Having a consistently successful way to prepare tender beef that is easy to shred and can be seasoned to pair with any cuisine is something that every home cook should have in their back pocket. This simple shredded beef recipe is exactly that. It takes less than an hour and is a blank canvas for you to transform into anything from tacos and sandwiches to carnitas and pasta ragus.
All you’ll need is an instapot or pressure cooker…
The basic amounts used in this recipe is based on a 3 pound chuck or brisket roast. It is very simple to cut in half for smaller roasts or double or tripled if you are feeding a crowd.
Begin by cutting your roast into large chunks, about 2 inch squares. There is no need to trim away any excess fat on the chuck roast because most of it will dissolve as the beef cooks and the remainder is very easy to remove as you shred.
When it comes to seasoning the beef, you can start with my basic seasoning suggestions and add anything that pairs well with whatever you have planned for the future of this tender meat.
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- For Mexican or Latin recipes – add cumin, chili powder, dried coriander, Mexican oregano, a pinch of cayenne and even some cinnamon.
- For Italian recipes – add dried basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, sage and red pepper flakes.
- For Asian recipes – coriander, turmeric, lemongrass, star anise, fennel, five spice and ground ginger.
- For Mediterranean recipes – dried oregano, mint, bay leaves, fennel, dill, saffron and a little nutmeg.
- For Middle Eastern or Indian recipes – turmeric, cumin, cardamom, coriander, dried mustard, ground ginger and fenugreek.
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There are many more options, but these are just some of my favorite seasoning add-ons for a few popular cuisines.
Be sure to generously season the beef before you begin cooking it. If you ever wonder why good quality restaurant food tastes better than what you make at home, it is usually a difference in seasoning. Food needs salt and bold herbs and spices to bring out its best flavors, so seasoning generously!
Even when making this basic shredded beef recipe, be sure that all sides of the beef is boldly seasoned with salt and black pepper. This, along with the garlic and onion will help to create a balanced, delicious and flavorful end result that can be enjoyed with a wide variety of sauces or a pan gravy, but can also quite delicious as is.
Place the seasoned beef into your instapot or pressure cooker along with a large yellow onion and 5 cloves of garlic. Seal the pot and pressure cook on high for 15-20 minutes per pound. Since we cut the roast into large cubes, I am pressure cooking this 3 pound roast for 50 minutes. If the roast was whole, I would have gone with 60 minutes, but somewhere in that area will be fine.
If you went with brisket, you will have some liquid in the pot after it cooks, but if you went with a chuck roast, you will have lots of liquid in the pot… plenty for a fabulous pan gravy!
Now all there is left to do is shred the super tender beef and use it in any delicious way you can imagine.
With this simple preparation and a little pressure cooker magic, you can have a bowl of tender shredded beef ready to enjoy in tacos, nachos, over rice or a salad… breakfast, lunch or dinner.
The options are endless. Keep this recipe on hand… you never know when you’ll need it.
Simple Shredded Beef
Ingredients
- 3 pounds of chuck roast or brisket
- 1 large yellow onion, peeled, quartered
- 5 cloves of garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons of sea salt
- 1-2 teaspoons of dried Italian herbs
- 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
Instructions
- Slice the roast into 2 inch cubes and generously season with sea salt, black pepper and dried Italian herbs
- Place the seasoned beef into an instapot or pressure cooker along with the onion and garlic
- Pressure cook on high for 15-20 minutes per pound (50 minutes is suggested for a 3 pound roast)
- Shred the beef and enjoy!
