Slow Cooker Beef Fajitas (GAPS : primal : grain-free : gluten-free)

Beef fajitas are a favorite meal in our house.  This recipe cooks up all day; the results are tender and flavorful, and can be served in a variety of ways.  This recipe easily makes enough to feed a crowd, or you could freeze some for future easy meals.

Slow Cooker Beef Fajitas
Serves 10

• 4 to 4.5 pound beef roast and/or sirloin steak (it's okay if this is frozen when you start the meal)
• 2 medium white onions, chopped
• Juice from 2 medium limes
• 3/4 tsp dried oregano
• 1 Tb dried cumin
• ~ 5 sprigs fresh thyme
• celtic sea salt and freshly ground pepper
• 7 cloves garlic, sliced
• 12 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 2 medium red, orange, or yellow bell peppers (but NOT green), chopped
• Additional 1/2 tsp oregano and 1 tsp cumin
• Garnish: shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, guacamole* or avocado chunks, salsa

1. Place the chopped onions over the bottom of a large slow cooker. Put the meat on top of the onions.  
2. Season with the lime juice, 3/4 tsp oregano, 1 Tb cumin, thyme, salt and pepper. My general rule of thumb is to start with 1 tsp salt for every pound of meat. 
3. Sprinkle the sliced garlic over the top.  Then put a lid on the pot and cook for 4-6 hours on LOW if your meat was fully thawed, or on HIGH if your meat was frozen.
4. About 2-3 hours before mealtime, flip the meat.  Then add the sliced mushrooms and chopped bell peppers, and nestle them down into the pot. Sprinkle with a bit more salt and pepper, and continue to cook on HIGH.  (If you will be away from home all day, you could skip flipping the meat, and add in the mushrooms/bell peppers in the morning with everything else.  I would leave the veggies a bit larger if they will be cooking all day.)
5. About 30-60 minutes before mealtime, pull the meat out onto a cutting board.  Shred the meat with a fork, or slice it thinly across the grain.  Dig around in the pot to find the thyme stems and remove these from the pot (the thyme leaves should have all fallen off during cooking, so the stems should come out leafless.) Return the meat to the pot and nestle it down into the juices.  
6. Taste the liquid in the pot and add more salt and pepper as needed.  Add the remaining 1/2 tsp oregano and 1 tsp cumin, and fold it all together. Then turn the heat down to WARM (or turn the pot off entirely) and let it hang out for 30-60 minutes. This will allow the meat to get very succulent and juicy.
7. The fajita meat can be served in a variety of ways: in grain-free tortillas, in corn tortillas, in a bowl, or over a bed of lettuce for a salad.  Whichever way you choose, make sure to garnish it with plenty of cheese, sour cream, guacamole/avocado chunks, and salsa. 

*I make a very simple guacamole by mashing together avocado with salt, pepper, a squeeze of lemon or lime juice, a dash of onion powder, a dab of sour cream, and a dab of mayo.  Tasty!