Pulled Beef Sandwiches

 I love beef, and I love a good piece of meat.  But I don't really like it curried in heavy spices I prefer it in steak or pasta such as lasagne or burgers or stews or the way they make it in the Middle East with just a  few spices.
Anyway, I bought this beautiful piece of meat and thought of slow-cooking it so its all falling apart.  I looked at various recipes and saw some lovely Mexican-inspired pulled beef recipes. But sorry to say I have completely forgotten which ones referred to.....

Recipe: Pulled Beef Sandwiches    
Makes about 5 mini burger buns or 4 regular-size burger buns

450g beef rump , brisket  or use topside
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp hot chilli powder
1/4 ground black pepper
1 onion chopped
2 cloves garlic
1 can tomatoes
1 beef stock cube
1 cup hot water
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 or 1 tsp dried chilli flakes or if you like it hotter add more hot chilli powder
2 tsp honey
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
salt
olive oil
hot sauce or tabasco to serve and if you like a few slices of avocado.

Trim the fat off the beef.  Leave it whole no need to chop. Season generously with salt and make a mixture of 1 tsp cumin, 1/4 tsp chilli powder, 1/4 tsp pepper and rub this all over the beef. Set aside.

Now place the onion, garlic, stock cube, the remaining spices, and tomatoes into a blender and blend to a puree.
Pour this into a heavy-bottomed oven-proof casserole. I used my cast iron pot ( cast iron pots are available in Agora,  Lulu and also I noticed them in one shop somewhere opposite FDI studio).

 Pour 1 cup of hot water and honey, then place the pot on the stovetop and bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes and add the beef, the sauce should just cover the beef.  Cook 1 more minute and switch off the heat.

Preheat the oven to gas mark 3.  Once the oven heats up ( give it 10 minutes,) place the casserole pot inside, with the lid on and cook for 2  1/2 to 3 hours. Yes! Sorry about the Gas wasted but trust me you will be rewarded with the melt-in-the-mouth beef.

After about 1 1/2 hours, take the pot out, give a stir, taste the sauce add a little more salt   ( bearing in mind the sauce will reduce so go easy with the salt as it might end up getting too salty)  and turn the beef around and return to the oven to finish cooking. After 2 hours remove the lid and cook  the next half an hour or another one hour.

Remove the pot, and take the beef out with a spoon. With the help of two forks, shred the beef. Taste the sauce, adjust seasoning and also add the hot sauce to your desired amount of spiciness. Then  stir a ladle or two of the sauce into the shredded beef and mix well.

Open your burger bun of choice, brush with butter or olive oil and place buttered or oiled side on a hot dry frying pan or in the hot oven for 5 minutes. Remove and top with the beef and more sauce if you like and a few drops of tabasco or hot sauce.

If you like avocado, slice a few slices and arrange on top squish it down with the top of the bun and enjoy.  Instead of avocado you can use a cheese slice or add lettuce as well.

Any remaning sauce can be frozen and used as a pizza sauce or pasta sauce.