Carne deshebrada is a classic Mexican shredded beef recipe that’s juicy, flavorful, and incredibly versatile. Cooked with aromatic spices, this tender beef can be used for tacos, quesadillas, tostadas, and stews.
By the way, Carne means meat in Spanish, and deshebrada is just shredded.
In this post, I’ll show you how to make a flavorful Mexican shredded beef using an Instant Pot, slow cooker, or stovetop. Plus tips to store, freeze, and get the most out of every batch!
Carne deshebrada is the perfect for meal prep or those days when you just don’t feel like cooking from scratch.
Ingredients Needed
- Beef: Look for cuts like chuck roast, flank, skirt, or brisket. If you have a Mexican butcher shop near to you, ask for carne para deshebrar, they’ll give you the best cut to use.
- Spices & aromatics: I usually throw in onion, garlic, bay leaves, black peppercorns, cumin seeds, and oregano for that classic Mexican flavor.
- Extras (optional): Want to kick it up a notch? Add a chipotle in adobo, a spoonful of adobo sauce, or even a bit of tomato sauce for a richer flavor.
Carne Deshebrada Recipe With Photos
Start by adding your beef to the pot along with the usual flavor boosters: onion, garlic, bay leaves, black peppercorns, cumin seeds, and oregano. Don’t forget a good tablespoon of salt.
Then pour in enough water to cover the meat by about an inch. That’s all the magic it needs to get started.
Seal the lid, set the valve to sealing position (super important!), and cook on high pressure for 40 minutes. This gives the meat time to soften up and soak in all those beautiful flavors.
Once it’s done, let the pressure release naturally for about 10 minutes. After that, carefully do a quick release. Open it up, and your beef is ready to shred!
Shred It Up!
Once your beef is cooked and has cooled a bit, it’s shredding time! You can do this with your hands (my go-to when I’m not in a rush).
Or if you’re making a big batch, toss the chunks into a stand mixer and let it do the work. Just 30 seconds on low speed and you’ll have perfectly shredded meat.
Now you’ve got a batch of homemade carne deshebrada ready to go for your favorite Mexican beef recipes. Freeze what you don’t use and thank yourself later on a lazy weeknight!
More Ways to Cook Carne Deshebrada
No Instant Pot? No worries! Here are two tried-and-true ways to make carne deshebrada the old-school way. Both give you that same flavorful, fall-apart beef.
Stove Top Method
- Cut the beef into large chunks (around 3 inches).
- Place in a big pot with spices, salt, and water.
- Bring to a boil over high heat.
- Reduce to medium, loosely cover, and simmer for about 3 hours.
- Skim off any foam and add more water if needed.
Slow Cooker Method
- Add beef, spices, aromatics, and water (about 1 inch above the meat) to your slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on low for 5–8 hours or high for 4–6 hours.
- Once it’s tender, it’s ready to shred and use however you like.
A Few Handy Notes
- If you’re using an Instant Pot, here’s a quick rule of thumb: it takes about 20 minutes per pound of beef roast. So for a 3-pound piece, give it around 60 minutes at high pressure.
- In my house (and in lots of Mexican homes), we always cook the meat in plenty of water (not just to cover it, but extra!) That way, we can use the flavorful broth to make consomé for tacos or for soups.
- Want to add a little heat? Toss in a couple of serrano or jalapeño peppers while the meat cooks. Whole ones give just a little warmth, but if you chop them up you’ll get that spicy kick we all secretly love.
Ways to Use Mexican Shredded Beef
Mexican shredded beef can be used in many ways. From stuffing in tacos to topping on tostadas to making salads and tamales. So here are my favorite and recommended ways to use this deshebrada recipe.
- As topping for Garnachas.
- Combine with mashed potatoes to make Tacos Dorados.
- Sopes. Add the carne deshebrada and then use your favorite toppings like lettuce, onions, cream, cheese, and salsa.
- Mix it with sauce and use the meat as a filling to make Instant Pot Tamales.
- Mixed with various crispy vegetables to make salpicon.
Storing Leftovers
Got leftovers? Just pop the carne deshebrada into an airtight container and store it in the fridge where it’ll stay good for 3 to 4 days.
Want to freeze it? No problem! Pack it into freezer bags (I like to flatten them so they stack nicely), label them with the date, and freeze for up to 4 months.
When you’re ready to use it again, just thaw it overnight in the fridge and then use it in whatever you’re craving.
More Mexican Beef Recipes
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Print the recipe
Carne Deshebrada
Equipment
- Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lb beef brisket (or chuck roast, flank, skirt.)
- 1 small onion (peeled)
- 4 cloves garlic (skin on)
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ teaspoon black peppercorns
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 Tablespoon oregano
- 1 Tablespoon coarse salt
Instructions
- Place all the ingredients in an Instant Pot (read notes). Pour water enough to cover the meat for 1 inch.
- Close the lid, set the float valve up, and cook at high pressure for 40 minutes.
- Natural release for 10 minutes then quick release the steam before opening the pot.
- Remove the meat from the pot and place it in the bowl of a stand mixer.
- Attach the flat beater paddles and mix at low speed for about 30 seconds or until is fully shredded.
- Use it straight away in your recipe or allow it to cool down completely and store it for later.
Notes
- If you want to cook it in a slow cooker, it will take 5 to 8 hours on low, or 4 to 6 hours on high depending on the beef cut you choose.
- If you want to cook it on the stovetop, just cut the meat into chunks so it will cook faster. Add everything to a pot and cook for about 2 hours skimming off the foam that forms on the surface and adding more water if necessary.
- Don’t throw away the cooking water! That flavorful beef broth is perfect for making soups, sauces, and stews.
Thank you for this detailed recipe, love the way you explain everything step by step and make sure is understandable. I make my own carne deshebrada at home just as my mom taught me too, but I am not good at explaining and wanted to give the recipe to a friend of mine that doesn’t speak spanish.