Puerto Rican Carne Deshebrada (Shredded Beef) cooked to tender perfection in a savory tomato sauce with onions, peppers, olives and cilantro. Serve with a side of rice for a complete meal! This is comfort food at its best!
Carne deshebrada translates to “shredded beef” and is a dish that is loved throughout Latin America. In Cuba it’s called ropa vieja, In Venezuela, it’s known as carne mechada, in the Dominican Republic, it’s known as carne desmenuzada and in Mexico, it’s simply called carne deshebrada. No matter the name, it always starts with beef slowly cooked until fall-apart tender, then simmered with peppers, onions, garlic, and lots of Latin flavor. For this Puerto Rican-style version, we're adding sofrito, olives, and a few extra ingredients that makes this dish so delicious and perfect served over a plate of white rice with a side of tostones of course!
Ingredients You Will Need
- chuck roast, beef round, brisket, flank or skirt steak
- peppers
- onion
- garlic cloves
- dried oregano
- bay leaves
- tomato paste (can also use about a ⅓ cup tomato sauce)
- pimiento stuffed olives
- Puerto Rican sofrito
- broth from cooked beef (or water)
- oil
- handful of fresh cilantro
- lime
- salt and pepper to taste
See my recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements and instructions.
How to Make Carne Deshebrada
If you have an instant pot, start with my recipe for instant pot shredded beef. Making the shredded beef in an instant pot or pressure cooker speeds up this recipe significantly.
Step 1: Cook the Beef. Place beef, onion, cilantro, garlic cloves, bay leaf, and spices in a large pot (Image 1). Pour in about 10 cups of water. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat.
Once boiling, reduce heat to medium and cook uncovered for about 2½ hours, or until beef is tender enough to shred easily.
Once beef is tender and cooked through, remove it and place on a cutting board.
Step 2: Shred Beef. Using two forks, shred the beef (Image 2). Place beef back into pot and stir with broth. Remove 3 to 4 cups of broth for the sauce. Extra broth can be refrigerated for up to 5 days and used for soups or any other dish or freeze for longer storage.
Step 3: Make the Sauce. In a large skillet over medium-high heat add oil and onions, peppers, and olives (Image 3). Cook for 4-5 minutes, until veggies are cooked to your liking.
Add chopped garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
Stir in tomato paste, sofrito, bay leaf, oregano, and 3 cups of reserved broth (Image 4). Allow sauce to simmer over medium heat for about 5 minutes.
Step 4: Add Beef. Add shredded beef to skillet and stir until completely coated (Image 5).
Cook over medium heat for 20-30 minutes to allow flavors to come together (Image 6). Stir in cilantro and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Finish dish off with a sprinkle of fresh lime juice when ready to serve.
Serving Suggestions
We love serving this dish with Puerto Rican arroz blanco or yellow rice with corn, with a side of habichuelas guisadas con calabaza and garlic tostones or platanos fritos.
Other Variations
- You can spice up this dish by adding a jalapeño, serrano pepper or crushed red pepper.
- Add chopped tomatoes and poblano peppers.
- Frozen peas and frozen corn works really well in carne deshebrado too!
Storing and Freezing
- Leftovers: You can store leftovers in a plastic container for up to 4-5 days.
- Freezing: Allow the carne deshebrada to cool and then store in a freezer safe container or freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, defrost in refrigerator overnight. Heat in a skillet or microwave in a large bowl until heated through.
Recipe FAQ’s
Absolutely! It’s actually tastier and even more delicious the next day when it has had time meld all the flavors together.
It simply might be that it needs more time to cook. Continue cooking until the beef falls apart.
Leftovers are delicious in empanadas, burritos, enchiladas, tamales, and stuffed potatoes.
Other Puerto Rican Recipes You Will Love
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📖 Recipe
Carne Deshebrada (Shredded Beef)
Ingredients
To Make Shredded Beef
- 2 pounds chuck roast, beef round, brisket, flank or skirt steak
- 4 cloves garlic peeled
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 10-12 cups water or as needed
- handful fresh cilantro chopped
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Spices & Veggies for Carne Deshebrada
- 1 pepper rinsed, seeded and sliced
- 1 onion sliced
- 4 garlic cloves chopped finely
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 bay leaf
- 1½ teaspoon tomato paste can also use ⅓ cup of tomato sauce
- pimiento stuffed olives
- 3 tablespoons sofrito
- ¾-1 cup broth from cooked beef (or water)
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- handful fresh cilantro rinsed
- limes quartered for serving
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Cook Beef
- Place beef, onion, cilantro, garlic cloves, bay leaf, and spices in a large pot. Pour in about 10 cups of water. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat.Once boiling, reduce heat to medium and cook uncovered for about 2½ hours, or until beef is tender enough to shred easily.Once beef is tender and cooked through, remove it and place on a cutting board.
- Using two forks, shred the beef. Place beef back into pot and stir with broth. Remove 3 to 4 cups of broth for the sauce. Note: Extra broth can be refrigerated for up to 5 days and used for soups or any other dish or freeze for longer storage.
Cooking Carne Deshebrada
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat add oil and onions, peppers, and olives. Cook for 4-5 minutes, until veggies are cooked to your liking.
- Add chopped garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
- Stir in tomato paste, sofrito, bay leaf, oregano, and 3 cups of reserved broth. Allow sauce to simmer over medium heat for about 5 minutes.
- Add shredded beef to skillet and stir until completely coated.Cook over medium heat for 20-30 minutes to allow flavors to come together. Stir in cilantro and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Finish dish off with a sprinkle of fresh lime juice when ready to serve.
Notes
- Spice up this dish by adding a jalapeño, serrano pepper or crushed red pepper.
- Add chopped tomatoes and poblano peppers.
- Add frozen peas and corn
- Add potatoes and carrots
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