This Mexican Shredded Beef has incredible depth of flavour! The sauce is really rich and thick, and there is PLENTY of it. Fantastic for tacos, burritos, enchiladas and quesadillas, piled high on Mexican Red Rice or stuffed in rolls to make sliders!
This is a reader-favourite recipe included by popular demand in my debut cookbook “Dinner”!
Mexican Shredded Beef
I have a “thing” about shredded meats. I just love how it acts like a mop for sauces, so every mouthful is so juicy.
From Shredded Chicken Tacos to Pulled Chicken Nachos, Shredded Beef Ragu Pasta and Chicken Pot Pie, Chicken and Rice Soup to Crispy Chinese Shredded Chicken, if the eating experience is better when the meat is shredded – I shred it.
And Mexican Shredded Beef makes the cut – tenfold!! In fact, I adore it so much I’ve recently published another version – Beef Barbacoa. This version is slightly tangy and punching through with flavour from chipotle chillies!
The sauce for this Mexican Shredded Beef is loaded with big flavours – and there’s PLENTY of it!
What goes in Slow Cooker Mexican Beef
There’s a ton of spices in this that makes up the flavour of the braising liquid which becomes the sauce!
The secret ingredient is orange juice – it’s actually quite a common ingredient in Mexican cuisine. For example, it’s used in Carnitas (Mexican Slow Cooker Pulled Pork) and the marinade for Chicken Fajitas.
It doesn’t make the broth taste orangey at all – it totally transforms when slow cooked, and adds a touch of sweetness and flavour into the sauce.
How to make Slow Cooker Mexican Beef
The making part is very straightforward and mostly hands off time:
Cut beef into big pieces and sprinkle with spices
Sear aggressively: browning = flavour on both the beef and in the sauce (from the brown stuff on the base of the pot)
Add everything else into the pot
Slow cook on the stove, oven, slow cooker or pressure cooker until fall apart tender
Shred
Toss back into the sauce
Transfer to serving platter
Devour in desired form! (Tacos in this case 🙂 )
What to make with Mexican Shredded Beef
The beauty of this Mexican Beef is that it’s 100% freezer friendly and can be used for dozens of dishes, making it a brilliant standby for quick meals. Here’s just a few ideas:
Obvious uses
Tacos (this recipe)
Nachos – switch out the chicken in this Shredded Chicken Nachos recipe
Burritos – freezer friendly!
Quesadillas – switch out one of the fillings for this beef
Beef Enchiladas – skip the ground beef/mince filling and spices, just use this beef instead. (Still make the Enchilada Sauce, use the refried beans etc)
Mexican Plates – Piled beef over Mexican Red Rice with a big dollop of Guacamole, Pico de Gallo and sour cream, corn on the cob, finish with lime wedges and fresh coriander/cilantro
Some less obvious, mighty tasty ideas
Sliders – stuffed into bread rolls to make sliders!
Mexican Toasties 🥑🧀 – toast bread → smear with avocado → pile on shredded beef → top with cheese → MELT → devour 🙌
Mexican “Empanadas” – make triangles/parcels (like this)using puff pastry, seal with egg, brush with egg, bake until golden. Try adding corn and black beans to fill it out!
Mexican Cottage Pie – mix through sautéed onion, capsicum/bell peppers, zucchini, corn and other chopped veg of choice. Pour into casserole dish, then top with mashed potato and bake per this Cottage Pie recipe. Or try Mexican Beef Chicken Pot Pie!
Mexican Beef Lasagna – layer this beef with tortillas in a baking dish, top with loads of cheese and bake! I’d fill it out with veggies.
Fully Loaded Mexican Breakfast! – make Shakshuka (Middle Eastern Baked Eggs) which, really, is made with thoroughly Mexican flavours, and serve with a generous pile of this beef and warm tortillas. OMG….
