Shredded beef tacos are an easy and delicious way to shake up taco night. In this recipe, boneless beef chuck roast is slowly cooked on the stovetop in a flavorful tomato-based sauce with onions, garlic, and simple seasonings until fall-apart tender. The beef is then shredded and mixed with the sauce for a rich, flavorful filling that's perfect for soft or hard tacos and your favorite toppings.
What's great about this recipe
Uses an affordable cut of beef: I wouldn't call it cheap (what beef is nowadays?), but chuck roast is a more economical cut that works well with long, slow cooking. Plus, it shreds beautifully.
Great for meal prep: The shredded beef reheats well, and you can make it ahead to use for quick meals during the week.
Versatile: Tacos are the obvious choice, but the beef also works in burritos, with tostadas, nachos, or Tex-Mex rice bowls.
No slow cooker required: The meat cooks low and slow on the stovetop and still gets fall-apart tender.
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Budget Check
- The full recipe is about $28.00-$29.50
- Per serving (6 servings): about $4.65-$4.90
(Does not include tortillas, shells, toppings, or rice.)
Uses conventional ingredients. Based on recent U.S. national averages. Actual prices will vary by store and region.
Ingredients you'll need
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Beef - Boneless beef chuck roast is ideal for this recipe. It benefits from long, slow cooking and becomes fall-apart tender and easy to shred.
Oil - Use a neutral oil with a moderate-high to high smoke point. We use light olive oil since the beef is browned over medium heat.
Produce - Onion and garlic add flavor to the sauce.
Seasonings - Salt, black pepper, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, and cumin make up the simple seasoning blend.
Pantry - Tomato paste, tomato sauce, and beef broth make up the base of the cooking sauce.
For serving - Use soft flour tortillas, hard taco shells, tostadas, or rice, along with your favorite toppings. (Not pictured)
📖 See the recipe card for quantities and preparation.
Prep the beef
Trim any large, thick pieces of fat from around the chuck roast. Leave smaller areas of fat for flavor. Let the beef sit out of the refrigerator while you prep the remaining ingredients to take some of the chill off, provided your kitchen is cool. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
How to make shredded beef tacos
Heat the oil in a large, heavy pot over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the beef. Cook for 4-6 minutes, or until browned and a nice crust forms.
Turn the roast and cook for another 3-5 minutes, until it is browned on both sides.
Take the pot off the heat and turn off the burner. Remove the meat from the pot and place it on a pan or platter. Loosely cover with a piece of foil to keep warm.
Do not wash the pot. Place it back over medium heat. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the onions and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently.
Next, add the garlic, tomato paste, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, and cumin. Cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Add the tomato sauce and 2 cups of beef broth to the pot while stirring and gently scraping any bits off the bottom.
Return the roast to the pot along with any juices collected on the pan. Make sure the liquid comes at least halfway up the thickest part of the roast. Add more broth if needed.
Raise the heat and let the sauce come to a simmer. Then, lower the heat to medium-low and cover. Cook for approximately 2½-3 hours, or until the beef is fall-apart tender.
Stir the sauce occasionally and move the meat around to make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom. Keep the liquid at a simmer throughout the cooking time, adjusting the heat as needed.
When the roast is tender, take the pot off the heat. Let it sit for about 5 minutes so the sauce stops simmering and cools slightly.
If there is a layer of oil floating on the surface, skim off some of the excess if desired.
Shred the beef directly in the pot using two forks. Let it sit in the sauce for about 10 minutes before serving.
Serve the shredded beef with soft flour tortillas, hard taco shells, tostadas, or over rice with your favorite toppings.
Recipe tips and notes
- When browning the roast, let it develop a good crust before turning. If it sticks to the pot, give it another minute or so and try again.
- The amount of broth needed will vary depending on the size and shape of the roast. Add more as needed.
- Keep the liquid at a steady simmer throughout the cooking time and adjust the heat as needed. Check it periodically, especially after raising or lowering the heat.
- The cooking time is an estimate. The size and thickness of the chuck roast will affect how long it takes.
- There may be a layer of oil on the surface after cooking. I use a small ladle to skim off some of the excess. This is optional.
- I prefer to shred the beef directly in the pot because it absorbs a lot of the sauce as it sits. You can also remove it, shred it on a cutting board, and return it to the pot. Or, place the shredded beef in a bowl and add the sauce a little at a time if you prefer to control the amount.
- If you are sensitive to salt, use reduced-sodium beef broth and reduce the amount of salt used to season the roast.
Serving suggestions
Serve the shredded beef with soft flour tortillas or hard taco shells and your favorite toppings. Diced onions, cilantro, shredded lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, avocado, or guacamole, and lime wedges are all good options.
For something a little different, use the beef to make tostadas, nachos, burritos, or Tex-Mex rice bowls with seasoned rice. It also pairs well with refried beans when you want to stretch a serving.
For more homemade toppings, try our garden fresh salsa for something chunky or classic restaurant-style salsa.
