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A close-up of two crispy tacos filled with shredded beef and garnished with slices of green chili on a green plate. Next to them are fresh lettuce, sour cream, and chopped tomatoes.
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Shredded Beef Tacos

Slow-cooked shredded beef tucked into corn tortillas with melted Jack cheese, then cooked in a hot skillet until the shells get crispy and golden. The recipe makes a full batch of beef, so you'll have enough for tonight's tacos and a second round later in the week, or you can freeze the rest for an easy dinner another night.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time7 hours 15 minutes
Total Time7 hours 30 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: 4th of July, Cinco de Mayo, comfort food, crispy, dinner party, gluten free
Servings: 8 tacos (plus leftover beef for about 8 more)
Author: Marissa Stevens

Ingredients

For the Shredded Beef

  • 1 boneless chuck roast (3 to 4 pounds; also called shoulder steak and pot roast)
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano ideally Mexican oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper or more
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons fine sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup orange juice
  • 1 tablespoon hot sauce such as Tabasco or Cholula brands
  • 4 cloves garlic smashed

For the Tacos (per batch of 8)

  • 1 pound shredded beef (from above), warmed
  • 8 6-inch corn tortillas
  • 2 tablespoons avocado oil divided, plus more for warming beef if needed
  • 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese or shredded Oaxaca cheese

Optional toppings:

  • shredded lettuce
  • Pico de Gallo
  • sour cream or Mexican crema
  • chopped cilantro
  • thinly sliced jalapeños

Instructions

Make the Shredded Beef

  • Cut the chuck roast into 2 to 3-inch chunks and arrange in an even layer in a slow cooker.
  • Stir the cumin, oregano, chipotle chile powder, cinnamon, cayenne, salt, and pepper together in a small bowl; sprinkle spice blend evenly over the beef.
  • Pour the orange juice and hot sauce over the beef and add the smashed garlic cloves; stir gently so the meat is coated with the liquids and spices. Spread back into an even layer.
  • Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours, until the beef is pull-apart tender.
  • Let the meat cool briefly in the cooking liquid, then transfer to a large bowl. Shred with two forks. Spoon a few tablespoons of the cooking liquid back over the shredded beef to keep it moist; reserve the rest (recipe note #1).

To Warm Shredded Beef (if needed)

  • If using freshly made shredded beef that's still warm, skip this step. To warm leftover shredded beef (from the refrigerator or thawed from the freezer), heat a little oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add beef; cook and stir until heated through, with a few crispy edges if you like. Remove from heat.

For Tacos

  • Set a serving plate or platter near the stovetop along with a piece of foil large enough to cover it. (recipe note #2)
  • Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large cast iron or other non-stick skillet over medium heat until hot; swirl to coat the bottom of the skillet. Add 4 corn tortillas (they'll overlap slightly - recipe note #3) and top with ~1/8 of the shredded cheese, then ~1/8 of warm shredded beef down the center of each tortilla; cook until softened enough to fold in half, about 30 seconds.
  • Fold each tortilla over meat and cheese mixture; continue cooking until golden brown and crisp on one side, about 1 minute. Flip tortillas and cook until golden brown and lightly crisp on the other side, about 1 minute more. Transfer to platter and cover lightly with foil; repeat with second batch of tortillas, adding remaining oil to the skillet as needed.
  • To assemble tacos: open the folded taco and add toppings inside and serve immediately. Or serve family style with toppings in separate serving bowls for everyone to assemble their own tacos.

Notes

  1. Don't toss the cooking liquid. Refrigerate it and the fat will rise and harden into a layer you can lift off easily. Freeze the liquid underneath as a head start for chili or soup, and save the rendered fat for frying tortillas next taco night.
  2. If your platter is oven-safe, place it in an oven preheated to 200˚F and transfer the first batch of tacos to the warm platter while you cook the next.
  3. If your skillet isn't large enough to accommodate 4 corn tortillas at once, you can do 2 tortillas at a time for 4 total batches.
  4. Nutrition facts are calculated for 1 pound of shredded beef across 8 tacos, and do not include toppings.

Nutrition

Calories: 270kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 60mg | Sodium: 316mg | Potassium: 317mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 163IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 150mg | Iron: 2mg

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