Beef Machaca is a must have for any cook serious about Mexican food. Marinating pot roast overnight in an easy Mexican marinade insures that braised beef is full flavored to make the best Machaca tacos, burritos and more.
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What is Machaca Beef?
Beef Machaca (Carne Machaca) originally comes from Sonora. In its traditional form is the Mexican equivalent of dried beef, beef jerky. Beef that has been marinated, cooked, shredded and dried. The drying process preserves the beef.
Beef Machaca is also a flavorful beef dish where the meat is marinated, slow braised, and then shredded and used to make burritas, an everyday type of taco that is folded rather than rolled like a burrito.
The Tex-Mex version is a Mexican shredded beef dish that can be served alone with tortillas for machaca tacos and burritos. You can commonly find it on Mexican Restaurant menus where it’s often referred to simply as shredded beef.
There are many subtle differences in how it is prepared from recipe to recipe. My research found me combining ingredients from a few, and testing … testing … testing.
This combination of flavors will bring Beef Machaca to your home kitchen … just like you’d enjoy in a Mexican Restaurant.
My recipe is a Mexican version of tender pot roast, it’s simply simmered stove top with some spices…let the fiesta begin!
Let’s take a look.
Ingredients You’ll Need For The Marinade
- Chuck Roast – 2-3 pounds.
- Limes – for the juice
- Worcestershire Sauce
- Chile Powder, New Mexico Red Chile Powder Preferred, or a single blend chile powder such as Ancho.
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder
Ingredient Substitutions
- Beef: Chuck roast is routinely used for Machaca Beef because it’s an inexpensive option. Other cuts of meat that will shred well are: rump roast, brisket, flank steak, or skirt steak.
- Garlic Powder: Substitute fine chopped fresh garlic.
- Step 1: Combine all the ingredients in a bowl then whisk to blend well. Cut the beef into large chunks. Add the chunks of beef to the marinade making sure every piece is evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Garlic
- Green Bell Pepper
- Onion
- Jalapeno Pepper
- Canned tomatoes with Green Chile Peppers: Rotel brand is a good example.
- Beef Broth
- Hot Sauce: Your favorite brand. I use Tabasco.
- Cumin
- Mexican Oregano
Ingredient Substitutions
- Chile Peppers: You can substitute a small poblano pepper for the Jalapeno pepper.
- Canned Tomatoes: I have made this with three fresh tomatoes, chopped and mixed with chopped roasted Hatch green chile peppers.
- Broth: Chicken or vegetable broth will work.
- Mexican Oregano is preferred for this recipe. It's peppery, grassy, earthy flavor is a good compliment for Mexican Food. If you don't have Mexican Oregano, substitute Marjoram. Known for its aroma and delicate flavor, its related to oregano and will bring a sweet undertone to any recipe.
Step by Step Instructions, How To Make Machaca Beef
- Step 1: Remove meat from marinade, drain thoroughly and pat dry with a paper towel. In a Dutch oven, or large skillet, heat a few tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat until very hot. Sear the beef a few pieces at a time to develop a rich brown color on all sides. Do this in several batches if the pot is too crowded.
- Step 2: When all the beef is browned nicely and removed from the pan, add the onions and peppers. Saute for a few minutes then add the garlic. Cook until garlic is fragrant. About 1 minute.
Pro Tip: Don't skip searing the meat. This is a crucial step in getting the most flavor out of this meal. Searing creates what is technically called Maillard reaction. Maillard reaction is the process where a crust is created. Simply stated, it's responsible for the complex flavors and aroma that makes bread taste toasty, and a grilled or seared burger taste charred. It's a technique that brings science to your cooking skills.
- Step 3: Stir in the remaining ingredients, then add the beef. Bring to a boil, scraping the browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer slowly for about 2 hours. Turn the meat after one hour of cooking.
- Step 4: The meat should be very tender and should easily fall apart when pricked with a fork. Remove from heat, remove meat to a cutting board and shred with a pair of forks. Return shredded meat to the pan and stir.
What Is Braising?
Braising is simple two step process where meat is seared until it’s well browned on both or all sides. It’s then partially submerged in liquid, routinely ½ way up the side of the meat. The meat is then slow-cooked at a moderately low temperature until the meat becomes very tender. Braising is my favorite way to cook meat during the cold months. The aroma that fills the house is intoxicating, and its classic comfort food at its best.
FAQ’s
Yes. After the marinade, and once the beef is seared, simply transfer the ingredients to a crock pot. Cook on low for 8 hours. Shred the beef and then return the meat to the crockpot and let it cook for another 30 minutes or so. Voila, slow cooker Mexican shredded beef.
