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Shredded Beef Tacos Recipe Savory

Shredded Beef Tacos

Fall-apart tender shredded beef, slow-cooked in a rich and smoky chipotle sauce. An easy, flavorful filling perfect for the ultimate taco night.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours 40 minutes
Total Time 5 hours
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 580
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1.5 kg beef brisket or chuck roast trimmed of excess fat
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 2 medium brown onions chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce finely chopped (plus 1 tbsp of the sauce)
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 400 g tin chopped tomatoes
  • 150 ml beef stock
  • 100 ml fresh orange juice
  • 2 tbsp lime juice
For Serving
  • 12-16 small corn or flour tortillas
  • Fresh coriander chopped
  • Crumbled feta or cotija cheese
  • Lime wedges
  • Optional toppings: Sliced avocado pickled red onions, sour cream

Method
 

  1. Sear the Beef: Pat the beef dry with paper towels and season generously on all sides with salt and pepper. Heat the vegetable oil in a large, heavy-based frying pan or Dutch oven over a medium-high heat. Carefully place the beef in the pan and sear for 4-5 minutes on each side, until a deep brown crust forms. Transfer the seared beef to your slow cooker pot.
  2. Sauté the Aromatics: Lower the heat to medium. Add the chopped onions to the same pan and cook for 5-7 minutes, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom, until they are soft and translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
  3. Bloom the Spices: Add the ground cumin, smoked paprika, and dried oregano to the pan. Stir constantly for about 1 minute until the spices are fragrant. This small step makes a huge difference to the final flavour.
  4. Create the Sauce: Stir in the chopped chipotle peppers and adobo sauce. Pour in the chopped tomatoes, beef stock, and orange juice. Bring the mixture to a simmer and let it cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring to combine everything well.
  5. Slow Cook: Pour the sauce mixture over the beef in the slow cooker. Ensure the beef is mostly submerged. Secure the lid and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours, until the beef is fall-apart tender.
  6. Shred the Beef: Carefully remove the beef from the slow cooker and place it on a large cutting board or in a bowl. Using two forks, shred the meat, discarding any large pieces of fat. It should come apart very easily.
  7. Finish the Sauce: At this point, you can skim any excess fat from the surface of the cooking liquid in the slow cooker. Stir in the fresh lime juice. I find that for a richer sauce that clings to the meat, it's worth pouring the liquid into a saucepan and simmering it on the stove for 10-15 minutes to reduce and thicken slightly.
  8. Combine and Serve: Return the shredded beef to the sauce in the slow cooker (or saucepan) and stir to coat everything evenly. Let it sit for at least 10 minutes to absorb the flavours. Serve the shredded beef warm in lightly toasted tortillas with your favourite toppings.

Notes

For a richer sauce that clings to the meat, don't skip the optional step of simmering the cooking liquid on the stove to reduce and thicken it. Leftovers are fantastic and store well for up to 4 days.