Breakfast Enchiladas – skip the bacon, use this beef instead
Shredded Beef Tacos
Here’s what I use to make a simple Shredded Beef Tacos spread- something that’s super quick to assemble:
This Mexican Shredded Beef
Warmed or charred tortillas
Sour cream
Lime wedges
Fresh lime wedges
Fresh coriander/cilantro leaves, whole or finely chopped
You won’t need a separate sauce because this shredded beef is so juicy and saucy.
So really, if you have a batch of this Mexican Beef on hand, then you’re just 15 minutes away from the taco spread pictured above because all you have to make is the Pico de Gallo (and if that’s all too hard, just slice some tomatoes!!) – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
This recipe features in my debut cookbook Dinner. The book is mostly new recipes, but this is a reader favourite included by popular demand!
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Mexican Shredded Beef (and Tacos)
Ingredients
Spice Mix
- 1 1/2 tbsp chipotle powder , adjust spiciness to taste (Note 5)
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp All Spice powder (ground All Spice)
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 2 tsp onion powder or garlic powder OR 1 tsp of each
- 1 tsp salt and pepper , each
Beef
- 1 – 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 lb / 1.5kg beef chuck or brisket (or gravy or any other slow cooking beef) cut into 4 pieces
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 onion , diced (yellow, brown or white)
- 3/4 cup (185 ml) orange juice
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 14 oz / 400g can crushed tomatoes
- 2 cups (500 ml) beef or chicken broth/stock
- 1/2 cup (125ml) water
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Combine the Spice Mix ingredients in a bowl. Sprinkle 4 teaspoons over the beef and pat so it sticks.
- Heat the olive oil in a large heavy based pot over high heat. Add the beef (in batches if necessary) and brown well on all sides. Remove onto a plate.
- Turn the stove down to medium. If the pot looks dry, add more olive oil.
- Add the garlic and onion and cook for 3 minutes until soft.
- Add the orange juice and lime juice, and scrape the bottom of the pot so the brown bits mix into the liquid.
- Add tomato, beef stock, water and remaining spice mix. Mix, then return beef into pot.
- Put the lid on, bring to a simmer then turn the stove down so it is bubbling gently, not rapidly.
- Cook for 2 hours, then remove lid and simmer for another 30 minutes until beef is tender enough to shred. (Note 2 other cook methods).
- Remove the beef from sauce, shred with 2 forks.
- Leave the sauce to simmer with the lid off for 10 to 15 minutes to reduce and thicken to your taste. Adjust salt to taste. Optional: puree with stick blender to make it smooth (I do this for company)
- Toss beef back into the sauce (can reserve some Sauce for drizzling on tacos if you want, there’s plenty).
- Transfer beef into large dish and serve. See notes for suggestions.
Tacos
- To make tacos, serve the beef with warmed small tortillas, avocado slices, Pico de Gallo, shredded cheese, sour cream, lime wedges and extra cilantro/coriander leaves.
Recipe Notes:
- Mild – reduce to 2 tsp to 1 tbsp, add 1 tsp extra coriander, plus add 1 tsp cumin
- Medium – use 1.5 tbsp per recipe (I do this for groups of friends, good mid point)
- Spicy, but not blow your head off spicy – increase to 2 tbsp (I like this)
Nutrition Information:
Originally published September 2015, updated July 2019 with new photos, new video, new step photos and Life of Dozer section added. No change to recipe!
Life of Dozer
Bushwalking with Dozer – best done in winter when it’s snake free!
Hi Nagi. I love all of your recipes and am looking forward to trying this. I would like to make this the day before. Could you suggest the best way to store and reheat please?
Hi Shehneela, this is perfect to make in advance, just store in the fridge and microwave to reheat 🙂 N x
Thanks love xx
Hi Nagi, I’m hoping you see this sometime in the next 8hrs! I started on the slow-cooker late and am wondering if there is a good option to stop it around the 5hr mark and pressure cook for half hour? Is there any way to ensure it still falls apart? PS: Love all your recipes, your website is an essential in our kitchen and so many of my family members now too.
