Pressure-cooked chuck roast is unmatched in flavor and tenderness when it comes to shredded beef tacos. If using a well-marbled cut, you can trim away almost all of the excess fat to lean the meat down and the marbled fat will cook away in the Instant Pot. Marinating overnight isn’t required, but it makes a world of difference in overall flavor, so it’s worth the wait.
If beef is too rich for your tastes, try our amazing pork carnitas. Both go well with our soft grain-free tortillas and cassava and coconut flour tortillas.
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Instant Pot Shredded Beef Tacos
Quick and easy Instant Pot Shredded Beef Tacos
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 6–8 Servings 1x
Ingredients
- 1 3-pound well-marbled chuck roast, trimmed
- 5 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1 large sweet or yellow onion, sliced into 1/4” thick half moons
- Juice of 2 large navel oranges
- Juice of 1 large lime
- 1 14-ounce can unsalted beef broth or bone broth
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 1/2 tsp dried Mexican oregano
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp chili powder
- 1/4 tsp chipotle chile powder
- 1/8 tsp ground allspice
- 1/8 tsp ground coriander
- Avocado oil, if pan searing before serving (see note)
- Tortillas: Cassava & Coconut flour, soft grain-free
- Toppings: Cilantro, matchstick sweet bell peppers, shredded red cabbage or lettuce; diced tomatoes or pico de gallo; avocado or simple guacamole; creamy avocado cilantro dressing; thinly sliced red or sweet onion; lime wedges; etc.
Instructions
- Rinse the chuck roast and pat dry, then trim excess fat and cut into 4 equal pieces. Coat all sides of the pieces with the olive oil and place in a large zip top bag. Squeeze the juice of one lime into the bag.
- Combine salt and all spices in a small bowl, then sprinkle the spice mixture into the bag with the meat. Massage to distribute spices evenly, remove air, and refrigerate 3 hours to overnight.
- After meat has marinated, combine add broth to a large measuring cup, then use the 1/2 cup water to rinse out the broth can and add to the measuring cup. Place the wire trivet into the Instant Pot and pour half the liquid mixture and half the garlic into the bottom of the pot.
- Lay half the onion slices on top of the rack and place the meat directly on top of the onions. Top with remaining garlic and onions, then slowly pour remaining broth mixture over the top, taking care not to rinse off the seasoning.
- Close and seal Instant Pot, then set to set the Manual/High for 50 minutes. Allow pressure to release naturally (about another 40 minutes).
- Once the pin drops, carefully transfer meat to a large plate and cover with foil. Rest 10 minutes.
- While the meat is resting, strain the liquid into a fat separator and discard fat. Reduce liquid over medium heat, if desired, or leave as-is.
- Shred the meat with two forks and season with additional salt and pepper, if needed.
- Serve as-is, or pan sear the meat by heating a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, then add a 1-2 teaspoons of avocado oil and quickly add a layer of meat and a few tablespoons of the reserved liquid. Cover and cook a minute or two, until the liquid is gone. The bottom of the meat will begin to sear and caramelize. As soon as liquid evaporates, remove meat from pan and serve immediately. Best to work in small batches when searing.
- Assemble tacos and top as desired.
Notes
Refrigerate meat and reserved liquid separately, in airtight containers up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months. Meat is best frozen in zip top bags with air removed.
Just like with our pork carnitas, pan searing the beef adds another layer of flavor and texture by caramelizing the sugars in the orange and lime juices. The seared beef will not be as wet but will have significantly more flavor. Try it both ways.
Total time does not include pressurizing and release time.
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 50
- Category: Entree, Weeknight Meals
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: Mexican
Keywords: INSTANT POT, BEEF TACOS, SHREDDED BEEF, SHREDDED BEEF TACOS, STREET TACOS, TORTILLAS, GRAIN-FREE, GLUTEN-FREE, PALEO, LOW-CARB, EASY DINNERS, WEEKNIGHT MEALS
