Two-Way Shredded Beef

4/2/2002

3 to 3 1/4-pound boneless beef chuck shoulder or bottom round roast, cut into 4 large chunks

1 medium onion, quartered

3 whole cloves garlic, peeled

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

3/4 cup water

In slow cooker, place onion and garlic; top with beef chunks. Sprinkle beef with salt and pepper; add water. Cover and cook on low 9 to 91/2 hours or until beef is tender. (No stirring is necessary.)

Remove beef from cooking liquid; cool slightly. Meanwhile, strain cooking liquid; skim off fat. Set aside. Trim and discard excess fat from cooked beef. Shred beef with 2 forks.

Divide shredded beef into half; add 1/4 cup reserved cooking liquid to each. Use one portion to prepare Tex-Mex Beef Wraps with Tomato-Corn Salsa and the other portion for Honey Mustard BBQ Beefwiches. Cover and refrigerate unused portion for up to four days, or freeze one portion in a covered container for later use; defrost before using.

Yield: 7 1/2 cups shredded beef