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    Home > Recipes > Beef Recipes

    Stovetop Shredded Beef

    Published: May 6, 2022 · Modified: Oct 26, 2022 by Garden to Griddle · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Avoid the oven with this ultimate shredded beef recipe! The flavor profile is so versatile that you can pair it with many different sides or use this shredded beef with barbecue, Mexican, Italian, and Asian-style dishes.

    shredded beef piled on a white oval plate with fresh cilantro surrounding it, barbecue sauce in a small mason jar in the upper left corner and a red towel and Corning Ware bowl with more shredded beef partially visible at the top of the image

    Most of my favorite meals to make, and eat, consist of shredded meat and some delicious sides. This stovetop shredded beef is such an incredibly convenient meal that makes enough for leftovers so you can make several different meals with one shredded beef recipe!

    Jump to:
    • Flavors
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Enjoy with
    • Storage
    • Sides
    • Stovetop Shredded Beef

    Flavors

    I decided to not go with strong Mexican flavors for this shredded beef, but instead stayed with a versatile flavor profile. It works incredibly well with barbecue, broth and gravy, or any Italian or Mexican dish.

    This recipe could be seen as Mexican shredded beef but it could just as well be turned into an Asian-style dish with the addition of a sauce!

    Ingredients

    My favorite part about this recipe is how simple the ingredients are, but how perfectly they work together.

    • 2 ¼- 2 ½ pounds boneless beef chuck
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil (plus a drizzle more if needed)
    • 2 cups low sodium vegetable broth
    • 1-1 ¼ teaspoons sea salt
    • ½ teaspoons rubbed thyme
    • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
    • freshly ground black pepper to taste

    You can also make this spicy by adding cayenne pepper.

    For a little Indian flavor, use Tandoori.

    And there's always the quintessential taco seasoning.

    Instructions

    I love making shredded beef in the oven using my Corning Ware Dutch oven. Although I get wonderful results every time, I don't want to be using my oven throughout the heat of Colorado summer. If you are looking for oven-roasted shredded meat, take a look at my Incredible Shredded Beef with Oak Smoked Flaked Sea Salt and Pork Shoulder Roast with Crackling.

    • Remove beef from fridge about 20-30 minutes before starting cook, keep all fat on.
    • Heat 2 tablespoon olive oil on medium-high heat in a medium-sized Dutch Oven (3 quart). Once hot, add meat to sear for about 1-2 minutes per side. Sear all edges and sides. Beef should pull away easily from the pan when it's ready to flip.
    • Add broth and seasonings, and spear the meat multiple times on each side with a knife. Lift the beef up to allow juices to flow under. Decrease heat to low and cover.
    • Cook for about 1 hour, then cut the beef into quarters to fully cover the meat. Continue cooking for about 3 more hours.
    • Beef should easily pull away with a fork at this time. Remove the meat to a plate, trim off any fat, and shred the beef using 2 forks. Return shredded beef to the pot, combine with juices and let marinade again for another few minutes.
    • Store any leftovers with juices in the fridge or freezer.

    When making this recipe stovetop, I still use my Corning Ware Dutch oven and I would highly recommend a Dutch oven over any other pot. You get a better seal, and they retain heat so well. Aim for around a 3-quart Dutch oven and not much bigger. If you don't have access to one, then use a heavy bottom pot with a tight sealed lid. You may also be interested in my Pulled Pork (Serve it Your Way) recipe that also uses a stovetop method.

    Make sure to sear your beef in olive oil at the beginning of the cook. I choose to sear the meat directly in my Dutch oven, but you can always sear in a skillet and transfer to a pre-heated Dutch oven. I never use "high" heat but a medium-high that's hot enough to quickly sear the meat instead of boiling it.

    Use cast iron if possible for best results! Sear on all edges and sides of the meat, not just top and bottom. Typically, it takes 1-2 minutes to nicely sear each side. Once you place the meat in the pan, don't touch it for a couple minutes. When it's ready to flip it will peel away easily from the pan/pot.

    This might be unconventional, but I don't season the meat when searing for this recipe. I wait until adding the broth and decreasing temperature for the long cook to add all seasonings. Even if you do a great job of rubbing seasonings all over the meat, you still lose some on your hands and/or a plate. It's a slight difference, but I can tell that the meat actually has more flavor when you wait to season it.

