Perfect Machaca Recipe is full of the most juicy, tender, beef along with peppers, onions! The easy spice rub is what gives this Machaca its amazing flavor!
Machaca:
Something I’ve been obsessing over making for quite a while is Machaca! It’s a local Mexican restaurant fave, and I’ve been working my tail off to create it at home. There’s just nothing like the flavor of this super tender beef. If you don’t know what Machaca is, I’ve done a little research for you during my recipe creation so that you don’t have to. Typically, it’s made from dehydrated, spiced beef. Then, it’s rehydrated to use in different recipes. Since I’m not dehydrating meat, and I’m gonna go out on a limb and say you guys aren’t either, I’ve found a way to really infuse the seasoning into this meat and then let it slow cook to perfection. If you’re looking for a simple side or topping for this meat, definitely try my Black Bean Salsa!
How To Make Machaca:
- You’ll start with a 3-4 pound chuck roast. Lay it out flat on a cutting board lined with a large piece of plastic wrap.
- In a small bowl, whisk your seasonings. Season the roast as evenly as possible and use your hands to massage the seasoning into the roast until really well coated on all sides.
- Now, this is important for the best flavor. Wrap the beef up tightly in the plastic wrap. Refrigerate for a good 8-24 hours before cooking. You can cook it right away if you’re short on time, but it’s not quite the same.
- After you have let your roast marinate, heat your vegetable oil in a large skillet. Sear the roast on all sides until you have a nice “crust” this will take just a few minutes per side, and the roast won’t be cooked all the way through. Again, it might be tempting to make things a little faster and skip the searing, but you want to do this for max flavor!
- Add your meat to the slow cooker and pour in your beef broth, add your veggies, tomatoes, and squeeze over the juice of two limes.
- Cover and cook this on low for 8-10 hours until nice and tender and easy to shred. I don’t recommend cooking this on high, it doesn’t get as tender.
What To Make With Machaca:
The beauty of this is that it’s good on literally almost anything! Pile it up on chips with cheese and toppings for a nice plate of nachos, stuff it in a big tortilla with beans and rice if you’re a burrito lover. Or, of course stuff it into your favorite taco shells. Machaca also makes a great salad topped with extra salsa for a tasty lunch. This has so much flavor I don’t need a whole lot of toppings for it but things like queso fresco, shredded cheddar, lettuce, tomato, onions, and olives are always a good choice.
NOTE: I simply slice my jalapenos and add them right into the crock pot with the meat. If you are sensitive to heat, then I’d recommend slicing your jalapeno in half and removing the seeds first.
Enjoy!
~Nichole
Perfect Machaca Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 Pound Chuck Roast
- 1 Tablespoon Chili Powder
- 2 teaspoons Cumin
- 2 teaspoons Garlic Powder
- 2 teaspoons Oregano
- 1 teaspoon Paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon Cayenne
- Salt & Pepper, to taste
- 3 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
- 1 15 Ounce Can Diced Tomatoes
- 1/2 Cup Beef Broth
- 2 Bell Peppers, sliced
- 2 Onions, sliced
- 2 Jalapeños, sliced
- Juice of Two Large Limes
Instructions
- In a small bowl mix together the chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, oregano, paprika, cayenne pepper, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Season the roast evenly with the spice mixture. Cover the roast with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the roast and sear until browned on all sides.
- Add the roast to the crockpot. Pour over the diced tomatoes, broth, bell pepper onion, jalapenos, then squeeze over the lime juice.
- Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.
- Serve immediately with your favorite toppings! This meat is great for nachos, burritos, tacos, or salad!
Can I cook this in an instant pot?
Thanks.
PS I’m cooking your IP spaghetti right now.
I bought a pack of 2 Chuck roasts from Costco, totaling 5Lbs and adjusted the recipe accordingly. I used hot Mexican chili powder. I omitted the jalapeño and broth for 1 cup of fresh hatch green chili (I already stewed them with some onion, garlic, broth,,etc.). I have to say that it makes a huge difference if you have a slow cooker with browning capability. I’ve had the All-Clad slow cooker for years and it’s a game changer. I think I will try slow braising this recipe in a large Dutch oven (ceramic coated cast iron. Never seasoned cast iron!). In the end, this recipe works well. Leftovers with eggs, refried beans, and homemade tortillas for breakfast
I love this recipe. I added a couple chiles in adobo for spice and depth. Wrapping the meat in spice mixture overnight is key for flavor! Thank you!
The muchaca that I had in east LA was made with meat, onions tomato etc and eggs. It was delicious and I’ve never found it again. I ordered it every time! 🥰
I’ve made this a dozen times and it comes out perfect each time. Thank you for an amazing recipe!
This is super easy and excellent. I saved, froze, and used the leftover sauce to make swiss steak at a later date. That was delicious too. Thanks
The machaca was excellent. Followed the recipe as written. Served with her Black Bean Salsa, and the flavors melded perfectly. Will definitely be making again!
Thank you, thank you, thank you! Been craving machaca since I moved from Arizona to Oklahoma ten years ago. The only thing I did differently was substitute one of the bell peppers with a can of green chilies. It really was an easy recipe and SO DELICIOUS! My sister also made it and she and her husband were both wild about it!