Tinga de Res Recipe

Tinga de res is slow-cooked beef shredded into a smoky tomato and chipotle sauce, the kind of filling that makes a taco unforgettable. The beef cooks until it falls apart, then soaks up the sauce until every strand is rich and lightly spiced. Pile it onto warm tortillas with onion and lime.

Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

2 hours

Total time

2 hours 15 mins

Servings

4 servings

Calories

520

Ingredients

• 800 g beef chuck, cut into large chunks
• 3 ripe tomatoes, halved
• 1 onion, quartered
• 2 chipotle chillies in adobo, plus 1 tablespoon sauce
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• Salt and black pepper
• Warm corn tortillas, to serve
• Sliced onion and lime, to serve

Instructions

1. Season the beef with salt and pepper, then brown it in the oil in a heavy pot over high heat.
2. Add the tomatoes, onion, garlic, chipotles, oregano, cumin and bay leaf with 500 ml water.
3. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer, cover and cook for 1 hour 45 minutes until the beef shreds easily.
4. Lift out the beef and shred it with two forks.
5. Blend the cooking liquid and vegetables until smooth, then return to the pot and simmer for 10 minutes to thicken.
6. Stir the beef back into the sauce and serve warm in tortillas with onion and lime.

Pro tips

• Brown the beef well first; that colour becomes flavour in the sauce.
• Keep the simmer low and slow so the meat stays tender.
• Taste the sauce before adding the beef and adjust the chipotle heat.
• Leftovers keep beautifully and taste even better the next day.

Frequently asked questions