Asian Lettuce Wraps...It's a Winner, Folks!

Hey y'all!  I saw a recipe being prepared in passing the other day on the Food Network. You know I think I could live just fine with only 3 channels on the television - Food Network, HGTV and ESPN in the fall.  Fellas, you can pick yourself up off the ground now! Yes, I said ESPN! But I also said in the fall.  I'm a graduate of the University of Alabama so I bleed BAMA blood.  I really do try to not be an obnoxious college football fan though.  Those knotheads really get on my nerves.

Anyway, back to the show on Food Network.  I think it was called "Quick Meals" but I haven't seen it often enough to really know?  From what I saw, the chef (She would probably be called a chef. I'm a cook.) prepares maybe 2 meats ahead of time and then prepares 5 different dinners with those 2 meats.  The meat that she used in the recipe that caught my eye was beef brisket and the meal she prepared was Asian Lettuce Wraps. I thought about  PF Chang's wondering if it was anything like they serve.  It looked easy and we love any kind of food that is  close to Chinese food so I knew I had to try it.  I did and let me tell you, it was really good.  I was very pleasantly surprised. Easy and delicious for a meal?  That to me is a perfect combination. 

Let me say this ahead of time.  Unfortunately, I didn't really measure when I made it.  I just kind of dumped stuff together, so the recipe is not going to be exact. If you like more meat than vegetables, then do that or if your a vegetarian, then leave the meat out.  Either way, you'll have a winner! 


Asian Lettuce Wraps

Medium sized Beef Roast (Your choice on the cut -Chuck, Sirloin, or Brisket - I used chuck.) )
Onion Powder
Salt
Sesame Oil
Onion
4 cups shredded cabbage or 1 bag of coleslaw mix
2 cups matchstick carrots
1/4 cup Hoisin sauce (found in the Chinese food section at the grocery store)
1/8 cup Soy Sauce
Romaine lettuce

Place the roast in an oven proof dish.  Sprinkle with onion powder and salt.  Cover with foil and bake on 250 degrees until the meat can be easily pulled apart with a fork.  This will probably take 3-4 hours at least depending on the size of the roast. This can also be done in a slow cooker so it will be ready when you gt home from work. Once it is cooked and cooled a bit, shred with 2 forks or your hands.

In a large wok or skillet, and on medium high heat, drizzle about 2-3 Tablespoons of sesame oil in the bottom of the skillet.  Throw in 1 large onion that has been quartered and sliced.  Stir fry for a couple of minutes just until the onions lose their raw flavor.  Add 4 cups of shredded cabbage and 2 cups of matchstick carrots.  I used a bag of coleslaw mix found in the produce section in grocery story. To the vegetables, add the shredded meat, 1/4 cup Hoisin Sauce and 1/8 cup Soy sauce. Stir fry just long enough to "wilt" the cabbage. Use Romain lettuce leaves as your wraps.  Place some of the stir fry mixture in a leaf, roll up like a burrito. Enjoy!

Variation:  You could also throw in some bell pepper strips along with sesame seeds which would add some more great flavor and crunch to the wraps.