The text in brackets after beef weight doesn’t make sense:
(or gravy or any other slow cooking beef)
Hi Ian – yes you can use beef chuck or brisket (or gravy beef or another type of slow cooking beef cut). N x
Very nice flavor. Very beefy and I loved how our instant pots performed. We will be having a fund raiser with the 12# of brisket we used. I can’t wait to see the smiles on the faces of some old timers here in East Texas! Thanks for sharing
Really really good!!! Didn’t put as much chipotle but made it as written otherwise. I put in the oven for 3 hours on 325. Came out so tender will definitely make it again. Thank you so much!!!
Perfect Reenie!! N x
Hi there I’d love to make this tomorrow But can I half everything in the recipe for 3-4 people?
Yes definitely! Enjoy! N x
Thank God I watched the video as well. The recipe doesn’t say to add the remaining spice mix to the pot before adding the meat. I looked over, and still had the remaining mix, LOL
Thank god I read your comment, as I was in the last stages of prepping this, looking at the extra spices thinking, ‘Surely I must just throw the rest in!’
I can’t believe it took this long for someone to pick that up LOL!!! Updated, thank you! N x
Hi Nagi! Do you think I can get away with using chipotle paste instead of powder?
Yes definitely Will! N x
Hello Nagi,
I’ve made this recipe over 5 times now for my family and they absolutely love it- it’s perfect. I was wondering what the cooking method would be, however, if I were to make them on an outdoor bbq. Thank you so much!
I need help. So, I misread the recipe. I used a crockpot and put it on high for 2 hours. I thought I can use skirt steak and sirloin steak (that was all I had in the fridge). I could not go out due to the curfew and lockdown. Do I revert to low heat for additional hours? Any tips……thanks.
Sorry for the delayed response here Elle – how did it turn out?? N x
I’ve made this recipe multiple times now over the past year or so and just felt like I should say thank you! My family and I absolutely love it!
That’s great t hear Sarah – thanks so much! N x
Hey, I love your recipes. I was wondering if I can use beef ribs for this recipe. Please let me know! Thank you
Hi Roudha, you can although you might find it a little fatty for this one! N x
I cooked this yesterday and it worked perfectly. I cooked it in a dutch oven first on the stove then 3 hours in the oven low and slow until the meat fell apart. I especially loved the hints on how else to use the broth/meat and spices etc. I also made the pico de gallo, it was very well received – Thank you
Perfect Sharon! N x
Tastes amazing!! Family loved it and leftovers freeze so well. Thanks Nagi!
That’s great to hear Michelle, thanks so much! N x
This turned out perfectly. I used chipotle spice from Woolworths plus chipotle sauce (just 2 tbsn) and 2 tbspn of sugar. I cooked it in the slow cooker. I reduced the sauce on the stove. I`m very happy with the result.
Sounds great Fiona, I’m so happy you enjoyed it! N x
This made some awesome beef flautas. The only change I made was to add cumin to the spice mix (at our house it ain’t mexican food if it ain’t got cumin in it). Tender, juicy, and flavorful, Thanks for the idea!
P.S. Instant Pot all the way!
This was AMAZING. I used the slow cooker method and cannot fault it. Will definitely be making it again
Wahoo, that’s great Katie! N x
Hi,
I’d like to cook this for 10 or 11 hours in my dutch oven. What temp should I use?
Hello! On the cooking right now. Smells amazing! One question, can I reuse the remaining broth?
Hi Alo, you can definitely freeze for use later if you like! N x
LOVED this! It was nice to serve something with such a pretty presentation for a change.
That’s great to hear Arpita ❤️
I don’t see at all that it says where/when to add the extra spice mixe? I cooked it without and it’s still tasty but I’m wondering if I can still add it in (the thinkened sauce)? And if so, should I re-simmer? Thanks
I added the spice mix a few minutes after I started sweating the onions.