Mexican Shredded Beef Tacos
Tender Mexican shredded beef made with chuck roast braised in a smoky, mole-inspired chipotle sauce with warm spices and dark chocolate. Perfect for tacos, burritos, and rice bowls.
Servings 6 Servings
Calories 376kcal
Equipment
- 1 Dutch Oven 7 quart
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil or neutral cooking oil
- 2 pounds beef chuck roast cut into 2-3 inch cubes
- 1 large onion diced
- 5 garlic cloves peeled and left whole
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 canned chipotle pepper in adobo sauce plus 1 teaspoon adobo sauce
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups beef broth
- 4 whole cloves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 ounce 100% cacao chocolate or 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- Juice of 1 lime
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- Cut the chuck roast into 2-3 inch cubes and season with salt and black pepper.
- Heat avocado oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the beef in batches on all sides. Transfer the browned beef to a plate and set aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add the diced onion and whole garlic cloves to the Dutch oven. Sauté until the onions are translucent.
- Add the chipotle pepper, adobo sauce, and tomato paste. Stir and cook for 1-2 minutes, allowing the tomato paste to darken slightly.
- Return the browned beef and accumulated juices to the Dutch oven. Sprinkle with flour and stir to coat. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Pour in the beef broth and scrape the bottom of the Dutch oven to release the browned bits.
- Bring to a simmer. Add the cloves, cinnamon stick, cumin, allspice, bay leaves, chocolate, and lime juice. Stir until the chocolate is incorporated.
- Cover the Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid and transfer to the preheated oven.
- Braise at 325°F for approximately 1½-2½ hours, or until the beef shreds easily with a fork. Check the liquid level during cooking and add a little broth if needed.
- Remove the whole spices. Shred the beef with two forks and stir into the sauce before serving.
Notes
Stovetop Braising Instructions
After bringing the sauce to a simmer, cover the Dutch oven and reduce the heat to low.
Simmer gently for approximately 1½-2½ hours, checking periodically and adding broth or water as needed.
When the beef is fork-tender, remove the whole spices, shred the meat, and mix it into the sauce.
Recipe Notes
Brown the beef in batches to develop a flavorful crust.
Keep the braising liquid at a gentle simmer for tender, juicy meat.
The cooking time will vary depending on the size of the beef cubes and the intensity of the simmer.
For a thicker sauce, remove the shredded beef and simmer the liquid uncovered until reduced, then return the beef to the pot.
Store leftovers with the braising liquid to prevent the meat from drying out.
Nutrition
Calories: 376kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 104mg | Sodium: 465mg | Potassium: 681mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 111IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 55mg | Iron: 4mg