My Oven-Braised Mexican Beef is Whole30, tasty, and easy to make!

A closeup shot of Oven-Braised Mexican Beef topped with sliced radishes and cilantro

Who’s looking for a simple recipe for fork-tender Mexican braised beef that you can make ahead for Cinco de Mayo? Did I mention that you can assemble it from pantry staples plus it’s Whole30-compliant to boot?
Oven-Braised Mexican Beef in a dish topped with parsley.
(Want beefy goodness in a fraction of the time? Make my Instant Pot (Pressure Cooker) Mexican Beef in your Instant Pot!)

Time to make Oven-Braised Mexican Beef!

Serves 6
Ingredients:
  • 2½ pounds boneless beef short ribs, beef brisket, or beef stew meat cut into 1½-inch cubes (my favorite cut is boneless short ribs)
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1½ teaspoons kosher salt (Diamond Crystal brand)
  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil or fat of choice
  • 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 6 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
  • ½ cup roasted salsa
  • ½ cup chicken stock or bone broth
  • ½ teaspoon Red Boat Fish Sauce
  • ½ cup minced cilantro (optional)
  • 2 radishes, thinly sliced (optional)
Here’s what to do:

Preheat oven to 300°F with the rack located in the lower middle position. In a large bowl, combine the cubed beef, chili powder, and salt. Toss well.

Cubes of beef seasoned with salt and chili powder

Melt fat over medium heat in a large, oven-proof pot or dutch oven. Add the onions and sauté until translucent. Stir in tomato paste and garlic, and cook for 30 seconds.

Sautéing onions, garlic, and tomato paste in a dutch oven

Add the seasoned beef, and pour in the salsa, stock, and fish sauce. Bring to a boil.

Stirring in the beef chunks into the dutch oven for oven-braised Mexican beef.

Cover the pot and place it in oven for 3 hours…

Putting a lid on the dutch oven.

…until the beef is tender.

An overhead shot of Oven-Braised Mexican Beef in the dutch oven ready to eat

Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary. (At this point, you can store the beef in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months and reheat right before serving.)

Spoon the beef onto a serving platter, and top with cilantro and/or radishes if you’ve got ’em.

An overhead shot of Oven-Braised Mexican Beef on a white platter, topped with cilantro

Assemble your own tacos with lettuce leaves, guacamole, diced onions, and cilantro.

¡Buen apetito!


Looking for more recipe ideas? Head on over to my Recipe Index. You’ll also find exclusive recipes on my iPhone and iPad app, and in my cookbooks, Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2013), Ready or Not! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2017), and Nom Nom Paleo: Let’s Go! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2021).


PRINTER-FRIENDLY RECIPE CARD

Oven-Braised Mexican Beef

4.91 from 22 votes
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time3 hours
Total Time3 hours 10 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Looking for a simple, make-ahead, freezer-friendly, Whole30-compliant recipe for fork-tender Oven-Braised Mexican Beef? It's so delicious and easy!

Ingredients 
 

  • pounds boneless beef short ribs beef brisket, or beef stew meat cut into 1½-inch cubes (my favorite cut is boneless short ribs)
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder I use Penzeys Arizona Dreaming
  • teaspoons kosher salt Diamond Crystal brand
  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil or fat of choice
  • 1 medium onion thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 6 garlic cloves peeled and smashed
  • ½ cup roasted salsa I use Trader Joe’s Double Roasted salsa
  • ½ cup chicken stock
  • ½ teaspoon  Red Boat Fish Sauce
  • ½ cup minced cilantro optional
  • 2 radishes thinly sliced (optional)
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Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 300°F with the rack located in the lower middle.
  • In a large bowl, combine cubed beef, chili powder, and salt. Toss well.
  • Melt fat over medium heat in a large, oven-proof dutch oven. Add the onions and sauté until translucent.
  • Stir in tomato paste and garlic, and cook for 30 seconds.
  • Add the seasoned beef, and pour in the salsa, stock, and fish sauce. Bring to a boil.
  • Cover the pot and place it in oven for 3 hours or until the beef is tender.
  • Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary. (At this point, you can store the beef in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months and reheat right before serving.)
  • Spoon the beef onto a serving platter and top with cilantro and/or radishes if you’ve got ’em.

Notes

Assemble your own tacos with lettuce leaves, guacamole, diced onions, and cilantro.

Nutrition

Calories: 379kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 22g | Fiber: 1g

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

Like this? Leave a comment below!

About Michelle Tam

Hello! My name is Michelle Tam, and I love to eat. I think about food all the time. It borders on obsession. I’ve always loved the sights and smells of the kitchen. My mother was (and is) an excellent cook, and as a kid, I was her little shadow as she prepared supper each night. From her, I gained a deep, abiding love for magically transforming pantry items into mouth-watering family meals.

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Recipe Rating




11 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I usually make this using the instant pot but am on vacation without one so tried this version! Still perfection! Thank you!

  2. 5 stars
    This was fantastic! Got a great deal on a whole sirloin tip, doubled the recipe and it turned out completely amazing. Really liked the radishes, great textural addition. We prepared it with all the other regular taco/burrito fillings and let everyone create their own wraps. Will be making it again very soon!

  3. 5 stars
    This is my hubby’s favorite dish and asked for me to make it all the time. It is so easy and flavorful that it makes me look like a wiz in the kitchen. Not to mention that it’s a one pot meal when using my Dutch oven!

  4. One of my absolute favorite recipes of all time! If I have a chuck roast it’s difficult to think of anything else that I would like to make and it’s SO simple. Recommend making a double batch and stashing some in your freezer for when you do not feel like cooking.

  5. 5 stars
    This recipe is a family favorite! We first made it during a Whole30, now it’s part of our regular rotation. We prefer the original oven recipe and use the Instant Pot when pressed for time (and it’s still super tasty). +1 on the radishes — they’re the secret sauce that puts this over the top!

  6. 5 stars
    This recipe is delicious and SO easy to make. I make it for dinner often, especially when I need a meal ready in a short amount of time.