Chipotle pulled beef & red rice bowls with lime crema & tortilla crisps

GF

Tender pulled beef on buttery red rice and topped with guacamole, quick fresh salsa and zingy lime crema. Oh, and finished with crispy tortilla chips. This is all you need for a delicious Mexican inspired meal that will please the whole family.

Personally I'm not the biggest fan of ground mince and slow cooked beef has so much more flavour. This recipe makes a double batch of meat which means you'll have another meal on hand in the freezer. You can also easily cook the meat ahead and just reheat at the time which is ideal for busy weeknights.

What makes this recipe special?

• Shredded slow cooked beef vs ground beef

  Shredded slow cooked beef has so much more flavour than ground beef. Plus it can easily be made ahead and reheated at the time. It also scoops up so perfectly on to corn chips - making these bowls so fun to eat!

• Flavour, flavour, flavour!

  These bowls pack a punch of flavour! A perfect hearty yet fresh summer meal that will impress the whole family. You can easily add/leave off any components that don't suit everyone.

What’s in this recipe?

Shredded chipotle beef

• Chuck roast

  Chuck roast is such a beautiful slow cooking cut of beef. It's very economical too compared to other cuts of beef making it go a long way. Can be substituted with brisket although it does have a stronger ‘beefy’ flavour - also delicious but you'll lose some of the Mexican flavours.

• Herbs & spices

  We use smoked paprika, chipotle powder, ground cumin, ground coriander, onion powder, garlic powder and dried oregano. This may seem a daunting list of herbs and spices but it's so simple to put together! Just add them all to a bowl and you'll have a spice mix much tastier than any store bought one! These flavour bombs are what will have your kitchen smelling amazing when the beef is slow roasting.

• Canned tomatoes & tomato paste

  These provide the base of flavour for the beef. Tomato paste could be substituted with tomato sauce although the beef won't be quite as rich.

• Beef stock & water

  Beef stock gives the sauce body and depth. We use some water so the sauce isn't too salty and there's enough liquid in the pot to keep the beef juicy.

• Orange juice

  Fresh orange juice gives the sauce a touch of sweetness and acidity. It's what makes this beef unique and pack a Mexican flavour punch! Can be substituted with store bought orange juice.

• Fresh garlic

  Because garlic is essential to nearly every savoury dish!

Red rice

• Long grain rice

  Long grain white rice is used here as it is a staple in Mexican cuisine. Can be substituted with medium grain or brown rice however your cook times will vary according to packet directions.

• Tomato paste

  Tomato paste gives the rice its subtle red flavour and sweetness. Can be left out if you prefer plain white rice.

• Butter

  Butter is the secret to this flavoursome rice. It balances out the freshness of the toppings and makes these bowls so hearty and delicious. So easy to add too, just pop it in the pot before cooking and you're done!
  

Bowl assembly

• Avocado & lime

  Because who doesn't love guacamole! So fun to scoop up with the corn chips too and a lovely healthy touch. Lime just enhances the avocado flavour and really freshens it up! Can be substituted with lemon if required.

• Mayonnaise & lime

  Mayonnaise is mixed with lime juice and zest to create a beautiful creamy sauce that is drizzled over the top. It acts as a dressing to the salsa and reinforces the fresh lime flavour. Lime could be substituted with lemon if required.

• Tomato, capsicum & red onion salsa

  We make a quick salsa by dicing cherry tomatoes, capsicum & red onion. So simple, but really makes these bowls so tasty and fresh! Red onion can be left out or substituted with spring onions in required.

• Corn chips

  The crunchy fun part of these bowls! I prefer a plain salted corn chip so they dont distract from the other flavours, however be free to experiment. Please don't leave these out, they really are such an essential element to the dish!

• Jalapenos & coriander

  Little goodies, entirely optional. We love spice in our family so we always load up with jalapenos! The coriander adds such a beautiful herby freshness.

Step-by-step photos

Step 3 - Rub spices over beef

Step 4 - Add roasting ingredients

Step 6 - Remove beef from oven

Step 6 - Shred beef with two forks

Step 7 - Reduce sauce

Step 7 - Combine shredded beef with reduced sauce

Fluff red rice with a fork

Mash avocado with lime

Dice red onion, capsicum & cherry tomatoes

Print

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Chipotle pulled beef & red rice bowls with lime crema & tortilla crisps

Yield 4

Author Bea Fawkes

Prep time

30 Min

Cook time

5 H & 20 M

Total time

5 H & 50 M

Cook modePrevent screen from turning off

Ingredients

Chipotle shredded beef

• 1.5-2kg chuck roast (remove from fridge at least 1 hour prior)
• 1 Tbsp smoked paprika
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 1/2 tsp chipotle powder
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp cracked black pepper
• 2 cups beef stock
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup fresh orange juice (approx 1 orange)
• 1 tin (400g) crushed tomatoes
• 2 Tbsp tomato paste
• 3 garlic cloves (halved)

Red rice

• 2 Tbsp butter
• 2 Tbsp tomato paste
• 2 cups long grain rice
• 3 cups water

Bowl assembly

• 1 avocado
• Zest & juice of 1 lime
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• Juice of 1/2 lime
• 1 red capsicum (diced)
• 1/2 red onion (diced)
• 1 punnet cherry tomatoes (diced)
• 1 cup corn chips
• Coriander & jalapenos (optional)

Instructions

Chipotle shredded beef

1. Preheat oven to 140 degrees Celsius bake.
2. Place beef into large heavy based pot.
3. Combine spices, salt & pepper in a small bowl. Rub over beef evenly.
4. Pour beef stock, water & orange juice around the beef. Add the tomatoes and tomato paste and stir with a spoon to gently combine. Add garlic cloves.
5. Place lid on the pot and place in the center of the oven. Cook for 5 hours.
6. Remove pot from oven and remove beef from sauce onto a large plate. Shred beef with two forks and cover with foil.
7. Simmer sauce over medium heat for 20 minutes or until reduced by half. Add shredded beef back to sauce and stir to combine.
8. Place half the beef aside for serving and the other half can be frozen for up to 3 months.

Red rice

1. Add all ingredients to a large saucepan and bring to the boil.
2. Place the lid on the saucepan and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 11 minutes. Turn off the heat and rest for 10 minutes with the lid on (don't peep!).
3. Fluff with a fork and set aside.

Bowl assembly

1. Place avocado & lime juice in a small bowl. Mash with a fork and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
2. Add mayo and lime zest & juice to a small bowl. Stir to combine and set aside.
3. Divide red rice between bowls. Add beef and top with capsicum, red onion & tomatoes. Add a generous spoonful of mashed avocado & lime crema to each bowl.
4. Sprinkle with crushed corn chips. Add a few jalapenos and coriander leaves to garnish if desired. Enjoy!

Notes

Serving suggestion

These bowls go great with extra garnishes such as lime wedges, jalapenos and coriander. You can also try different veg combinations depending on preference/seasonality. I like to serve these with corn ribs or potato wedges if serving to guests.

Storing

The shredded beef freezes great for up to 3 months.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

1619

Fat

87 g

Sat. Fat

30 g

Carbs

115 g

Fiber

11 g

Net carbs

104 g

Sugar

13 g

Protein

100 g

Sodium

2338 mg

Cholesterol

325 mg