Beef Machaca Recipe (Carne Machaca)

Beef machaca tacos served with cotija cheese and salsa.

Beef Machaca Recipe (Carne Machaca)

Pot roast is slow braised in Mexican spices and then shredded. Great for tacos, burritos and all things Mexican and Tex-Mex.

Course Main Course Beef

Cuisine Mexican

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 2 30

Total Time 3

Servings

Calories 238kcal

Author Lea Ann Brown

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
1/2 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

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, creating a layer of deep flavor and sealing in juices.

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 machaca 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.

Store beef machaca 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 machaca 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.

Nutrition