Can I make shredded beef ahead?

Yes, you can cook shredded beef ahead of time to serve in tacos and other dishes. Let cooked shredded beef cool completely and refrigerate it in a covered container with the cooking liquid. You can reheat shredded beef on the stove in a skillet over medium heat or in the microwave. Reheating the cooking liquid separately enables you to add it to the shredded beef filling at serving time.

What cut of beef works best?

Chuck roast is recommended for this recipe. Brisket and rump roast can also be used. Chuck roast is usually easier and less expensive to find than other roasts. All three ingredients will be tender when pressure-cooked. Cut the roast into four or five large pieces before seasoning. Large cuts will brown the outer surface more before pressure-cooking.

How can I make the tacos less spicy?

Decrease the amount of chipotle powder in the rub to make less spicy food. The recipe suggests using one-half to one tablespoon of chipotle powder to make the food less spicy. Chili powder is spicy. Other seasonings shouldn't be added to the final sauce until you taste it. Set aside the listed spice mixture according to the recipe and add salt and pepper to the reduced sauce after tasting.

Can I freeze shredded beef tacos?

Yes, both cooked beef and cooking juices can be frozen. Completely cool beef and juices before freezing in airtight freezer-safe containers. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using or reheating as directed. Freezing juices separately will help you reheat and moisten shredded beef.

How do I char tortillas?

Toast charred tortillas on a gas stove grate for about 30 seconds on each side. Supervise and turn tortillas to char them as much as you like. An alternative technique is to use a kitchen torch, but the source says this is not the preferred method. Without access to a gas stove, you can moisten a paper towel and microwave wrapped flour tortillas for 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Shredded Beef Tacos with Rich Chipotle Tomato Sauce

By Emma CollinsOct 7, 2026

Prep

10 min

Cook

70 min

Total

80 min

Servings

Level

Easy

Jump to recipe

Dinner takes 1 hour 20 minutes to prepare, with 10 minutes of hands-on work time, and a pressure cooker like an Instant Pot can reduce cooking time. Shredded beef tacos include simmered chuck or brisket and a spicy, chunky chipotle sauce as taco meat.

Shredded Beef Tacos with Rich Chipotle Tomato Sauce

The spice mix contains chipotle powder, smoked paprika, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, coriander, salt, pepper, chili powder, allspice, and cumin. Beef is browned in a pan, and more garlic and onion are also sautéed in the same pan. Orange and lime juices deglaze the browned bits. Crushed tomatoes, beef broth, water, and other spices are used to make a braising liquid that forms the sauce.

The beef is ready to shred when it pulls apart easily with the tines of two forks. Simmer the cooking liquid left in the pot in Sauté mode until reduced. Add shredded beef to the cooking liquid to coat the pieces. Do not rinse browned bits off the beef after adding citrus juices to reduce sticking during pressure cooking and enhance flavor.

Serve beef tacos with avocado, cojita cheese, and fresh cilantro in warm or toasted tortillas. Additional sauces may be added to or served with tacos. Other dishes made with beef include burritos, enchiladas, nachos, quesadillas, small sandwiches, and taco bar items.

Why this recipe works

Saves time preparing the meat by purchasing chopped garlic and a spice blend to season the beef. Chopped garlic is not needed to season the meat.
One Instant Pot can be used for browning and sauce cooking to reduce spills and other cleanup tasks while cooking.
Serves eight people with three pounds of beef and other ingredients. Benefits include serving a family dinner and hosting taco bar parties and having multiple meals with beef over time.
Works with chuck roast, brisket, and rump roast. Use whatever cut of meat you can find locally.
Allows the taco seasoning to be versatile. You can add more or less chipotle powder to make spicier or milder tacos.
Provides additional ways to use leftover meat other than tacos, such as burritos, enchiladas, nachos, wraps, quesadillas, and small sandwiches.

Instructions

In a small bowl, stir together the spice rub ingredients until combined.

Sprinkle the beef chunks with about 4 to 5 tsp of the spice rub, patting it into the meat so it sticks. Reserve the remaining spice rub.

Set the Instant Pot to Sauté and add the oil to the insert.

When hot, sear the meat chunks on all sides, about 2 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.

Add the garlic and onion, cooking until softened, about 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Pour in the orange juice and lime juice to deglaze the bottom of the insert, using a wooden spoon to scrape up the browned bits.

Stir in the crushed tomatoes, beef stock, water, and remaining spice mixture. Return the beef to the pot.

Pressure cook for 50 minutes on High pressure. Manually release the pressure when cooking is done.

Remove the meat and shred it with two forks.

