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I don’t know about you, but give me a big bowl of Instant Pot shredded beef and I’ll turn it into a few different meals that’ll last all week. With me? This Instant Pot shredded beef recipe is so, so easy and full of flavor. These tender shreds of beef are just what you need for that next casserole, soup, or a Taco Tuesday kind of night.

Shredded beef being scooped with a couple of forks.
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The Instant Pot means tender, delicious, shredded beef is ready in less than an hour!

How to Make Shredded Beef:

This shredded beef recipe is so versatile and flexible- you can easily change up the flavors! One-pot of shredded beef will make spicy, Mexican-inspired beef chimichangas one night, and barbecue beef sandwiches the next day. Season it with this shawarma spice rub to make a beef shawarma sandwich.

Beef tacos and nachos and omelets and soup- it’s all quick and easy with this Instant Pot shredded beef recipe. ?

To make this shredded beef, you’ll need:

  • An Instant Pot (or similar pressure cooker)
  • Seasoning mix of choice (we’ll get to those options shortly!)
  • A 3-pound boneless chuck roast
  • Beef or chicken broth
  • A can of crushed tomatoes
  • Dried bay leaves

What kind of beef roast is best for shredding? We like to use chuck roast for this because it’s an affordable cut of meat with great flavor. It can be tough, but when cooked right (either slow-cooked or under high pressure like this recipe!) the connective tissue in the meat that makes it tough breaks down and tenderizes it.

That means your chuck roast will pull apart easily, for perfectly juicy and tender shreds of beef.

Shredded beef and some corn tortillas.

To make this recipe:

  1. Slice the chuck roast in half to fit inside the Instant Pot. Season both sides. Turn the Instant Pot to sauté mode, add olive oil to the pot, and brown the chuck roast for about two minutes on each side. Set the chuck roast aside on a plate.
  2. Pour broth into the pot and scrape the bottom to remove any stuck browned bits. Put the roast back into the pot and add crushed tomatoes, bay leaves, and the rest of the spice mix.
  3. Cook on high pressure for 50 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally for 15 minutes, then release the rest of the pressure manually.
  4. Remove the chuck roast from the pot and shred the meat with two forks. Skim the fat off the liquid, then set the Instant Pot to sauté mode and let the sauce simmer for 10 minutes to reduce and thicken. Return the meat to the Instant Pot with the cooking liquid.

our favorite spice mix options

change it up with sauces!

Our Instant Pot shredded beef recipe works great with wet sauces, too! If you want to add additional sauces, make sure to wait until the meat is finished cooking and the juices have been reduced. If you add the sauce before you cook the meat, the natural juices from the beef will dilute and thin the sauce. So make sure to hold the sauce until the final step!

After you shred the meat and return it to the pot, add the additional sauce and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.

Here are some of our favorite sauces:

  • Barbecue sauce
  • Tikka Masala simmer sauce
  • Enchilada sauce
  • Spanish Romesco sauce
A serving bowl of shredded beef made in the Instant Pot.

How do you shred beef?

Shredding beef is easy, and all you need is two forks!

  1. Let the beef cool for a few minutes, just so it’s not piping hot to the touch!
  2. Hold a fork in each hand and pierce the meat- you want the forks to be directly across from each other. Pull the forks in opposite directions along the grain, and continue throughout the cut of meat. It should pull apart easily.

what to make with shredded beef

What not to make is a better question. ? This shredded beef recipe is seriously delicious, tender, easy, and versatile. Here are a few of our recipes that you could whip up incredibly quickly with some of this Instant Pot shredded beef ready to go:

  • Shredded beef chimichangas- these baked chimis mean easy clean-up, which is good because you’ll definitely want a big batch to ensure there’s plenty of leftovers!
  • How about a beef shawarma sandwich , wrapped in soft naan and drizzled with a creamy tahini? I’m in.
  • A platter of our Kamut Chip spicy nachos for a fun, 100-percent kid-approved dinner!
  • Instant Pot shredded beef is perfect for this soul-warming, Scotch Broth! Made with beef or lamb, you can stir up a quick version of this, for a hearty and flavorful soup.

SOME OTHER RECIPES WE ARE SURE YOU WILL LOVE:

  • This coconut cake with a coconut buttercream frosting is what you need, trust us! It’s simple and decadent and oh so moist and tender, this cake is a special occasion all by itself!
  • Our blondie brownies are an easy, one-bowl recipe that are soft, chewy and the perfect blend of caramel, chocolate and toffee flavors.
  • Our port wine braised short ribs are so flavorful, one-pot, and melt-in-your-mouth tender! This is a comfort food dish that will be raved about by all!

