Debbie's Mexican Shredded Beef (Carnitas) Recipe

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A beef version of Mexican carnitas made with chuck roast, salsa, garlic, oregano, cumin, and stewed tomatoes. Both oven and crock pot instructions are included.

serves/makes:

ready in:

2-5 hrs

8 reviews

ingredients

5 1/2 pounds beef chuck roast
1/4 cup bottled salsa, mild or hot whatever your preference.
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoon cumin
16 ounces canned stewed tomatoes
salt, to taste

directions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Trim excess fat from roast. Mix together salsa, garlic, chili powder, oregano, and cumin to make a paste. Spread on roast.

Wrap roast in a large piece of aluminum foil, folding edges to seal tightly. Place in roasting pan, with seam of aluminum foil up. Bake until meat is so tender that it will shred easily, 4 to 4-1/2 hours. Unwrap meat; discard fat and bones. Skim fat from drippings and reserve drippings. When roast is cool enough to handle, shred meat.

Transfer meat and drippings to a large pan. Stir in tomatoes and their juice, breaking them up into small bits. Heat through. Season with salt; adjust flavors to taste, adding more salsa and seasonings if desired.

cook's notes

This beef can also be prepared in a Crockpot, actually that is usually the way I do it. Prepare beef and seasonings the same way and place in a Crockpot, cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours and then on low for 2-3 hours or until the meat is literally falling apart.

For tacos, just heat some oil in a pan, slip in a corn tortilla, place a spoonful of meat on one side of the tortilla and fold the other half over, let it fry for a minute and then turn it over and fry the other side. Drain on paper towels. Add shredded cheese, lettuce and sour cream if you like. Enjoy!

added by

debbiegrrrl

nutrition data

945 calories, 68 grams fat, 13 grams carbohydrates, 68 grams protein per serving. This recipe is low in carbs.

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reviews & comments

Valerie REVIEW:
December 30, 2013

I was really impressed by how tender and flavorful the beef turned out. Usually carnitas have sort of a double cooking method where the meat is first cooked until it's tender, and then cooked again to give it texture. The second cooking method listed here is kind of vague in that it just says to heat through. Typically you put the meat back in the oven (uncovered) until it gets sort of a caramelized and/or crispy texture. Once the meat is cooked you can use it in a variety of other dishes.
fuzzywuzzy REVIEW:
June 26, 2013

Made this last weekend for a Mexican-themed graduation party for my daughter who just graduated college and is going to teach in Mexico. It was a huge hit! I followed the oven instructions because I figured that would be the most authentic, but honestly I think the crock pot will do the same job more easily. It was really good though and had great flavor. I printed out the recipe several times to give to people.
Guest Foodie REVIEW:
February 27, 2010

I used the crock pot for this and is it easy. 5-6 hours and I'm a hero.This will be a regular for our family.
debbit73 REVIEW:
May 30, 2009

I was looking for a recipe for mexican style beef for tacos and I came across this site. Boy am I glad that I did! I used the crock pot and it couldn't have been easier. After the meat was done cooking in crock pot, I removed and shredded it, and finished it off in a big skillet on the stove. The meat was so tender and full of flavor, it was yummy! My whole family enjoyed it. We ate the left overs the next day for lunch. I was looking for something similar to taco shop, and wound up with something even better! Thanks for the great recipe!
IdahoGirl REVIEW:
October 1, 2008

This is so easy and delicious. I am constantly making this dish to feed my teenage son and his many friends. They love it. We use the meat to make burritos like the ones we get at Qdoba but this is better!
Cathie REVIEW:
July 11, 2008

This recipe is great!!! We loved it so much it's become part of our regular dinner menu schedule. Very easy and super flavorful.
Guest Foodie REVIEW:
November 30, 2006

This is the best and easiest mexican roast I ever made. I have also used it to make Chili Rellenos, Chimichangas, and Tacos.
socalkc REVIEW:
September 18, 2005

Wonderfully easy recipe, but takes about 5 hours to complete. The meat is fabulous and the only thing I might add to it might some salsa to the reduced broth for a little more kick in the meat. It is great as it is though.

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Debbie's Mexican Shredded Beef (Carnitas) Recipe | CDKitchen.com (2024)