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Home » Main Dish » Beef » Shredded Mexican Beef

Shredded Mexican Beef

By Valerie · May 1, 2017 · Updated May 27, 2020 131 Comments

H Holidays MD Main Dish
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This extremely tender and deliciously seasoned Shredded Mexican Beef can be used in a variety of Mexican-inspired dishes. It is super versatile and so easy to make!

This tender and deliciously seasoned Shredded Mexican Beef can be used in a variety of Mexican-inspired dishes. It is super versatile and so easy to make!

This post was originally published on October 23, 2011. It is being republished today with new images and a super cool video (see below) that you should totally watch!

You may have figured out by now that we kinda like Mexican food around here. For me it is the ultimate comfort food, but it goes a little deeper than that.

Way back in time, when it was just Paul and I, back before we had kids, a mortgage, college loans, and dependable cars, we almost always chose Mexican when we ate out. As a matter of fact, my marriage proposal took place in a Mexican restaurant (fancy!).

This tender and deliciously seasoned Shredded Mexican Beef can be used in a variety of Mexican-inspired dishes. It is super versatile and so easy to make!

It was 1983, a time of big hair, big shoulder pads and countless other horrible fashion choices (what were we thinking ladies???). It was my 21st birthday and we were out for a casual dinner by ourselves. I had no idea it was coming until the moment the waiter set my salad plate down in front of me and I saw the small, square box sitting on the plate.

I was in complete shock. My mind raced with all kinds of questions. When had he arranged this? When he went to the restroom was he actually in cahoots with the waiter? Has he gone crazy? Was it the margarita that made him do it? Is everyone in this whole place staring at me right now?

The waiter (and Paul) waited in anticipation of my answer but I was frozen in the moment.

And, then I got up and ran out of there and kept on runnin’.

Okay, that didn’t happen…

Shredded Mexican Beef and a Marriage Proposal

Of course we know what my answer was that night and I’m happy to say that 32 years and 4 kids later we are still eating Mexican food together. Thankfully, the shoulder pads are long gone and the hair has reduced in size, but he still looks at me exactly the way he did that day. Every day.

And, I believe I may be the luckiest person in this world.

This is one of many Mexican recipes on regular rotation at our house. I absolutely love this cooking method that transforms a very inexpensive cut of meat into delicious, super versatile Shredded Mexican Beef that can be used for a variety of purposes. It also happens to be incredibly easy to make.

SHREDDED MEXICAN BEEF

This tender and deliciously seasoned Shredded Mexican Beef can be used in a variety of Mexican-inspired dishes. It is super versatile and so easy to make!

This is what you’ll have after about 4 or 5 hours in the oven. See all that liquid? That’s good stuff. The beef will just fall apart and shred very easily with a fork into the luscious sauce that is created as it cooks.

This tender and deliciously seasoned Shredded Mexican Beef can be used in a variety of Mexican-inspired dishes. It is super versatile and so easy to make!

This beef makes the perfect base for a variety of dishes like the tacos I did here. I’ve used it for everything from enchiladas, to burrito bowls, to nachos with a fabulous result every single time.

Muy delicioso! Make it for your new love, or your old love, your family and your friends.

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This tender and deliciously seasoned Shredded Mexican Beef can be used in a variety of Mexican-inspired dishes. It is super versatile and so easy to make!

More great ideas for your Mexican-inspired meal:

Slow Cooker Mexican Beans | Noble Pig
Restaurant Style Mexican Rice | Valerie’s Kitchen
Easy Mexican Coleslaw | Foodiecrush
Fully Loaded Guacamole | Valerie’s Kitchen
Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad | Chelsea’s Messy Apron

A close up of a fork shredding beef in foil.

Shredded Mexican Beef

This extremely tender and deliciously seasoned Shredded Mexican Beef can be used in a variety of Mexican-inspired dishes. It is super versatile and so easy to make!
3.87 from 58 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 hours
Total Time: 5 hours 5 minutes
Servings: 8
Calories: 319kcal
Author: Valerie Brunmeier

Ingredients

  • 2-3/4 to 3 pound boneless beef chuck roast
  • 1 (7 ounce) can diced green chiles (don't drain)
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • Fresh ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
  • Trim any excess fat from the edges of the roast. Place roast on a sheet of heavy duty foil large enough to enclose the meat. In a small bowl, combine the green chiles (with liquid), garlic, chili powder, oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper. Mix well and spread out evenly over both sides of the meat. Enclose the meat in the foil and then wrap the foil package in a second sheet of foil to ensure the cooking liquid will not leak out during the cooking time. Place in a large baking or roasting pan.
  • Bake at 300 degrees for 4-1/2 to 5 hours, or until the roast just falls apart with a fork. Remove from oven, open the foil package and shred the meat. Carefully remove foil from pan and transfer the meat and cooking liquid into the pan.
  • Use in a variety of Mexican-inspired dishes like tacos, burritos, burrito bowls, enchiladas, and nachos.

Crock-Pot Method:

  • After wrapping the roast in foil, transfer to the crock pot. Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours. Remove foil and shred meat into the cooking sauce in the crock pot. Serve.