    Immediately after searing the meat, add the broth and seasonings and as I like to write in my personal notes "stab stab stab" the beef all over. You might be thinking "oh no, you just seared the meat to keep the juices in, why on earth would you pierce the meat now?" You're soaking the beef in broth and sealing the dish tightly in a Dutch oven, so the juices will be retained in the dish just fine.

    Piercing the beef allows the broth and seasonings to thoroughly penetrate the meat and you get better flavor with melt-in-your-mouth beef. For an added bonus, lift the beef up a little to allow the broth to flow under.

    After about 1 hour of cooking the beef in broth, I like to cut the slab into quarters. I'm able to do it easily and safely while still in the Dutch Oven but you could quickly remove it from the pot if needed. Do it fast if you need to and quickly return it to the pot.

    I don't do this step upfront because it's best to cook the beef whole as long as possible, but you also want to make sure that you're submerging the beef in the broth and juices as much as possible. You could also choose to just rotate the beef throughout the cook and expect to add just a little more time for super soft meat.

    Enjoy with

    This shredded beef can be used as an ingredient in tacos, quesadillas, chili, chimichangas and more!

    • side view of a chimichanga with browned edges, topped with thinned Greek yogurt and diced tomatoes on a bed of chopped lettuce with jar of salsa in the upper left and guacamole on right side and a second chimichanga in the back all on a wooden cutting board
      Beef and Bean Chimichangas
    • bowl of chili topped with dollop of Greek yogurt, shredded cheddar cheese, avocado chunks, and slice of lime
      Chili with Beans and Ground Beef
    • Asian style ground beef stir fry over red leaf lettuce
      Asian Style Ground Beef Stir Fry

    Storage

    I love to cook up a large batch of shredded beef and portion it out into multiple air-tight containers to freeze for later. Because this is such a moist meat, I'd recommend storing it in its own container (unmixed with other foods).

    This lasts 1-2 weeks in the fridge, and up to 8 weeks frozen.

    Sides

    With this being pure protein, we usually combine it with something carby and filling.

    • dinner rolls overlapping on cooling rack
      Lightly Sweetened Dinner Rolls
    • soft burger buns with sesame seeds on top
      From Scratch Soft Burger Buns
    • mashed potatoes garnished with fresh parsley in a white round bowl on a wooden cutting board
      Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes with Greek Yogurt
    • cheesy potato bread on white oval plate with black striped white towel in upper right corner all on wood cutting board. 2 full buns and 1 split open to show filling.
      Cheesy Potato Bread
    shredded beef piled on a white oval plate with fresh cilantro surrounding it, barbecue sauce in a small mason jar in the upper left corner and a red towel and Corning Ware bowl partially visible at the top of the image

    Stovetop Shredded Beef

    Avoid the oven with this ultimate shredded beef recipe! The flavor profile is so versatile that you can pair it with many different sides or use this shredded beef with barbecue, Mexican, Italian, and Asian-style dishes.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 minutes mins
    Cook Time 4 hours hrs 15 minutes mins
    Total Time 4 hours hrs 20 minutes mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American, Beef
    Servings 5 servings

    Equipment

    • 3 quart Dutch Oven

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 ¼- 2 ½ pounds boneless beef chuck
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil (plus a drizzle more if needed)
    • 2 cups low sodium vegetable broth
    • 1-1 ¼ teaspoons sea salt
    • ½ teaspoons rubbed thyme
    • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
    • freshly ground black pepper to taste

    Instructions
     

    • Remove beef from fridge about 20-30 minutes before starting cook, keep all fat on.
    • Heat 2 tablespoon olive oil on medium-high heat in a medium-sized Dutch Oven (3 quart). Once hot, add meat to sear for about 1-2 minutes per side. Sear all edges and sides. Beef should pull away easily from the pan when it's ready to flip.
    • Add broth and seasonings, and spear the meat multiple times on each side with a knife. Lift the beef up to allow juices to flow under. Decrease heat to low and cover.
    • Cook for about 1 hour, then cut the beef into quarters to fully cover the meat. Continue cooking for about 3 more hours.
    • Beef should easily pull away with a fork at this time. Remove the meat to a plate, trim off any fat, and shred the beef using 2 forks. Return shredded beef to the pot, combine with juices and let marinade again for another few minutes.
    • Store any leftovers with juices in the fridge or freezer.
    Keyword shredded beef recipe, stovetop shredded beef
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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