Slow-cooked pulled chipotle beef

Tamara West

I like using brisket for this recipe as it "pulls'’ apart really well due to its long muscle fibres. However using any other cheaper cut of beef is fine too, blade, chuck, shin etc. You can also use other types of meat — pork shoulder (a very cheap cut) is terrific, especially for tacos. This recipe is so easy you won’t believe how good the end result is for so little effort. And this basic recipe can be used to create a few different dishes over a few days, turning a slow-cooked meal into a quick one for a mid-week dinner.

Ingredients

1 kg	Beef, lean brisket (Main)
330 ml	Beer, dark
1 cup	Beef stock, good quality
¼ cup	Chipotle sauce
1 Tbsp	Soy sauce
1 Tbsp	Brown sugar
1	Onion, peeled and chopped
1	Cinnamon stick
1	Dried chilli, optional

Directions

1. Heat oven to 160C.
2. Cut brisket into large 5cm pieces. Place in a heavy-based casserole dish with a tight-fitting lid and add beer, beef stock, chipotle sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, onion, cinnamon stick and dried chilli (if using). There should be just enough liquid to cover the meat.
3. Cover with a lid and cook in oven for 3-4 hours or until the meat is soft and shreds easily. Note: if your lid does not fit tightly, cover dish with tinfoil before placing the lid on top – this will help to create a seal.
4. Check on the meat after about 2 hours — if it is looking a little dry, top it up with a little more stock and beer.
5. Once cooked, remove beef from the dish and place on a chopping board. Pour the liquid into a saucepan and boil for about 5 minutes to reduce a little.
6. Meanwhile, use two forks to shred the meat, pulling the long fibres away from each other. Mix shredded meat with the reduced liquid — the meat will soak up the sauce.
7. Serve with simple mashed potatoes and greens.

Recipes using pulled chipotle beef

Pulled chipotle beef tortillas with apple slaw

Pulled chipotle beef and chickpea fettuccine