These shredded beef quesadillas are made with a Mexican-style chuck roast that’s braised in a mixture of beef stock, tomato sauce, and pickled jalapeno juice. The flavor-packed and tender beef gets pulled and added to a flour tortilla with melty cheese for the ultimate Mexican beef quesadillas!
Switching Up a Classic Chuck Roast Recipe
You’ve probably never thought to use chuck roast for a griddle quesadilla, right?
Most of us know pot roast as a tender, savory meal, cozy and nostalgic. But what happens if you take those slow-cooked flavors and send them on a fiesta to Mexico? We’re calling this our “Rio Grande Pot Roast” – a unique twist combining the technique of Mississippi mud pot roast with bold, tangy Mexican flavors.
The classic Mississippi Mud Roast is made with a braising liquid mixture of beef stock, jarred banana peppers, and Ranch seasoning. It’s delicious, super flavorful, and everything you want in comfort food – we’ve even made Mississippi Mud Roast Cheesesteaks on our YouTube channel!
For this Mexican version, I swapped some of the key ingredients in Mississippi roast. Instead of banana peppers, I used pickled jalapeno peppers (juice and all!). And instead of Ranch seasoning, I substituted our Mexican all-purpose seasoning, Fiesta That.
Ingredient Notes
- Chuck Roast – Look for a nicely marbled roast with a good bit of fat running through. The fat melts, making for an irresistible flavor and tenderness.
- Kosher Salt – We added a thin layer of salt to the outside of the roast for an overnight salt brine in the refrigerator. This helps to season the meat and lock in moisture.
- Sliced Canned Jalapeños (with Juice) – You’ll need a 12 oz can of pickled jalapeños with the juices from the can – we like the La Costena brand. We’ve used this method many times after seeing Meat Church marinate chicken this way. The spice mellows during the braise, leaving behind a bold, bright flavor and just enough heat to tickle your taste buds (not torch them).
- Mexican Seasoning – We used our own Fiesta That All-Purpose Mexican seasoning and a bit of Spice That, our jalapeno all-purpose, but any taco seasoning or your favorite Mexican blend will work.
- Onions and Bell Peppers – These get sliced and added to the braising liquid for extra flavor. You can also add the cooked vegetables to your shredded beef quesadillas, similar to fajita quesadillas.
- Fresh Garlic – We always recommend fresh garlic cloves, but you can substitute minced jarred garlic if you wish.
- Butter – Similar to Mississippi Mud Roast, you’ll need one whole stick for this recipe. It adds a nice richness to the meat.
- Tomato Sauce and Beef Stock – The base of the braising liquid for your chuck roast.
- Quesadilla Cheese – I’m partial to the big bags of “quesadilla” blend, but go with any good melty cheese: Monterey Jack, Oaxaca, Chihuahua, or even mozzarella in a pinch.
- Tortillas – Large burrito-sized flour tortillas work best for griddle quesadillas.
- Optional Extras – Sour cream, guacamole, or salsa for dipping. You can also use some cornstarch if you want to thicken up the braising liquid a bit to use as a dipping sauce, similar to birria quesadillas.
How to Make a Mexican Shredded Beef Quesadilla
Before you start preparing your shredded beef quesadillas on the griddle, you’ll need to cook the chuck roast. We chose to smoke our chuck roast on the pellet grill for extra flavor, but you can definitely cook the roast in the oven or a slow cooker if you prefer. Just follow these steps for flavorful shredded beef quesadillas:
Step 1: Salt brine the chuck roast. Place the chuck roast on a wire cooling rack set on top of a sheet tray. Season all sides of the roast generously with kosher salt. Refrigerate uncovered for at least 8 hours or overnight, up to 24 hours. This helps to flavor and tenderize the meat.
Step 2: Prepare the braising liquid. Pour the can of sliced pickled jalapeños, juice and all, into the bottom of a half-size deep aluminum foil roasting pan. Add the sliced bell peppers and onions, beef stock, tomato sauce, seasonings, and a stick of butter.
Step 3: Sear the chuck roast. Heat your griddle to about 475°F. Or for stovetop cooking, preheat a large skillet over medium heat. Add about 1 tablespoon of high heat cooking oil. Then place your salt brined chuck roast on the hot cooking surface, pressing down slightly to ensure good contact. Sear untouched for about 4-5 minutes on the first side, or until a nice dark crust develops. Flip to the second side, and sear an additional 3-4 minutes.
Step 4: Smoke and braise the chuck roast. Transfer the seared roast into the foil pan with the braising liquid. Then place the roast on the smoker, and smoke uncovered at 250°F for about 2 hours.
After the roast has been cooking at a lower temperature for more smoke exposure, bump up the grill temp to about 325°F. Cover the foil pan with aluminum foil and braise until the internal temperature is about 205°F. The beef should be fork-tender and easy to shred.
*TIP – Smoking the chuck roast uncovered first adds extra smoky flavor, but you can skip this step and cook the roast in a Dutch oven or slow cooker instead. Just prepare the braising ingredients in a slow cooker or Dutch oven instead of the foil pan, sear the roast, and cook covered until the roast reaches about 205°F and is fork-tender.
Step 5: Rest the beef and strain the braising liquid. Once your Mexican beef roast is tender, remove the foil pan from the grill, and transfer the beef to a cutting board to cool a bit before shredding.
While the roast is cooling, skim off the excess fat from the top of the braising liquid. Then strain to separate out the peppers and onions, reserving the flavorful broth. This “liquid gold” that you’re left with is essentially a spicy consommé, perfect for dipping your shredded beef quesadillas. Or you can freeze the liquid for soups or to use as a base for chili.
