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Instant Pot Shredded Beef

closeup overhead photo of instant pot Mexican shredded beef on a black cutting board with cilantro lime and jalapeño and two forks and instant pot in the background
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★★★★★

5 from 1 review

This easy Instant Pot Shredded Beef is mild in spice yet loaded with flavor and boasts endless meal possibilities. Perfect for a crowd or quick family dinners with plenty of leftovers to freeze.

  • Prep Time:
    10 minutes
  • Total Time:
    1 hour 10 minutes
  • Makes:
    ~12, 4-ounce servings
  • Prep Time:
    10 minutes
  • Total Time:
    1 hour 10 minutes
  • Makes:
    ~12, 4-ounce servings

    • Ingredients

    • 2 ½ pounds top round roast (leaner) or chuck roast (richer)
    • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
    • ½ teaspoon black pepper
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 1 medium onion, diced small
    • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
    • 2 tablespoons chili powder
    • 2 teaspoons paprika
    • 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chilis, with liquid (see notes)
    • 2 tablespoons beef base (see notes)
    • ⅔ cup water 
    • Juice from 1 lime

    Instructions

    1. Prepare the meat. Trim meat from excess fat, cut in half lengthwise, and rub with salt and pepper. Set Instant Pot to SAUTE — MORE (HIGH). When hot, add oil to the pot and sear meat on all sides, about 1-2 minutes per side. About halfway through searing,  add the onion and garlic and cook until onions are tender and meat is totally browned on the outside. Press CANCEL to turn off the Instant Pot. 
    2. Add seasonings and pressure cook. Add chili powder, paprika, diced tomatoes, beef base, water and stir well until bee base has been incorporated into the liquid. Set Instant Pot to PRESSURE COOK – HIGH for 55 minutes (65 minutes if closer to 3 pounds). Let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes and release remaining pressure manually.
    3. Shred and serve. Remove the beef from the liquid and shred on a cutting board using two forks. Return shredded meat to the pot and add lime juice to taste. Stir well and serve. Store leftover beef in an airtight food storage container in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 6 months. 

    Notes

    Favorite Equipment

    Ingredient Notes

    • Diced tomatoes: I personally love fire-roasted diced tomatoes with green chilies in this recipe but regular canned diced tomatoes work well, too! Reminder: don’t drain the liquid.
    • Beef base: My favorite beef base is made by Better Than Bouillon which is available at most grocery stores, as well as Target, Walmart, Amazon, and Costco. You can also substitute 6 beef bouillon cubes in place of the beef base, just stir well to dissolve before pressure cooking.

    Ingredient Prep

    • Trim and season the meat with salt and pepper
    • Measure the spices and seasoning: chili powder, paprika, and beef base
    • Dice the onion and chop the garlic
    • Chop other ingredients you plan to eat with it 

    Little Helpers

    Involving little ones can decrease picky eating and increase appetite and willingness to try new foods. Here are a few ways they can help: 

    • Toddlers: Measure the spices; open canned diced tomatoes, juice the lime
    • Little Kids: All of the above plus help chop the onion and garlic (closely supervised, of course)
    • Big Kids: Give them the recipe and let them ask for help when needed! 

    Nutrition Notes

    Nutrition information calculated using top round roast (leaner) and full-sodium beef base.

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: 1/12 of recipe (~4 ounces)
    • Calories: 189
    • Sugar: 1 g
    • Sodium: 591 mg
    • Fat: 10 g
    • Saturated Fat: 3 g
    • Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
    • Trans Fat: 0 g
    • Carbohydrates: 3 g
    • Fiber: 1 g
    • Protein: 21 g
    • Cholesterol: 63 mg

    Find it online: https://modernminimalism.com/instant-pot-shredded-beef-recipe/

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