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Shredded beef being scooped with a couple of forks.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Additional Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
4.67 from 3 votes

Instant Pot Shredded Beef

Making shredded beef is easy and fast in an Instant Pot. This recipe is versatile and flexible. Change up the spice mixture to match the flavor and theme of your meal. Make it spicy Mexican one night then switch to a tangy barbecue or zesty cajun or all-purpose onion and herb flavor.

If you make this recipe, please leave a star rating and comment.

Servings: 6 servings
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Ingredients 

  • 3 tablespoons seasoning mix, see options below
  • 3 pound boneless chuck roast
  • 1/2 cup beef broth , or chicken broth
  • 14 ounce crushed tomatoes, 1 can
  • 2 bay leaves

Instructions 

  • Slice the chuck roast in half so the pieces fit in the Instant Pot. 
  • Season both sides of the chuck roast with 2 to 3 teaspoons of the seasoning. Save the rest of the seasoning for later. 
  • Turn the Instant Pot to saute mode and add some olive oil to the pot. When the oil is hot, brown the chuck roast for about 2 minutes on each side. Turn the saute mode off and set the roast aside on a plate. 
  • Pour the broth into the pot and scrape the bottom to remove anything that might be stuck to the bottom of the pot. 
  • Put the roast back into the pot and add the crushed tomatoes, the bay leaves and the rest of the spice mix. 
  • Place the lid on the Instant Pot and make sure the pressure release valve is in the “sealed” position. 
  • Cook on high pressure for 50 minutes.
  • Allow the pressure to release naturally for 15 minutes then release the rest of the pressure manually. 
  • Remove the chuck roast from the pot and shred the meat with 2 forks. 
  • Use a large spoon or a ladle to skim the fat off the top of the liquid. Set the Instant Pot to saute mode and let the sauce simmer for 10 minutes to reduce and thicken. 
  • Return the meat to the Instant Pot with all the cooking liquid. 
  • Keep warm until ready to serve. 

Video

Notes

Suggested spice mix options:

  • Taco seasoning. Check out our homemade taco seasoning mix.
  • Cajun seasoning mix. Homemade or storebought
  • Barbecue seasoning blend. Homemade or storebought.
  • Onion soup mix. Check out our homemade, low sodium onion soup blend.

How to add additional wet sauces.

If you want to add additional sauces wait until the meat is finished cooking and the juices have been reduced. After you shred the meat and add it back to the pot, add the additional sauce and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Here are some suggested sauces:
  • Barbecue sauce
  • Tikka Masala simmer sauce
  • Enchilada sauce
  • Spanish Romesco sauce.
If you add the simmer sauces before you cook the meat then the juices will thin the sauce and dilute the flavor. Add the sauce last.

Nutrition

Serving: 1, Calories: 129kcal, Carbohydrates: 6g, Protein: 12g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Cholesterol: 36mg, Sodium: 663mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 3g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

iconLike this recipe? Rate & comment below!

About Dahn Boquist

Dahn is a retired nurse, recipe creator, home cook, baker, and self-proclaimed foodie. She loves creating in the kitchen and cooking for family and friends. She lives in Washington State with her husband and dog. When she isn't cooking or baking, you can usually find her spending time with her grandchildren or exploring the beautiful Pacific Northwest.

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8 Comments

  1. MS INGE KOHL says:

    Does anyone trim off any of the fat before cooking ? A lot of time there seems to be way too much fat and not all of it cooks off. I know it gives flavor, but I can’t stand biting into a chunk of fat.

    1. Dahn Boquist says:

      You can trim the fat if you would like.

  2. Marisa says:

    This turned out wonderful! Used the shredded beef to make tacos. Will definitely make again ?

    1. Dahn Boquist says:

      Oh, thanks Marisa. It is perfect for tacos. Glad you enjoyed it.

  3. John / Kitchen Riffs says:

    This sounds like a terrific way to make shredded beef! I usually make it in a Dutch oven, which works well, but it takes more than a bit of time. This looks tons easier. Tons. 🙂 Thanks!

    1. Dahn Boquist says:

      I do love my Dutch Oven, John, but I agree this is so easy and it is way much faster. Thanks for the comment

  4. angiesrecipes says:

    I too just made some beef brisket in my IP, but with just salt and water 🙂 Yours turned out really tender, juicy and delicious. Would be nice to fill some pita pockets with it! Thanks for sharing another great recipe, Dahn.

    1. Dahn Boquist says:

      Oh yes, pita pockets would be great with this shredded beef. Great idea Angie 😉