Simple Braised Beef

This simple braised beef recipe is an easy meal prep staple made with chuck roast, onions, garlic, and spices. Perfect for tacos, bowls, quesadillas, and freezer meals.

There are a handful of recipes that completely carry me through busy weeks, and this simple braised beef is one of them. I love making a big chuck roast at the beginning of the week because once the protein is done, dinner suddenly feels so much easier. We’ll use it for bowls one night, quesadillas another night, tacos for lunch, or throw it over rice with whatever vegetables we have in the fridge.

This recipe is intentionally flexible and forgiving. I used Trader Joe’s Everything But the Elote seasoning when I filmed this because that’s what I had on hand, but honestly almost any spice blend works well here. Chili powder is a great simple option too. You can also swap part of the water for a can of diced tomatoes if you want a richer braising liquid with a little extra flavor. The goal here is less about following a super exact recipe and more about creating a flavorful protein you can turn into multiple meals throughout the week.

The low slow braise makes the beef incredibly tender, rich, and easy to shred, and the leftovers somehow taste even better the next day. This is exactly the kind of recipe that helps make from scratch cooking feel manageable during busy seasons.

Main Ingredients & Why They Work

• Chuck roast – one of the best cuts for braising because the marbling slowly breaks down as it cooks, creating tender shredded beef with lots of flavor
• Onion – adds sweetness and builds the base of the braising liquid as it cooks down
• Garlic – gives the beef a savory depth that makes the whole dish taste richer
• Tomato paste – adds concentrated flavor and helps create a deeper more developed sauce
• Apple cider vinegar – adds brightness and helps balance the richness of the beef while also helping tenderize it during cooking
• Worcestershire sauce – brings in that deep savory umami flavor that makes slow cooked beef taste extra hearty
• Everything But the Elote Trader Joe’s seasoning – adds smoky savory flavor with hints of cumin chipotle and cilantro, sub this out with 1 tbsp chili powder if you can’t get your hands on the TJ seasoning.
• Diced tomatoes (optional) – this can replace part of the water for extra richness and flavor in the braising liquid

How I Make It

Start by seasoning and searing the chuck roast in a large Dutch oven until deeply browned on all sides. If the roast is very large, cutting it into a few smaller pieces helps it cook faster and gives you more flavorful browned edges.

Once the beef is browned, cook the onion until softened, then stir in the garlic and tomato paste to build flavor. Add the apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and your seasoning blend of choice. You can use Everything But the Elote seasoning, chili powder, or another favorite spice blend.

Return the beef to the pot and pour in enough water so the liquid comes about halfway up the meat. If you want a richer braising liquid, you can replace some of the water with a can of diced tomatoes.

Cover the pot tightly and let the beef slowly braise in a 300°F (150°C) oven for several hours until it becomes tender enough to easily shred with a fork.

Once finished, shred the beef directly in the pot and spoon some of the flavorful cooking liquid over the top before serving. Use it throughout the week for bowls, tacos, quesadillas, sandwiches, and meal prep lunches.

Tips

• Cutting the chuck roast into a few large pieces helps speed up the cooking process and gives you more browned edges for flavor.
• You want enough liquid to come about halfway up the meat while it cooks.
• This beef stores really well in the refrigerator for several days and also freezes beautifully for future meals.

To watch me make the full recipe, check out my YouTube video below!

Simple Braised Beef Recipe

This simple braised beef recipe is an easy meal prep staple made with chuck roast, onions, garlic, and spices. Perfect for tacos, bowls, quesadillas, and freezer meals.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 3 hours hrs 27 minutes mins

Servings: 6 -8 servings

Ingredients Method Video

Ingredients

  

• 4-5 pound chuck roast
• 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion diced
• 4 garlic cloves minced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon Everything But the Elote seasoning
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 1/2 to 3 cups water

Optional Substitutions

• 1 tablespoon chili powder instead of the elote seasoning
• 1 can diced tomatoes in place of some of the water

Method

 

1. Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C).
2. Pat the chuck roast dry and season lightly with salt and pepper.
3. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium high heat and add the olive oil.
4. If the roast is very large, cut it into 2 or 3 large pieces to help it cook faster.
5. Sear the beef on all sides until deeply browned, then remove it from the pot.
6. Add the onion and cook for several minutes until softened.
7. Stir in the tomato paste and garlic and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant.
8. Add the apple cider vinegar and Worcestershire sauce to deglaze the pan.
9. Stir in the seasoning blend.
10. Return the beef to the pot along with any juices.
11. Add enough water so the liquid comes about halfway up the meat. If using diced tomatoes, replace part of the water with the tomatoes.
12. Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer.
13. Cover tightly with a lid and transfer to the oven.
14. Braise for 3 to 4 hours or until the beef is very tender and easily shreds with a fork.
15. Shred the beef directly in the pot and spoon some of the braising liquid over the top before serving.

Video

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