That’s the beauty of any Mexican food recipe. You control the spice level. Using a mild chile powder will keep the heat level down. Changing out jalapeno peppers for poblano peppers will also tame that heat.
Yes. This is one one of those recipes that if it sits in the refrigerator for a day, the flavors will be even more enhanced. The beef will keep moist because after shredding, you add it back into the cooking liquid. Covered in the refrigerator, this will keep very well for 3 – 4 days.
Vinegar is magic. And in my kitchen, it's as important as salt and pepper. Plain and simple, a splash of vinegar can brighten, balance and sharpen your food. Tip: Does your recipe have an overwhelming strong bite of tomato flavor? A splash of vinegar will balance the flavor.
How To Serve It
Now that you’ve got all that glorious Mexican meat, here are some ideas on ways to serve it. Tacos (pictured above) are a traditional way to serve this Beef Machaca, but let’s think outside that taco shell.
Simply add some of the shredded meat to a flour tortilla and top with a over-easy fried egg. Voila, beef machaca huevos. An easy and delicious breakfast.
- Wrap beef machaca and scrambled eggs in a flour tortilla. During tomato season, add some fine chopped tomatoes. Top with cheese for a breakfast burrito. Don’t forget the skillet fried potatoes.
- And for the simplest of all, simply wrap the beef along with some thin sliced sweet onion for a quick burrito, street style.
- And of course, the easiest way to serve Machaca been is Machaca tacos. Hard corn shells, soft corn shells, or small flour tortillas. All you need is a sprinkling of grated cheese, crumbled Cotija cheese and some chopped cilantro.
What To Serve It With
A side dish of Oven Baked Mexican Rice is always a good choice. Or take a look at these Mashed Potato Stuffed Poblano Peppers. And if you’re looking for something less carb heavy, try this Southwest Salad with Black Beans.
Storage and Reheating
- Store any leftover meat in it’s liquid for up to 4 – 5 days in an air tight container in the refrigerator. To reheat, simmer the beef on low stovetop, or microwave in one minute increments at 50% power. Stirring every minute.
- Freeze the meat in a freezer safe zip-lock style bag. Just place the meat in the bag, press the air out, then store laying flat. A freezer bag is a great way to save freezer space.
Carne Machaca is a great example of cooking with one of my favorite techniques, braising. I look forward to making this again to use it in rellenos, enchiladas and beyond. So many possibilities.
The inspiration for this recipe came from Texas Cooking. I made a few tweaks and it made some of the best Mexican shredded beef tacos I’ve ever had..
And if you’re looking for more South of The Border Mexican Roast Beef ideas, you won’t want to miss my recipe for Mexican Pot Roast. Just right spicy and a more tomato based recipe than Machaca Beef.
More Mexican Recipes with Beef
- Slow Cooker Chuck Roast Beef Tacos
- Chile Rubbed Braised Beef Tacos with Red Cabbage Slaw
- Enchilada Burritos, Beef and Bean Enchiladas
- Mountain Mex Ground Beef Enchiladas
- Authentic Mexican Fried Tacos
- Taqueria Style Grilled Carne Asada
And if you’re looking for more Mexican Food Recipes, don’t miss my Mexican Southwest Category. You’ll find lots of great recipe ideas, including the most popular on my site for Hatch Green Chile Colorado.
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Beef Machaca Recipe (Carne Machaca)
Ingredients
- For the marinade:
- 2-3 pounds Chuck Roast or Skirt Steak trimmed and cut into portions.
- ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
- Juice of two limes
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon New Mexico chili powder or Ancho Chile Powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup vegetable oil or olive oil
- To cook the beef:
- Vegetable oil for searing the beef
- 1 large sweet onion diced
- ½ green bell pepper diced
- 4 cloves of garlic minced or pressed
- 1 jalapeno pepper minced
- 1-14 ounce can diced tomatoes or tomatoes with green chilies
- ¼ cup beef broth
- 1 tablespoon dried Mexican oregano or Marjoram
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce such as Tabasco
- salt and pepper to taste
- ½ teaspoon cider vinegar
Instructions
- For the marinade, Combine all the ingredients in a bowl then whisk to blend well. Cut the beef into large chunks. Add the beef to the marinade making sure every piece is evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
- Remove meat from marinade, drain thoroughly and pat meat dry with a paper towel.
- In a Dutch oven, heat a few tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat until very hot.
- Sear the beef a few pieces at a time to develop a rich brown color on all sides. Do this in several batches if the pot is too crowded.
- When all the beef is browned remove it from the pan. Turn down the heat to medium and add the onions, and peppers to the hot pan. Saute for a few minutes then add the garlic. Cook until garlic is fragrant. About 1 minute.