While shredding the meat, set the Instant Pot to Sauté and reduce the liquid for about 10 to 15 minutes, until thickened. Taste the sauce and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Return the shredded meat to the sauce and stir to coat.

Serve in warmed or charred tortillas with your preferred toppings.

FAQ

Yes, you can use pre-portioned frozen beef products as ingredients in an Instant Pot recipe. Pre-portioned frozen beef products do not need to be browned and will require more time to reach pressure in the Instant Pot. One frozen roast should be thawed before cooking. Large cuts of beef should be used, even if frozen beef products are substituted, for best results when shredding cooked beef.

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Dinner Beef Mexican Party One Pot

Shredded Beef Tacos with Rich Chipotle Tomato Sauce

Name: Shredded Beef Tacos with Rich Chipotle Tomato Sauce
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 70 min
Total time: 80 min
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: 1 Tbsp chipotle powder (1 to 1 1/2 Tbsp; adjust spiciness to taste); 1 Tbsp smoked paprika; 2 tsp dried oregano; 1 tsp garlic powder; 1 tsp onion powder; 1 tsp coriander powder; 1 tsp salt; 1 tsp black pepper; 1/2 tsp chili powder; 1/2 tsp ground allspice; 1/2 tsp ground cumin; 1 Tbsp olive oil; 3 lb beef chuck or brisket (cut into large chunks, about 4 to 5 pieces); 4 garlic cloves (minced); 1 yellow onion (medium, diced); 1/2 cup orange juice; 1/4 cup lime juice; 14 oz canned crushed tomatoes; 2 cups beef stock; 1/2 cup water; salt and pepper (to taste); tortillas (warmed or charred, for serving); avocado (sliced, optional topping); cojita cheese (optional topping); fresh cilantro (chopped, optional topping)

By Emma CollinsOct 7, 2026

Prep

10 min

Cook

70 min

Total

80 min

Servings

Level

Easy

Jump to recipe

Why this recipe works

Saves time preparing the meat by purchasing chopped garlic and a spice blend to season the beef. Chopped garlic is not needed to season the meat.
One Instant Pot can be used for browning and sauce cooking to reduce spills and other cleanup tasks while cooking.
Serves eight people with three pounds of beef and other ingredients. Benefits include serving a family dinner and hosting taco bar parties and having multiple meals with beef over time.
Works with chuck roast, brisket, and rump roast. Use whatever cut of meat you can find locally.
Allows the taco seasoning to be versatile. You can add more or less chipotle powder to make spicier or milder tacos.
Provides additional ways to use leftover meat other than tacos, such as burritos, enchiladas, nachos, wraps, quesadillas, and small sandwiches.

Ingredients

Servings8

•1 Tbsp chipotle powder (1 to 1 1/2 Tbsp; adjust spiciness to taste)
•1 Tbsp smoked paprika
•2 tsp dried oregano
•1 tsp garlic powder
•1 tsp onion powder
•1 tsp coriander powder
•1 tsp salt
•1 tsp black pepper
•½ tsp chili powder
•½ tsp ground allspice
•½ tsp ground cumin
•1 Tbsp olive oil
•3 lb beef chuck or brisket (cut into large chunks, about 4 to 5 pieces)
•4 garlic cloves (minced)
•1 yellow onion (medium, diced)
•½ cup orange juice
•¼ cup lime juice
•14 oz canned crushed tomatoes
•2 cups beef stock
•½ cup water
•salt and pepper (to taste)
•tortillas (warmed or charred, for serving)
•avocado (sliced, optional topping)
•cojita cheese (optional topping)
•fresh cilantro (chopped, optional topping)

Instructions

1
In a small bowl, stir together the spice rub ingredients until combined.
2
Sprinkle the beef chunks with about 4 to 5 tsp of the spice rub, patting it into the meat so it sticks. Reserve the remaining spice rub.
3
Set the Instant Pot to Sauté and add the oil to the insert.
4
When hot, sear the meat chunks on all sides, about 2 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
5
Add the garlic and onion, cooking until softened, about 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6
Pour in the orange juice and lime juice to deglaze the bottom of the insert, using a wooden spoon to scrape up the browned bits.
7
Stir in the crushed tomatoes, beef stock, water, and remaining spice mixture. Return the beef to the pot.
8
Pressure cook for 50 minutes on High pressure. Manually release the pressure when cooking is done.
9
Remove the meat and shred it with two forks.
10
While shredding the meat, set the Instant Pot to Sauté and reduce the liquid for about 10 to 15 minutes, until thickened. Taste the sauce and season with salt and pepper to taste.
11
Return the shredded meat to the sauce and stir to coat.
12
Serve in warmed or charred tortillas with your preferred toppings.