Storing and reheating
Refrigerator: Cool the shredded beef completely, then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Freezer: To freeze, transfer the cooled shredded beef to a freezer-safe airtight container, leaving a little room for expansion. Label and date the container and freeze for up to 2-3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Reheating: Reheat the shredded beef in a nonstick skillet over low to medium-low heat or in the microwave until heated through. If needed, add a small splash of beef broth to keep it from drying out.
Food safety: Do not leave cooked food out for more than 2 hours (1 hour if the temperature is above 90°F). Reheat leftovers to an internal temperature of at least 165°F. For more information visit the U.S. Department of Agriculture and FoodSafety.gov.
If you enjoyed these shredded beef tacos, try our fast and flavorful ground beef tacos for an easy weeknight dinner. If you're in the mood for chicken, these shredded chicken tacos are easy and delicious. Turn taco night into nacho night with our shredded chicken nachos. And for entertaining or game day, these shredded beef sliders are always a hit.
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📖 Recipe
Shredded Beef Tacos
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons Oil use a neutral oil with a moderate-high to high smoke point (we use light olive oil)
- 2-2½ pounds Boneless Beef Chuck Roast
- 2 teaspoons Salt
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 Large Onion sliced (not too thin)
- 3-4 Garlic Cloves minced
- 2 tablespoons Tomato Paste
- 1 tablespoon Chili Powder
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ½ teaspoon Onion Powder
- ½ teaspoon Cumin
- 1 8-ounce can Tomato Sauce
- 2-3 cups Beef Broth
- Soft Flour Tortillas Hard Taco Shells, Tostadas, or Rice, for serving
Instructions
- Remove any large, thick pieces of fat from around the roast. If the pieces of fat are small, leave them for flavor. Let the meat sit out of the refrigerator while you prep the ingredients to take the chill off. Only do this if it is cool in your kitchen.
- Season the roast with the salt and black pepper.
- Heat the oil in a large, heavy pot over medium heat (we use a 6-quart enameled Dutch oven). When the oil is hot, add the beef. Cook for 4-6 minutes, or until browned and a nice crust forms. The meat will release from the pot when a crust forms on the outside. If it is hard to lift and stuck to the pot, give it another minute or so and try again.
- Turn the roast and cook for another 3-5 minutes, until it is browned on both sides.
- Take the pot off the heat and turn off the burner. Remove the meat from the pot and place it on a pan or platter. Loosely cover with a piece of foil to keep warm.
- Do not wash the pot. Place it back over medium heat. There should be plenty of oil left in the pot. If there is not, add a little more. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the onions and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Next, add the garlic, tomato paste, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, and cumin. Cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Add the tomato sauce and 2 cups of the beef broth to the pot, stirring as you add them and gently scraping any bits off the bottom.
- Return the roast to the pot along with any juices collected on the pan. Check that there is enough broth. The liquid should come at least halfway up the thickest part of the roast. Add more broth if needed.
- Raise the heat to medium-high and let the sauce come to a simmer. Then, lower the heat to medium-low and cover the pot.
- Cook for approximately 2½-3 hours, or until the beef is fall-apart tender. Stir the sauce occasionally and move the meat around to make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom. You don't necessarily have to turn it. The meat is ready when it breaks apart easily when a fork is inserted and twisted.
- Keep the liquid at a simmer throughout the cooking time, adjusting the heat as needed. Check it every 30 minutes or so, especially after raising or lowering the heat, to make sure the liquid is simmering steadily.
- When the roast is tender, take the pot off the heat. Let it sit for about 5 minutes so the sauce stops simmering and cools slightly.
- There may be a layer of oil floating on the surface. If desired, use a small ladle to skim off some of the excess oil. This step is optional, but I like to do it.
- Shred the beef directly in the pot using two forks. This is the method I use because the meat absorbs a lot of the sauce as it sits. Let the shredded beef sit in the sauce for about 10 minutes before serving.
- Alternatively, remove the beef from the pot and place it on a cutting board. It may come out in several large pieces at this point. Shred it with two forks, then return it to the pot and mix it with the sauce. Or, place the shredded beef in a bowl and add as much sauce as you like if you prefer to control the amount.
- Serve the shredded beef with soft flour tortillas, hard taco shells, tostadas, or over rice with your favorite toppings.
Notes
- If you are sensitive to salt, use reduced-sodium beef broth and reduce the amount of salt used to season the roast.
- Cooking time will vary depending on the size and thickness of the chuck roast. The 2½-3 hour cooking time is an estimate. The beef is ready when it is fall-apart tender and shreds easily with a fork.
- The amount of beef broth needed will vary depending on the size and shape of the roast and the pot. Start with 2 cups and add more as needed so the liquid comes at least halfway up the thickest part of the roast.
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Nutrition
The nutritional information above is computer generated and is only an estimate. There is no guarantee that it is accurate. This data is provided as a courtesy for informational purposes only.
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