- Stir in the remaining ingredients, then add the beef.
- Bring to a boil, scraping the browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer slowly for about 2 hours. Turn the meat after one hour of cooking.
- The meat should be very tender and should easily fall apart when pricked with a fork. Remove from heat, remove meat to a cutting board and shred with a pair of forks.
- Return beef to the pot and bring to a simmer, uncovered for about 10 minutes. At this point, adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper and any additional chile powder for more heat.
- Finish by stirring in the vinegar.
Notes
Nutrition
Why Trust My Recipes? I am a Culinary School Graduate and a lifelong student of home cooking. I hope to inspire you try to cook as often as you can. I’ve been cooking for 50 years, and my recipes are tried and true tested and tested and then tested again before published. To read more take a look at my About Page.
It should taste as good as it looks I would eat it for sure.
This is not Machaca. Machaca is specifically made from sun dried beef, drier than normal beef jerky. It is then ground into a light fibrous consistency, usually by pounding it or tearing off fibers and teasing it to make it fluffy. Your recipe looks tasty, but it isn’t Machaca, it’s a guisado de rez. Calling it Machaca is like sticking a chunk of beef tenderloin in the oven and calling it meatloaf. That’s the significance of the misnomer. I hope this comment helps you cook more authentic dishes by applying a little research.
Good Morning, and thanks so much for your note. Before publishing this recipe I did do research on Machaca and did find its original use was for sun dried beef. And I briefly mention that in the first paragraph.
I really can’t find anything about how “machaca” has morphed into a shredded beef product for tacos or burritos.
I’m like you, I’m a stickler for “authenticity” and totally frown on those who post recipes like “Easy Enchiladas” … and they’re using flour tortillas. In my books it simply can’t be an enchilada unless in a corn tortilla. Drives me nuts. 🙂
Again, thanks for your note.
Lea Ann, this looks fabulous! A flavorful beef dish that can be served up in a variety of ways. The best part you can put this in the slow cooker to cook low and slow all day. I appreciate the inspiration.
Happy New Year!
Velva
super!
I was too excited to try this recipe so I didn’t marinate overnight. I marinated the beef for about 30 minutes and wow it was so good. I will definitely be making his again. Thanks for sharing!
Sitting at home with a cold, watching man v food, looked at something delicious I wanted to find the recipe for, so I have followed yours and the beef is marinading in the fridge now! It looks fab and I can wait for dinner tomorrow!
Thank you, Lea Ann, for such a beautiful looking recipe. I have my beef marinating right now…. and plan to sear the meat in a couple of hours. I do not see where you cook with the marinade in the cooking process, right?
That is correct Jill. How did you like it? We just returned from Tucson where I ordered Beef Macahaca at a Mexican Tacqueria. Man was it good. Now I have to make it again this week so I can compare, before I forget how the other tasted.
My boys would love this recipe. You made your own flour tortillas…good on you. Impressive. That drippy egg is making this whole dish come together beautifully.
I’m big on those drippy eggs. 🙂
You’re making me hungry! This looks perfect. I make my own flour tortillas, too, but I use butter and mix by hand. Oil would be fine, too. I just don’t want any tortillas made with shortening. Mmm … machaca!
I’d like to try with butter one of these days. Thanks Jean.
What a great recipe Lea Ann! I would not turn this down!
I most certainly didn’t turn it down, and ended up eating too much. 🙂
This sounds great Lea Ann and similar to the Italian Beef we recently made but with different flavors. And of course my favorite is the one with the egg on it.
I thought of you when I posted those photos. 🙂
We love this stuff! You can make it with pork, too. Great recipe. Love the highlights on the table in the pictures — really nice.
That table has ended up to be so photogenic. Always different light reflections depending upon the time of day.
I’ve made and eaten my share of shredded pork in Mexican food but not beef that I can recall. I can’t wait to try this! The beef machaca so tender and deliciously flavored.
Thank you Susan. I can’t wait to make it again. Once the marinade is done, the rest is a piece of cake.
I’m impressed that you made you own flour tortillas. I’d definitely enjoy starting my day with the beef machaca with a fried egg.
I’m impressed that I made my own flour tortillas. 🙂
Lee Ann,
It seems that ground cumin is listed twice in this recipe. Which is correct?
It’s listed twice because one is in the marinade and one is in the main dish. I’ll call you.
This definitely would take care of my Mexican food cravings. A must try.
Sam
Me too Sam. Thanks
That sounds good! I need to try it By the way my wife s name is Leann also!
Thank you Mark! And yay for another Leaann! There’s not that many of us. Thanks for the visit and taking the time to comment.
Sounds really nice. Thank you and have a good week.
Thanks Liz