Shredded Beef Taco Salad (GAPS-friendly, gluten- and grain-free)

Working through our yearly portion of frozen beef, I recently revamped my taco salad recipe to use a roast rather than ground beef.  The results were super tasty, and I like that I didn't have to spend any time in front of a hot stove in the evening.  If you are looking for easy ways to use up those miscellaneous roasts from a large portion of a cow, give this a try!

Shredded Beef Taco Salad
1.5-2 pound roast and/or sirloin steak
2-3 Tb fat, such as olive oil or lard (optional, depending on how fatty your cut of meat is)
1/2 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, sliced
1 heaping Tb dried cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
Juice from half of a small lime
7-oz of tomato paste (preferably from a glass jar to avoid BPA)
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper or chili powder (optional, for those who like it to be a bit spicy)
Celtic sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Leaf lettuce or spring mix, preferably organic
Garnish each plate with 1/3 c. sour cream, 2 Tb chopped green onions, 1/2 of an avocado (cut into chunks), 1/3 c. grated cheddar cheese, and 1-2 Tb salsa

1. Sprinkle the chopped onion and sliced garlic over the bottom of a slow cooker (or use an oven-safe pot).  If your beef is not very fatty, add 2-3 Tb of fat (such as olive oil or lard) over the onions and garlic (don't skip this as the fat really adds to the flavor). Place the roast or sirloin steak on top of the onions and season top and bottom with salt, pepper, oregano, and cumin. 
2. Squeeze the juice from half a lime onto the meat.  Then scoop the tomato paste around and on top of the meat.
3. Cook on Low for 4-6 hours (or in an oven at 225 degrees) or cook on High for 3-4 hours.
4. Flip the meat over and nestle it back down into the sauce and veggies. (You can skip this step if you'll be away from home all day.)
5. Cook on Low for another 3-4 hours (or back in the 225 degree oven), or on High for 1-2 hours more.
6. Pull meat out onto a cutting board.  Shred the meat with a fork, or slice it thinly across the grain.
7. Return the meat to the pot and nestle it down into the sauce. Taste the sauce and add salt and pepper as needed. Turn the heat to "Warm" (or the oven to 150) and let it sit for 30 to 60 minutes.  Don't skip this step as it is the key to moist and delicious meat in every bite. 
8. Arrange lettuce on plates.  Sprinkle the avocado chunks and green onions over the lettuce.  Sprinkle a little salt and pepper over the vegetables. 
9. Add 3-4 dollops of sour cream to each plate, and a couple scoops of salsa.  Then add a large portion of shredded meat to each plate. Top the meat with shredded cheese. 
10. Serve and enjoy! For some added crunch, you could serve a few pork rinds with this.

This post is part of Pennywise Platter at The Nourishing Gourmet, Monday Mania at The Healthy Home Economist, Fight Back Friday at Food Renegade and Real Food Wednesday with Kelly the Kitchen Kop!