These Beef Carnitas can be made in the slow-cooker or the Instant Pot for your convenience. Juicy, tender beef roast is shredded then broiled to achieve amazing crispy edges to elevate your taco night.
"Little Meats"
"Carnitas" translates to literally mean "little meats" in English. Carnitas are traditionally made with pulled pork instead of beef, but I actually prefer this preparation for our beef tacos. It's such a great way to use up some beef roast from the freezer too!
On the side...
The toppings and accompaniments are just as important as the actual taco meat, am I right? Our go-to toppings and sides for these Beef Carnitas are:
- Avocado Sour Cream Sauce
- salsa
- chopped cilantro
- fresh lime juice
- sour cream
- diced tomato
- pickled jalapeno
- avocado
- corn
- queso fresco
- hot sauce
- Arrocito (Peruvian rice)
- corn or flour tortillas
- tortilla chips
- margaritas :)
Instant Pot or Slow Cooker
This Beef Carnitas recipe works really well in either the slow cooker or the Instant Pot. Obviously the Instant Pot is faster, but the results are almost identical.
I like to season the beef roast ahead of time, preferably the day before to allow the flavors to really make their way into the meat. By using the seasonings as a dry rub, you can really get a bit more of a layer of flavor in the meat itself. This step is optional, but definitely recommended.
My inner Michigan girl is showing...
What's Vernors doing in this recipe, you ask? Well, hear me out. Vernors packs a punch of ginger flavor which really complements the seasonings for the Carnitas, but it also brings a bit of sugar to the recipe which helps with caramelization when the shredded beef is broiled just before serving. If you don't have access to Vernors, please don't substitute another ginger soda, just skip it and use beef stock instead or use a ginger beer if you'd like. I have yet to find another ginger soda that has anywhere near as much of a robust fresh ginger flavor than Vernors.
PrintBeef Carnitas
These Beef Carnitas can be made in the slow-cooker or the Instant Pot for your convenience. Juicy, tender beef roast is shredded then broiled to achieve amazing crispy edges to elevate your taco night.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 12 hours
- Yield: Serves 4-6 1x
Ingredients
1 ½ pounds beef chuck roast
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons lime juice
½ cup salsa
12 ounce can Vernors Ginger Soda
2 cups beef stock
tortillas and taco toppings* (See notes below for recommendations)
Instructions
In a small bowl, combine garlic, salt, chili powder, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper.
Rub beef roast with spice mixture. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
Transfer beef and seasonings to slow cooker or Instant Pot. Add lime juice, salsa, Vernors, and enough beef stock to nearly cover the meat.
Cook in slow cooker on low for 8 hours OR Instant Pot on high pressure for 90 minutes followed by 15 minute natural release.
Transfer cooked beef to an ovenproof dish and shred with two forks. Drizzle with a bit of the cooking liquid and broil a few minutes until edges begin to brown.
Serve immediately with warmed tortillas and desired toppings.
Notes
*Our go-to toppings and sides for these Beef Carnitas are:
Avocado Sour Cream Sauce, salsa, chopped cilantro, fresh lime juice, sour cream, diced tomato, jalapeno, avocado, corn, queso fresco, hot sauce, Arrocito (Peruvian rice) corn or flour tortillas, tortilla chips, and margaritas
Keywords: beef carnitas, slow cooker beef carnitas, instant pot beef carnitas
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