tomatillo salsa beef is just amazing so I knew I had to recreate it not only for my recipe arsenal but for you too! The dish is super simple to make, but tastes like you put a lot of effort into it. The most work comes with roasting the tomatillos and onions, then blending it, but really that it’s bad at all. If you have your oven already on for another meal a day or so before you’re planning this one, prep the sauce then you’ll have it waiting in the fridge to use for a super simple morning crockpot start.
I’ve served it with homemade whole wheat naan and also over rice. Both are fabulous. Don’t forget the feta to crumble on top. Such a tasty addition!
Roasted Tomatillo Salsa Beef
Ingredients
- 1 lb tomatillos husks removed and cut in half
- 1 large onion large diced
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- sea salt and pepper
- 2 lb beef stew meat (if you can’t find stew meat just cube a roast into pieces)
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1-2 tsp sriracha (depending on how much heat you like)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Toss the tomatillos and onion in olive oil, then sprinkle with sea salt and pepper. Place on a foil lined baking sheet, and roast for 30-35 minutes. You want all the tomatillos to be soft and beginning to slightly brown around a few edges. Remove from oven when done, and allow to cool for a few minutes.
- Scrape the tomatillos, onions and any liquid from the pan into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
- Pour the sauce in the crockpot. Place the beef on top. Sprinkle generously with sea salt and pepper. Add the garlic and sriracha, then stir to combine everything together.
- Cook on low for 8 hours.
- Serve with rice or pita bread + crumbled feta.
If you aren’t into beef, I highly recommend trying it with a pork roast that you’ve cubed up. Pork and tomatillo salsa go wonderfully together.
What’s been cooking in your crockpot lately?
Heather
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