I'm the kind of football fan that has no idea what teams are playing. You know the type. Every year, as February rolls around, I think to myself, The Super Bowl must be soon, right? And then I start thinking on a daily basis about what types of snacks we should have. When the big day comes, I'm the person that is 4 times more likely to get up for snacks during playtime than during a commercial break.

I may not be able to keep the point system straight in my head, but here's one thing I do understand: snacks that score are just as important.

Tacos are the ultimate party food — especially for football watching - because everyone can build their own plate just to their liking. Which just makes everyone happy. Tacos tend to do that.

Slow Cooker Beef Carnitas are also the ultimate solution for parties like this because they cook ahead of time in your slow cooker, so are never rushing to get food out when everyone start to arrive.

These carnitas are slow cooked with chili powder, cumin, garlic and onions. You can add extra heat, if you like spicy food, by adding a dash or two of cayenne, or serving your tacos with hot salsa.

My “secret” (not much of a secret, as I’m publishing it here) when slow cooking taco meat is finishing it under the broiler. This gives us crispy edges, as if you braised everything in a dutch oven for hours, though really you had your slow cooker plugged in (which is just SO much easier).

Pile tacos with avocado, pico de gallo, sliced jicama, cilantro, red onion, salsa, cheese… really what ever you like.

Whichever team you cheer for this weekend... I hope you eat well!

Paleo Slow Cooker Beef Carnitas

Published January 28, 2015 by Caitlin Sherwood

Serves: 4 | Active Time: 4 hours

Ingredients:

1 pound beef chuck roast

1 tablespoon coconut oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 white onion, sliced

1 tablespoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon ground paprika

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

Pinch of ground cayenne (optional)

1 cup chicken or beef broth

To serve: corn tortillas, salsa, cilantro, avocado, cheese, tomatoes, red onion, etc.

Directions:

Heat coconut oil in a large pan (if your slow cooker has a sauté setting, you can use that). Place beef in Instant Pot and brown each, about 4 minutes on each side. Transfer beef to slow cooker pot if not already there.
Add garlic and sliced onion, along with chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt, pepper, and broth. Place lid on slow cooker, and set timer to 4 hours on high.
After 4 hours, use tongs to transfer beef to a sheet pan. Use two forks to shred beef into bite-sized pieces. Turn oven to high “broil” setting and place sheet pan in oven. Allow to roast about 5 minutes, just until edges of meat begin to turn crisp (watch closely, the broiler is hot and food can burn quickly!)
Serve beef warm with tacos supplies for a create-your-own taco bar!

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Update - 1/8/2017: I've been working on my photography, and since this is one of my most popular recipes, I wanted to give the images a revamp! These pictures are new, but the recipe is the same as it's always been.

When our plane landed in Denver, snow was falling on the tarmac. I could tell it was cold by the way the air loomed, thick and foggy. The back door of the plane opened, and what had been an overstuffed canister for hours was suddenly an icebox. Out on the street, I regretted packing my gloves in the bottom of my suitcase. The pair in the car went to use the minute I saw them. The car rolled to a start, and I waited for the thermometer to show the temperature.

0 degrees Fahrenheit. For a moment. Only a few minutes passed before that number began to drop: -1.

It didn't stop. -2.

By the time I had made it home, my fingers were frozen straight through: fingersicles! The thermometer stopped at -3.

The Instant Pot was made for cold days. From start to finish, the it made this Paleo Chicken & Smoked Sausage Stew a breeze from start to finish. And the kitchen, which had gone untouched for a week and a half, came alive with the smell of this warm, classic stew.

This post was originally named “Paleo Instant Pot Gumbo,” but many readers commented that gumbo isn’t really gumbo with out a roux. Because roux is made with flour, it is not gluten-free and much less Paleo. I wanted to keep this recipe grain-free and gluten-free, so I changed the name. It’s still delicious in my book! And, if you are in the gumbo-must-have-roux camp, it’s totally fine to add one, or just go on calling this stew “Chicken & Smoked Sausage Stew.” You pick!

Adding hot sauce to this stew really cranks up the heat--exactly what you need when your fingers are ice cubes!

Paleo Chicken & Smoked Sausage Stew

Paleo, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free | Caitlin Sherwood

This stew is like Gumbo, but is not made with flour (as it is grain-free) or okra — so it’s “gumbo inspired”.

Serves: 6 | Total Active Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 pound andouille pork sausage
1 tablespoon coconut oil
6 cups chopped tomatoes
1 medium white onion
2 stalks celery
3 bell peppers
2 large carrots
2 cups bone broth or water
1/4 cup parsley
6 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon crushed red chili flakes
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1 bay leaf
Optional: hot sauce to taste

Directions:

Heat the coconut oil in the bottom of the Instant Pot (on the Sauté setting). Add the chicken and sausage to the pan and cook through (about 4-5 minutes on each side). While the meat cooks, slice the onion. Dice the bell peppers, and chop the carrots and celery. Remove the meat from the pot, and set aside for later use.
Sauté the vegetables in the bottom of the Instant Pot, stirring occasionally. Mince the garlic, and add it to the pan. Add the broth and chopped tomatoes. Bring the mixture to a simmer (the sauté function will do this automatically)
Once the chicken and sausage are cool enough to handle, slice them into bite-sized pieces. Return them to the pot, along with the spices. Mince the parsley now, and add that as well. Give the stew one stir and then lock the lid on. Turn the Instant Pot to the soup setting and cook for 5-10 minutes.
Serve warm with hot sauce to taste. Note: This recipe can be done in a regular soup pot, just increase the final cooking time in step 3 to 20 to 30 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and the flavors have simmered together.

Original image below.