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!
Can I use substitute for chipotle powder? I have smoked paprika, chili powder and Many other spices or also have chipotle peppers in adobo sauce…..
Yes! It’s all listed in the recipe notes Benjamin 🙂 N X
This is a seriously delicious dish. The meat comes out falling apart and the flavours pack a punch. I like to freeze in individual containers to whip out for burritos or nachos
How long to cook on low in the slow cooker and can I use chilli powder instead of chipotle? Will struggle finding any.
Hi Kelly, you’ll find all your answers in the recipe notes 🙂 N x
Hello Nagi,
At first, all the ingredients didn’t seem to be potent enough, especially with only 1 tsp of salt? However, after everything got cooked down, I was pleasantly surprised just how wrong I was. It was perfect!
My only comment was that the directions say to “Sprinkle 4 teaspoons over the beef,” but it doesn’t circle-back and tell you what to do with the rest of the spice mixture (I’m very literal). I finally realized that I should just toss the rest of the mix into the pot once everything else was combined.
Thank you very much,
D.
I’m halfway through making the dish and realize the directions have me making a good quantity of the spice mixture, but only call for part of it to be used in the prep. Either I’m going to have a woefully underseasoned dinner or there’s meant to be some spice mix left over. Which is it? Please clarify the recipe.
I added the remaining seasoning when I cooked the onions and garlic.
This is in my slow cooker right now. I can’t wait to try it! I’m making all of the sides you suggest. Also – I found chipotle powder in Woolworths today.
Perfect Dettie! (Just make sure it’s chipotle powder and not chipotle seasoning) N x
Hi Nagi,
Thank you again for an amazing recipe! I did this 3 weeks ago and it’s been an amazing comfort food during this trying time.
I wanted to do it again, however I wanted to be sure : when you’re talking about separating the sauce and the beef for freezing, do you need to freeze the sauce or can you keep it in an airtight container in the fridge ?
Thanks!
Hi Celine, freeze the sauce too 🙂 N x
Hi, I was wondering is it best to cook this in the over or stove top?
Thanks!
Hi Isabella, both work fine 🙂 N x
Hi. I notice in the video you add water but I dont see it in the direction. How much do you use and is it neccessary? Thanks
Thanks for picking that up Nicole, let me fix! N x
Love this recipe!
Thanks so much Katrina! N x
This shredded beef is amazing I used it for my nachos and was perfect, any suggestions on what to do with the left over sauce?
Hi Teigan – I usually just out it on the meat but you could definitely use it on let over pulled chicken or mince! N x
I want to make this tomorrow and am wondering if I can use Chipotle in adobo instead of the powder and tomato sauce? Will that work and what quantity do you recommend?
Hi Irina, I would still use the tomato as you’ll find they’ll be very spicy simply using chipotle in adobo. I’d use 1 or 2 chipotles depending on how spicy you like it 🙂 N x
Really excellent recipe! I used a piece of beef Chuck that was butchered for stewing but I tried it and it worked great anyway! I just put the pot, open, in the oven under the grill to crisp up the top layer a bit and it was INCREDIBLE! Saving this to use every time I need a Mexican mince!
I know this may seem dumb but when it says add remaining ingredients does that include the rest of the seasoning? That seems a bit much.
Sure does Emily! You need the seasoning in it – you’ll love it! N x
Was just wondering this myself too! Got the spice mix in just in time!
Hi, is there a substituent for beef broth? Does a cup of red cooking wine work?
Thank you!!
Hi Vanessa, you really need broth here – do you have stock cubes that you could make up the broth? N X
Im making this now, please help! When you say add the rest off the ingredients do you mean add the remaining spices leftover from the 4 teaspoons you used to rub?? Looking forward to this!
What did you do? I’m making it now also
I have this cooking now, it’s been about an hour and it smells amazing! I’m so excited to try it. Only things I did different were to use prepackaged taco seasoning on the meat and add a can of green chilis.
Awesome recipe. I let it cook for a solid 5 hours and no issues.
Great flavours – super happy – thank you
That’s great to hear Dirk! N x
This meat was so good, but I couldn’t get my sauce to thicken how it looks in your video. I did the slow cooker method. Any tips for my sauce next time?
If you want to thicken the sauce you can take about half a table spoon of corn starch/flour, about a table spoon and a half of water, mix it into a slurry, then add it to the sauce and stir
I’ve tried making this twice with 2 different brands of the chipotle powder and it comes out overwhelmingly spice. And I actually like spicy food and have always had a high tolerance. Wondering what I am doing wrong.
Hi Ashley, you might have a different type of powder there, just reduce the amount and you’ll lower the level of heat 🙂 N x
As always…delish!! Meat really did fall apart. I pureed the sauce but I don’t really think you have to. BTW thank you for the little hints on what type of beef to use in different dishes. I certainly have taken that on board.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it Dawn! N x