Make-Ahead Method:

  • This beef is fantastic when reheated with the sauce it makes while cooking. If you want to really save time, make a day or two in advance, cover the pan with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate till needed. Reheat in microwave and serve.
  • Adapted from Allrecipes

Nutrition

Calories: 319kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 117mg | Sodium: 415mg | Potassium: 636mg | Fiber: 1g | Vitamin A: 645IU | Vitamin C: 8.7mg | Calcium: 52mg | Iron: 4.5mg
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Categories: Beef, Cinco de Mayo, Holidays, Main Dish, Mexican, Popular Posts, Recipe

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  1. Mar says

    April 4, 2019 at 7:05 am

    5 stars
    No kids left at home, so I found a smaller 1.5 lb. chuck roast. Any estimate on the cooking time? I plan to bake it.

    This is DELICIOUS!!! I used to make this often when the kids were still living here.

    Reply
  2. Loretta Baker says

    April 1, 2019 at 1:33 pm

    Hi I have a 7 Bone In 3.15 chuck roast that on got on sale . Can i use this for this recipe instead of the boneless chuck roast?

    Reply
    • Valerie says

      April 1, 2019 at 2:57 pm

      I think it would work just fine, Loretta. You’ll just have some bones to remove at the end but that should be easy to do once the meat is tender and shreddable.

      Reply
      • Loretta Baker says

        April 1, 2019 at 3:21 pm

        Thank you :0)

        Reply
  3. Loretta Baker says

    March 27, 2019 at 10:43 am

    Hi, Do i need to add any liquid to the crock pot if i dont use foil?

    Reply
  4. Kay says

    March 24, 2019 at 12:18 pm

    I’m going to attempt this tomorrow. What is the green sauce that you are putting on the tacos? Please tell me it’s something I can buy, and not have to make. LOL

    Reply
    • Valerie says

      March 24, 2019 at 3:21 pm

      Haha! Well, lucky for you, I’m pretty sure that is Herdez Salsa Verde. It’s a really good store-bought sauce I use frequently. I think it is available at a lot of grocery stores so you should be able to find it. Hope you love the shredded beef!

      Reply
  5. Kay says

    March 21, 2019 at 10:51 am

    5 stars
    I am a terrible cook. I mean really, really terrible, so when I follow a recipe I need exact details. When you say cook 4 1/2 to 5 hours., which is it?

    Reply
    • Valerie says

      March 22, 2019 at 3:16 pm

      Hi Kay. There are many variables that determine just how long a big cut like this will need to cook. The exact weight, how cold it is when it goes in the oven, etc. This is why you will typically see a range of time given on recipes. Always allow for the longer amount of time, in this recipe that would be 5 hours. Check on it towards the lower end of the time range and if it is easy to shred, go ahead and pull it out of the oven. If not, cover it again and return it to the oven for another 30 minutes or until it is tender to your liking. Hope this helps!

      Reply
  6. Loretta Baker says

    March 11, 2019 at 8:35 am

    Hi can i use a rump roast?, my husband is not fond of chuck roast

    Reply
    • Valerie says

      March 12, 2019 at 10:17 am

      Hi, Loretta. Yes, you can use a different cut of beef but a rump roast is quite a bit leaner than a traditional chuck. The good news is you’ll have less fat in the finished result. The bad news is that less fat may means the result won’t be quite as meltingly tender. I hope it works out well for you!

      Reply
  7. Mai says

    January 10, 2019 at 8:35 am

    How spicy is this dish? I want to make it for my kids.

    Reply
  8. Brooklyn says

    November 5, 2018 at 9:27 am

    Came across your recipe and I’m dying to try it! I do have a quick question. I will be using my crockpot for this, do I still double wrap with heavy duty foil like if I was using the oven directions or just one wrap? It didn’t specify so I wanted to make sure.

    Reply
    • Valerie says

      November 6, 2018 at 9:41 am

      Hi Brooklyn. I do like to use the foil, even when doing this in the slow cooker and a double wrap will ensure all that goodness will be locked inside instead of leaking out.

      Reply
  9. Ayla says

    October 8, 2018 at 12:29 pm

    Thank you. This beef recipe has become a mainstay. I use it for enchiladas mostly. I make my own chili powder mix which already has the other spices so it’s perfect. My kids love it too. That is half the battle right?

    Reply
  10. Raelene says

    October 2, 2018 at 2:42 pm

    I did mine in the crock pot. I added some broth and it is WONFERFUL!

    Reply
  11. Elaina says

    September 19, 2018 at 3:31 pm

    Hello,
    I made this for the 1st time the other night and it came out great! I used 6 pieces of beef 1/2” cuts little over 1 1/2 lbs ( it’s only me and my son and price was under $10) I used half the amount of chili powder and used salsa verde since I didn’t have green chilis. I wrapped in foil then cooked in my crockpot over night about 6hours on low. It came out great and i put the beef over toastadas with more salsa & sour cream. I will be making this again! Loved it!
    Thank you

    Reply
    • Valerie says

      September 19, 2018 at 3:37 pm

      That sounds delicious, Elaina, and how wonderful that you can create such a delicious meal so inexpensively. Thanks so much for your comment. I love hearing how others are modifying this recipe. 🙂

      Reply
  12. Becky says

    August 31, 2018 at 4:40 pm

    I have a stupid question- does that say 1-7 oz can of diced green chiles? I just want to make sure I’m reading it correctly I’m going to make it for a party we’re having this weekend. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Valerie says

      August 31, 2018 at 4:49 pm

      It’s not stupid, Becky! Yes, it is 1 (7 ounce) can of diced green chiles. They come in both mild and hot so be careful what you are choosing and go with what you think your group would like best. I always do mild here for us. Hope you love it! P.S., I’ve updated the recipe card to be a little easier to read. 🙂

      Reply
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