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This Beef Tinga is tender, flavorful shredded beef simmered in a smoky chipotle tomato sauce. Perfect for tacos, burritos, tostadas, or rice bowls, this easy Mexican-inspired recipe is packed with bold flavor and is ideal for weeknight dinners or meal prep.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This Beef Tinga is the perfect recipe for those days when you need a delicious dinner but haven’t made it to the grocery store. Made with simple pantry staples like canned tomatoes, chipotle peppers, onions, and a roast from the freezer, it’s an easy meal that delivers big flavor without requiring a special shopping trip.
You’ll love the tender shredded beef simmered in a smoky, slightly spicy tomato sauce. It’s incredibly versatile and can be served in tacos, burritos, enchiladas, rice bowls, or alongside rice and beans for a satisfying meal. Whether you’re feeding a crowd or meal prepping for the week, Beef Tinga is a flavorful recipe you’ll find yourself making again and agai
Ingredients
- Boneless Beef Chuck Roast.
- Chorizo, without the casing.
- Canola or Vegetable Oil
- Onion.
- Garlic
- Diced Tomatoes
- Chipotle Chile Peppers in Adobo Sauce
- Oregano
- Cumin
- Salt
- Pepper
How to Make Beef Tinga
- Season the beef with salt and pepper.
- Heat oil in a heavy pan or a large dutch oven over medium high heat.
- Sear meat on each side.
- Add water to cover the meat.
- Bring to a boil.
- Turn down temperature and simmer, partially covered, until meat is tender, about one hour.
- Remove meat from liquid and reserve 1 1/2 cups of liquid.
- Shred beef chunks into small pieces with two forks.
- Add chorizo, onion and garlic to the pan and brown.
- Drain chorizo.
- Return chorizo and beef back to pan.
- Pour in reserved liquid, tomatoes, chipotle chiles, oregano and cumin.
- Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.
- Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Pair Beef Tinga with:
- Garnish with sliced jalapenos, diced avocado, chopped cilantro, sliced radishes, queso fresco or sliced red onion.
- Warm Corn Tortillas
- Flour Tortillas
- Mexican Rice
- Mexican Coleslaw
- Lime Cilantro Rice
- Cafe Rio Black Beans
- Mexican Caesar Salad
- Mexican Corn Salad
- Refried Beans
Tips from leigh Anne
- Chuck roast works best for Beef Tinga because it becomes tender and shreds easily after cooking. Any well-marbled beef roast will also work.
- For the best flavor, allow the beef to simmer in the sauce after shredding. This gives the meat time to absorb all the smoky chipotle and tomato flavors.
- Shred the beef while it is still warm. It will pull apart much more easily and evenly.Make a double batch and freeze the extras.
- Beef Tinga freezes beautifully and makes a quick meal for busy nights.Use the leftovers in a variety of ways. Besides tacos and burritos, Beef Tinga is delicious on nachos, tostadas, baked potatoes, rice bowls, or even mixed into scrambled eggs.
- If the sauce seems too thick, add a little beef broth or water. If it’s too thin, let it simmer uncovered for a few extra minutes to reduce.
- Top with fresh garnishes such as cilantro, avocado, cotija cheese, diced onions, or a squeeze of lime juice to brighten the rich flavors.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make beef tinga less spicy?
You can control the heat by the amount of chipotle pepper you put in. I used 1 1/2 peppers and scraped as many seeds as I could out of the inside of the pepper as that is what adds the heat. Just use a teaspoon or so of the sauce to get the smoky flavor, without the heat.
Can I make this in a slow cooker?
To make beef tinga in a slow cooker, sear or brown the meat first in a frying pan using the directions below. Cook the sausage. Then add all ingredients into the slow cooker.
Cover and cook on high for 6 hours.
What other meat can I use for beef tinga?
A top round roast, bottom round roast or a tri tip roast can be used in place of the chuck roast.
What is beef tinga?
Beef Tinga is a Mexican-inspired dish made with shredded beef simmered in a smoky sauce of tomatoes, chipotle peppers, and onions. It is flavorful, versatile, and easy to serve in a variety of ways.
Can I freeze beef tinga?
Absolutely. Store cooled Beef Tinga in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat before serving.
Beef Tinga is proof that a handful of simple ingredients can create an incredibly flavorful meal. With its tender shredded beef and smoky chipotle tomato sauce, it’s a versatile recipe that’s perfect for everything from tacos to rice bowls. Keep this easy recipe in your back pocket for busy nights when you need a satisfying dinner the whole family will love.
Try these other delicious Mexican inspired dishes:
Be sure and follow me over on YouTube for weekly cooking demos.
Beef Tinga Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 lb. chuck roast
- 1 Tbsp canola oil
- 8 oz. chorizo sausage no casings
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 2 tsp fresh garlic minced
- 28 oz. canned diced tomatoes
- 1-2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (canned) Seed and dice pepper (you will have leftover peppers)
- 1 1/2 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp cumin
Instructions
- Salt and pepper beef and add oil to a heavy pan or dutch oven. Heat over medium high heat.
- Add meat and sear or brown on each side.
- Add enough water to cover the meat. Bring to a boil and then simmer, partially covered for about 1 hour or until meat is tender.
- Remove from liquid but reserve 1 1/2 cups. Cool meat until you are able to slice it into small, thin pieces.
- In the same pan cook the sausage, onion and garlic until browned.
- Drain sausage on paper towel or place in collander and run water over it to remove the grease.
- Add drained sausage and beef back into pan.
- Add reserved liquid, tomatoes, chipotle peppers, oregano and cumin.
- Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook uncovered for 15 minutes.
- Serve on tortillas with sliced jalapenos and red onion. Can also be served with rice.
Tips & Notes:
- Chuck roast works best for Beef Tinga because it becomes tender and shreds easily after cooking. Any well-marbled beef roast will also work.
- For the best flavor, allow the beef to simmer in the sauce after shredding. This gives the meat time to absorb all the smoky chipotle and tomato flavors.
- Shred the beef while it is still warm. It will pull apart much more easily and evenly.Make a double batch and freeze the extras.
- Beef Tinga freezes beautifully and makes a quick meal for busy nights.Use the leftovers in a variety of ways. Besides tacos and burritos, Beef Tinga is delicious on nachos, tostadas, baked potatoes, rice bowls, or even mixed into scrambled eggs.
- If the sauce seems too thick, add a little beef broth or water. If it’s too thin, let it simmer uncovered for a few extra minutes to reduce.
- Top with fresh garnishes such as cilantro, avocado, cotija cheese, diced onions, or a squeeze of lime juice to brighten the rich flavors.
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Nutrition Facts:
Nicole Hunn says
This looks awesome, Leigh Anne. Naturally gluten free, too!
Leigh Anne says
Nicole, It’s always a bonus when a recipe is naturally gluten free when you a GF family member! I can totally relate!
TidyMom says
my family will love this!! thanks for sharing the recipe
Leigh Anne says
Thanks Cheryl! Hope your family loves it too.
Desiree @THE36THAVENUE says
WOW! I can’t wait to try this recipe… It looks so good!
Leigh Anne says
Thanks Desi – hope you love it too!
Kelly Dixon says
Adding this to the crock pot list this week! Thank you for the inspiration (we were getting tired of our same old recipes).
Leigh Anne says
Kelly, It’s always nice to add something new into the rotation. Hope your family enjoys it as much as we did
Kim says
That sounds delicious Leigh Anne! I’m putting this on the menu!
Leigh Anne says
It’s a good one Kim! Enjoy!