Pulled Beef Tacos

If you’re craving bold, savory flavors wrapped in a warm tortilla, these pulled beef tacos made with Mexican shredded beef are exactly what you need. This recipe delivers tender, slow-cooked shredded beef packed with spices, perfect for weeknight dinners, meal prep, or entertaining guests. In this post, you’ll learn how to make the best pulled beef tacos, plus tips, variations, and serving ideas to take your taco game to the next level.

Mexican Shredded Beef Tacos

This pulled beef is so delicious and makes incredible Mexican shredded beef tacos! To make these pulled beef tacos, I used easy to find ingredients (stew meat, herbs, and citrus) and then let them cook together in a crock pot! I served them with my Avocado Crema and my homemade Peach Mango Salsa. It is such a tasty combination and I know you will love it.

This shredded beef method is based off of Beef Barbacoa. Barbacoa is a method of cooking meat. Slowly cooked meat produces tender and juicy results. I used my Slow Cooker (crock pot) to achieve this result, but you can also use a dutch oven. Barbacoa is the same type of meat that Chipotle uses to make their shredded beef tacos and burritos too.

Why You’ll Love These Pulled Beef Tacos

• Incredibly tender beef that falls apart effortlessly
• Packed with authentic taco flavor
• Perfect for slow cooker, Instant Pot, or oven
• Great for meal prep and leftovers

What cut of meat do you use to make Pulled Beef?

Chuck Roast is the best cut of meat to use for pulled beef tacos or shredded beef, but I also like to use Stew Meat. I mainly shop at Trader Joe’s because my wife works there and they sell stew meat, but not Chuck Roast. Since it is easier for me to get, I like to use it. It also produces similar results when slow cooked or used in my instant pot. Plus, no cutting necessary! Win/Win!

If I buy chuck roast, I normally cut it into 6 smaller pieces. If you have extra time, you can sear the outside of each piece before throwing it in the slow cooker. This added some flavor to the meat and will make your shredded beef tacos even better.

Tips for the Best Pulled Beef Tacos

• Use chuck roast for the most tender shredded beef
• Let the beef rest in the sauce after shredding for maximum flavor
• Toast tortillas for a slightly crispy texture
• Add a splash of lime juice before serving to brighten the flavors
• Add some Peach Mango Salsa on top

What do I need to make Pulled Beef Tacos

• Beef Stew Meat/Chuck Roast – Not all grocery stores carry stew meat, so if they do not have it I pick up chuck roast and then I just make sure to cut it into 2 inch pieces.
• Cooking Oil – I use Olive oil or Avocado Oil for this
• Garlic – You can use fresh garlic, frozen minced garlic, or garlic paste. Just make sure to use a lot!
• sea salt – Beef can take on a lot of salt so do not be afraid to use it. At the end, give it a taste. If you need to add more, feel free. If you feel it is too salty, add a little bit more Orange Juice or Lime Juice.
• spice blend: cumin, black pepper, chipotle pepper powder, oregano
• beef broth: I always use low sodium because I rather add in the salt by myself. You could use any broth for this.
• orange or whole lime (juiced):the acidity and sweetness balances out the flavor
• Cilantro: optional

INGREDIENTS  

• 1.5 – 2 lbs Beef Stew Meat Chuck Roast cut into 2″ pieces can also be used
• 1 tbsp Avocado Oil
• 1 tbsp Garlic Paste or 4 Garlic Cloves finely minced
• 1.5 tsp Sea Salt not table salt
• 1 tsp Cumin
• 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
• 1/2 tsp Chipotle Chili Powder you can use regular chili powder in it’s place but it will not have the classic barbacoa taste
• 1/2 tsp Oregano
• 1 cup Beef Broth
• 1 Large Lime, Juiced or 1/2 of an Orange, seeds removed, Juiced
• Fresh Cilantro optional
• Tortillas if you want to make these into tacos
• Peach Mango Salsa: recipe here

INSTRUCTIONS 

• Put all ingredients in your Slow Cooker except for the fresh cilantro
• Cook on low heat for 8-10 hours
• Turn Heat Off, Remove Beef from the Juice using a slotted spoon. Add the Beef to a cutting board, and shred up the beef.
• Add the beef back into the slow cooker juices and serve
• Top with finely minced fresh cilantro
• Warm up some tortillas, pile on some shredded beef, and add your favorite toppings.

NOTES

You can cook this dish on High for 5-6 hours, but this particular cut of meat is best prepared using a low and slow cook. 

I use a 4 quart slow cooker for this recipe, but you can use a 6 quart one as well.