Pulled Beef for Passover is a simple, yet delicious dish that can be made from fresh or leftover meat. Great anytime during the holiday. Eat with mazto, with kosher for Passover rolls, or with a side!
This Pulled Beef for Passover recipe makes a great lunch or dinner during the week of Passover.
A little of my cooking background
I really wanted to title this blog “If I can make it, anyone can”, because – honestly – if I can make it, anyone can.
I never really liked cooking and when I was single, a meal for me meant grilled cheese, eggs, tuna, or something else that didn’t require effort or time.
When my kids were young, I was still able to get away with preparing only a small variety of easy meals, but the older they got, the more dishes I learned to make at their request.
Still, I insisted on keeping it simple.
Honestly, I never understood why some cooks unnecessarily complicate meals. I have seen recipes that have several ingredients that don’t really seem to add much, if anything, to the dish. So, why bother?
It has always been important to me that whoever eats at my table will have plenty to enjoy and that includes my kids (I never agreed with the “You will eat what is served or you won’t eat” ideology) and, because I keep it simple, I can prepare a variety of dishes in a relatively short period of time.
I have a philosophy regarding being a great cook: Prepare food according to the tastes of those who will be eating it and they will love your cooking!
As far as I am concerned, start with the basic ingredients that make the dish what it is, adapt according to taste, and voila! you are an amazing cook!
The bottom line is that while there are certainly delicate recipes out there for specialty dishes, making delicious meals doesn’t have to be complicated or time consuming. It’s not difficult to impress – just make sure it tastes good.
While some of the recipes on my blog are more time-consuming than others, they are all tried and true easy-shmeezy!
Of course, one always has to consider the conditions under which they cook. Weather (humidity, heat, cold), different types of ovens, different quality of pots, etc. – all of which can affect your cooking and baking.
Nevertheless, as I said, if I can do it, anyone can!
Food on Passover
Torah observant Jews do not eat chametz (the fermented products of five grains: wheat, spelt, barley, oats and rye).
In addition, Torah observant Ashkenazi Jews do not eat kitniyot (or kitniyos as pronunced in Ashkenazi Hebrew). These include: legumes, corn, rice, and similar that were deemed forbidden to eat by rabbis in the medieval period and are still not eaten today. Sephardi and Mizrachi Jews do not follow this tradition.
Many ovservant Ashkenazi Jews will not even eat the derivatives of these kitniyot, while others do (each family holds their own traditions regarding this).
Then, there are Ashkenazim who don’t eat “gebrochts”.
Gebrochts means “broken” in Yiddish – and in this case refers to matza that has absorbed liquid. Not eating gebrochts is observed by many in the Hasidic Jewish community and Ashkenazim who have taken on this tradition where they basically don’t mix anything wet with matza.
So, things like matzo sandwhiches, fried matzo, and even matzo balls are a no-no for them.
There is a joke that sums it all up:
On Passover, we should remember people who have little to eat on this holiday. They are called Ashkenazim.
Over the years, I have learned to adapt “normal” food for passover so that my family won’t complain about boring, tasteless, or repetitive meals.
I find that having good food and variety makes the week of Passover a very pleasant experience and I hope this recipe will help make yours just that!
A little about pulled beef (or shredded beef)
This dish can be found in many cultures, with a variety of ways to prepare it. There is Cuban and Spanish (Ropa Vieja), Mexican, Texan, Southern (which is normally from pork), etc.
It is a great way to use beef, such as brisket, pot roast, and chuck roast, especially if they are leftovers from another meal.
Pulled Beef for Passover uses minimal ingredients, including barbecue sauce to shorten the preparation process, but feel free to add your own spices, sauces, and flavors.
The brown sugar makes it sweet, but if you don’t like that, leave it out.
Pulled Beef for Passover can be eaten plain on a plate, but eating it in a sandwich enhances the experience.
Pulled Beef for Passover
Delicious shredded beef.
Ingredients
- 1 pound cooked brisket (or other stringy beef)
- 4 ounces BBQ sauce, kosher for Passover
- 2 tbsp wine (any kind), kosher for passover
- 2 tbsp brown sugar (or to taste), kosher for passover
- 1 tbsp Italian dressing, kosher for passover (optional - if barbecue sauce already has vinegar, you may want to omit)
Instructions
- Pull apart beef into thick strings and place in pot.
- Mix barbeque sauce, wine, brown sugar, and Italian dressing (if desired) in a bowl and pour over meat in pot
- Heat on medium flame mixing occasionally until meat is smothered in sauce and is hot.
- Serve during the week in a passover roll or on matza (suggestion).
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 412Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 120mgSodium: 384mgCarbohydrates: 18gFiber: 0gSugar: 15gProtein: 33g