If you are looking for some fun southwestern food for game days and the Superbowl, then you have to try my special Spicy - or not - Nachos Recipe. It's layered with Mexican and Southwestern flavors and is always a mega hit with family and friends, especially the guys if you add the spicy ingredients - and you can tame it down for the anti-spicy eaters.

In this recipe I use slow-cooked chuck steak which can be made a day or two before and shredded, then all you have to do is put the dish together. The steak is the only cooking you need to do. As with all of my recipes, they come with options so that you can feed all palates in a single preparation. This recipe makes a large serving platter and feeds approximately 10 people as an appetizer. However, you can split this up into smaller platters for spicy, by adding the jalapeños and non-spicy for the kids!

You can make this in your slow cooker until tender, covered tightly with foil and a lid in the oven or on the stove top.
Cooking times are 1 1/2-2 hours approximately for the latter two preparations. I hope you enjoy!

Ingredients for the Beef

Preheat your slow cooker or the oven to 325 degrees F.

2 lbs. boneless chuck steak
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 tbsp. ground cumin
1 tbsp. ground pasilla Chile powder
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 jalapeños, split and seeds removed
1 medium onion, cut in chunks
2 ribs of celery, cut in chunks
1 carrot, cut in chunks
2 qt. beef stock (or enough to cover the steak)

Method

Whichever method you use for this recipe, whether it be the slow cooker, oven or stove top, the order of placing the ingredients in the pot are the same.

1. Start by rubbing a little olive oil all over the meat. Then, rub the cumin, chile powder, cayenne pepper and crushed garlic into the meat really well. Heat a large skillet over high heat and sear the meat on both sides, just to get a little browning. Set aside.

2. In the bottom of your pot place the onion, celery, carrot and jalepenos and place the chuck steak on top. Cover with the beef broth or stock. The liquid must just cover the meat. Braise for 8-10 hours in your slow cooker or 1 1/2 - 2 hours on the stove top on in the oven. The meat is done when you can twist a fork easily into it and it falls apart.
Remove the meat and set aside to cool, just enough to handle.

3. Pull the meat apart with two forks, discarding all of the squishy bits (the fat and sinew,) then transfer to a large bowl and add a little of the flavored stock from the pot to keep the meat moist until you build your nachos.

Ingredients for the Nachos

Baking/pan spray
Pulled beef (recipe above), browned in the oven at 375 degrees in a greased pan
2 small cans of -beans, warmed with 1/4 cup of water added
1 large bag of sturdy corn tortilla chips
2 jalepenos or other chiles, sliced thin
2 cups of cheddar cheese, or your favorite cheese mix
1 cup of sliced black olives
1 bunch of scallions, sliced thin
3 Roma tomatoes, de-seeded and diced
2 Avocados, diced and tossed with salt, pepper and a little lemon or lime juice
sour cream
Chopped fresh cilantro

Method

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

1. Spray your dish with oven spray. Layer the ingredients in this order:-

Layer some tortilla chips on the bottom, then add blobs of warm re-fried beans onto to them - next add shredded beef, chilies and cheddar cheese. Keep layering with the chips and other ingredients until you are done, ending with a layer of cheese. Then, on the top add the olives and scallions. Bake for 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the tortilla chips are going brown around the edges. Garnish with the chopped cilantro.

2. Top off the dish by adding the tomatoes and avocado. Serve hot!

Chefs Notes and Tips

You may skip the pulled beef step and just make ground beef with your favorite taco mix. It is as equally delicious!
Serve extra jalapeños, onions, olives and tomatoes on the side.