Beer-Braised Turkey Tacos

This last weekend, before a road trip up to Canada for a friend's wedding, one of my good med school friends and I went to a cooking-class dinner at Delish in Buffalo. I had known them for their incredible bakery, but upstairs they also offer cooking classes where you get to learn and then sample all the dishes. What a fun concept! It was very interactive and the food was so tasty! My favorite recipe of the night, which I cannot wait to re-create in my own kitchen, were the Beer-Braised Turkey Tacos. Seriously good, and soooo much better than just cheap ground beef with a packet of taco seasoning. Definitely put this recipe at the top of your "to try" list!!

Beer-Braised Turkey Tacos

From Delish (and including the adaptations we did in class)

2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 pounds raw boneless/skinless turkey breast

salt & fresh ground pepper

4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

2 medium white onions: one diced (for cooking) and one minced (for serving)

1 large oregano sprig

1 large jalapeno - stemmed, seeded, and sliced crosswise 1/4 inch thick

1/2 - 1 can tomato paste

1 teaspoon sugar

1 ancho chile (or chipotle/adobo) - stemmed, seeded, and coarsely chopped or torn

One 2-inch cinnamon stick

One 12-ounce bottle Mexican dark beer (Modelo Negro)

1 cup water

12 corn tortillas

1 ripe avocado, skinned, pitted, and sliced, for serving

2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds and cilantro sprigs, for serving

Sour cream (optional)

1.) In a large enameled cast-iron casserole, heat the olive oil over moderate heat. Season the turkey with salt and pepper. Place the turkey in the olive oil and cook until richly browned on all side, about 8 minutes. Transfer to the turkey to a plate.

2.) Add the remaining 1 Tablespoon of olive oil to the casserole along with the garlic, diced onion, oregano, and jalapeno and cook over moderate heat, until the onion is soft. Add the tomato paste, sugar, ancho chile, and cinnamon stick and cook, stirring for 2-3 minutes.

3.) return the turkey to the casserole, add the beer and water, and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over low heat, turning once, until the turkey is tender - about one hour.

4.) Transfer the turkey to a plate and let cool. Discard the oregano sprig and cinnamon stick. Boil the remaining sauce over high heat until it is reduced to about 1/4 cup (about 12 minutes). Allow the sauce to cool some and then transfer it to a food processor/blender and puree. (You could also use an immersion blender). Shred the turkey meat. Return the sauce to the pot and stir in the shredded turkey.

5.) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Wrap the corn tortillas in foil and bake them until they are warm - about 8 minutes.

6.) Spoon turkey onto the tortillas. Top with minced onion, sesame seeds, cilantro, avocado, and a dollop of sour cream.

Enjoy!