Slow Cooker Texas Chili with Corn Sopes

This shredded beef Texas chili is rich and hearty with saucy chunks of tender beef that shred apart with the lightest pull of a fork. - Yum!

Ingredients

• For the Chili:  ·   
• Beef Chuck, fat trimmed and cubed into 3in cubes  ·  3 pounds 
• Yellow Onion, finely diced  ·  1 
• Garlic Cloves, minced  ·  5 
• Brown Sugar  ·  1 tablespoon 
• Herbie's Mexican Spice Mix  ·  2 tablespoons 
• Herbie's Chili Pasilla Powder  ·  1 tablespoon 
• cans of Green Chiles  ·  2 (4.5oz) 
• Beef Stock  ·  2 cups 
• Fire Roasted Tomatoes  ·  14 ounces 
• Vegetable Oil  ·  2 tablespoons 
• Salt to taste  ·   
• bunch Green Onions, sliced  ·  1 
•  ·   
• For the Sopes:  ·   
• Masa Harina  ·  2 cups 
• Salt  ·  1 teaspoon 
• Water  ·  1 1/2 cup 
• Olive Oil or Lard  ·  1 teaspoon 

Instructions

In a large bowl, toss the beef chunks with salt. Heat a heavy bottomed pan or dutch oven over high heat. Add the beef to the pot and let it cook, undisturbed, for a few minutes on each side until it gets nice and golden brown. You may need to do this in batches depending on the size of your pan. Remove beef chunks and transfer to your slow cooker or crock pot.

Add the onions and garlic to the pot that the beef was cooked in. Sauté until soft and translucent. Deglaze the brown bits at the bottom of the pan and scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.

To the same pot, add the brown sugar, Herbie's Mexican Spice Blend and Pasilla Pepper. Sauté for 3 to 5 min until nice and fragrant. Add the green chiles, crushed tomatoes, and beef stock. Then simmer for 5 min until it comes back to calm boil.

Pour tomato mixture into the slow cooker over the beef chunks. Gently nudge them around so they are embedded in the sauce. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hrs (either will result in similar results).

Once the chili is done, shred the beef into big tender chunks directly in the slow cooker. Season with more salt to taste.

For the sopes: In a large bowl, combine the masa harina and salt. Stir in the water and oil until a dough forms. Using your hands, knead the dough until it fully comes together and all the water is absorbed, about 3 minutes. To make sure it’s ready, grab a small piece and roll it into a ball. Press down on it with a finger. If the edges of the dough crack, the dough is too dry. If the dough sticks to your skin, it’s too wet. Add more water or masa harina as necessary.

Divide the dough into roughly 19 equal portions, then roll each into a ball. Cover them with a clean damp cloth or plastic wrap to keep the dough moist while you press and form the sopes. You can do this by using a tortilla press or just use your hands, they do not need to be perfectly even.

Cooking 1 or 2 at a time, place the dough on the hot griddle and cook for 15 to 20 seconds.

Flip and cook the other side for 15 to 20 more seconds.

Transfer the dough to a plate and let it cool for about 30 seconds. When cool enough to handle, pinch the edges around the entire dough using your thumb and index finger to create a rim.

Serve the warm chili with the freshly made sopes and enjoy!