Slow Cooker Southwestern Pulled Brisket with Cilantro Lime "Rice"

Hello dears! Is everyone having a good week so far? Maybe it's because I just returned from Florida, but it has been so teeth-chattering cold lately that all I want to eat are soups, stews, and anything that gives my belly that warm content fullness! It's no secret that I love my slow cooker, and winter is the perfect time to use it! Whatever you put inside cooks low ands slow, concentrating all the flavor in the pot, and usually always comes out delicious! A slow cooker meal is always guaranteed to warm me up!

When I first started cooking, Smitten Kitchen was my go-to resource for recipe ideas and pretty food photos. The author was one of my inspirations to start this little blog, and her recipe archive is enormous! Some of her recipes could be the farthest thing from Paleo ever, but I was surprised to find some things that were easily adaptable to Paleo!

Slow Cooker Southwestern Pulled Brisket
3 pounds beef brisket

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons coconut oil

5 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed

1 Spanish onion, halved and thinly sliced

1 tablespoon chili powder

2 teaspoons ground coriander

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1 1/2 cups water

1 (14 1/2-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, with their juices

1 to 2 whole canned chipotle chiles en adobo (Read: 1 or 2 from a can, not one or two cans. I used one pepper; two will give it a real kick)

2 bay leaves

Instructions

1.  Season the beef generously with salt and pepper, to taste. Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil and heat just until beginning to smoke. Add the meat and cook, turning once, until browned on both sides, about 10 minutes total. Transfer the meat to the slow cooker; leave the skillet on the heat.
2. Add garlic, onion, chili powder, coriander, and cumin to drippings in the skillet and stir until fragrant, about one minute. Add vinegar and boil until it’s almost gone, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Stir in water and pour the mixture over the brisket.
3.  Crush the tomatoes through your fingers into the slow cooker; add the tomato juices, chipotles, bay leaves. Cover the cooker, set it on LOW, and cook the brisket until it pulls apart easily with a fork, about 8 to 10 hours.
4. Remove the meat and bay leaves (discard) from the slow cooker into a big bowl and shred with two forks.
5. Optional: use an immersion blender in the crock pot to completely blend the onions/garlic/tomatoes/juices together to create a slightly thicker sauce. If you like it chunky or don't want the extra step, don't bother. I liked the sauce smooth for this recipe. Return the meat to the slow cooker and stir to incorporate.

Cilantro-Lime "Rice"

Ingredients
1 head cauliflower
2 Tbl freshly chopped cilantro
1/2 fresh lime

Instructions

1. Chop the cauliflower into even sized pieces and pulse in batches in a food processor until it takes on a rice-like consistency. Do not over-process or you will end up with mush.
2. Heat a large pan and dry-saute the cauliflower, stirring constantly to avoid burning and cook through, about 5 minutes.
3. Transfer to a large bowl, add fresh cilantro, juice of 1/2 a lime, and stir to combine.

Enjoy!