Step 6: Shred the Mexican chuck roast. Use a fork to shred the Mexican beef into small bite-sized pieces. As you’re shredding, remove the larger pieces of fat and discard.
Step 7: Assemble and cook the shredded beef quesadillas on the griddle. Preheat your griddle or skillet on a low to medium-low heat. Place one tortilla down, sprinkle generously with cheese, add some of the shredded beef, top with some of the reserved vegetables, and (if desired) drizzle on a little of the sauce. Add a final sprinkle of cheese, then fold the tortilla over to form the quesadilla.
Cook each quesadilla until golden brown and crispy on both sides, just a couple of minutes per side. Then transfer to a cutting board to rest for just a few minutes before slicing into triangles and serving.
Absolutely! Sear the roast in a heavy skillet, then braise in the jalapeno juice and tomato sauce mixture in your oven or slow cooker. The flavor is fantastic regardless of equipment!
While the recipe does use pickled jalapeno juice in the braising liquid, the heat is mellowed after you remove the chuck roast from the juices and shred it. If you want a less spicy version, only use half of the juice from the can of pickled jalapeños, and substitute a bit more beef stock. Trust me, the quesadillas weren’t too spicy for my wife (who can’t tolerate any amount of heat), so I wouldn’t consider them to be too hot.
For the best melty quesadillas, look for “quesadilla” or “Oaxaca” cheese in the refrigerated Mexican section of the grocery store. These are mild, creamy cheeses that melt extremely well, and our top picks for all types of quesadillas and Mexican recipes. Other good choices are Monterey Jack or mozzarella.
Yes! The braised and shredded beef (plus its reserved consommé) can be frozen for fast weeknight meals or meal prep. Or make it a day or two ahead, then use it for quesadillas, beef burritos, griddle nachos, tacos, and more!
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Mexican-Style Shredded Beef Quesadillas
Ingredients
For the Mexican Braised Chuck Roast:
- 3 pound chuck roast
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt for brining the roast
- 1 tablespoon high heat cooking oil
- 12 oz can sliced pickled jalapenos like the La Costena brand
- 8 oz can tomato sauce
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- ¾ sweet onion sliced
- ½ bell pepper sliced
- 1½ tablespoon Fiesta That Mexican seasoning or Mexican seasoning of your choice
- 1½ tablespoon Spice That seasoning or all-purpose seasoning of your choice
- 1 stick butter
- 1 cup beef stock or enough to partially submerge the roast
For the Quesadillas:
- 4 burrito-sized flour tortillas
- 12 oz quesadilla cheese *see notes
- sour cream, salsa, guacamole, or your favorite Mexican toppings for serving
Instructions
- Salt brine the chuck roast – Place the chuck roast on a wire cooling rack set on top of a sheet tray. Season all sides of the roast with kosher salt. Refrigerate uncovered for at least 8 hours or overnight, up to 24 hours.
- Prepare the braising liquid – To a half-size deep foil pan or a Dutch oven, add the can of pickled jalapeños with the juice, tomato sauce, and minced garlic. Add the sliced onions and bell peppers in an even layer. Evenly sprinkle on the Fiesta That and Spice That seasonings. Place the stick of butter on top. Set to the side.
- Preheat the grill or smoker to 250℉ with your choice of wood or pellets. *For oven braising, preheat the oven to 325℉.
- Sear the beef roast – Heat your griddle to about 475°F. Or for stovetop searing, preheat a large skillet over medium heat. Add about 1 tablespoon of high heat cooking oil. Once hot, place the chuck roast on the cooking surface, pressing down slightly to ensure good contact. Sear untouched for about 4-5 minutes on the first side, or until a nice dark crust develops. Flip to the second side, and sear an additional 3-4 minutes.
- Transfer the seared beef to the prepared braising liquid, laying the roast on top of the vegetables. Pour in about 1 cup of beef stock, or enough to submerge the roast about halfway.
- Cook the beef roast – Place the braising pan with the beef on the grill grates, and smoke uncovered at 250℉ for 2 hours. Then cover the pan with aluminum foil, bump up the grill temp to 325℉, and braise covered until the internal temperature of the beef reaches about 205-207℉. *My total cooking time at 325℉ was about 3½ hours, but times will vary. Cook the roast to the proper internal temp and fork tenderness, rather than to a specific time. **See notes for oven braising.
- Transfer the beef to a cutting board to cool about 4-5 minutes before shredding. While the roast is cooling, skim off the excess fat from the top of the braising liquid. Then strain to separate out the peppers and onions, reserving the flavorful broth and the cooked vegetables separately.
- Use a fork to shred the Mexican beef into small bite-sized pieces. As you’re shredding, remove the larger pieces of fat and discard.
- Heat griddle or skillet on low to medium-low heat.
- Place one tortilla down, sprinkle generously with cheese, add some of the shredded beef, top with some of the reserved vegetables, and (if desired) drizzle on a little of the braising sauce. Add a final sprinkle of cheese, then fold the tortilla over to form the quesadilla. Cook on the first side about 3-4 minutes or until golden brown. Then flip to the second side and continue to cook until evenly golden and cheese is melted.
- Transfer to a cutting board to rest for 2 minutes before slicing into triangles. Serve with reserved braising liquid for dipping, or sour cream, guacamole, or your favorite toppings.
Video
Notes
- For the cheese – For the best melty quesadillas, look for “quesadilla” or “Oaxaca” cheese in the refrigerated Mexican section of the grocery store. These are mild, creamy cheeses that melt extremely well, and our top picks for all types of quesadillas and Mexican recipes. Other good choices are Monterey Jack or mozzarella.
- Leftover beef and sauce – This recipe makes 4 quesadillas, but you will likely have leftover beef and sauce. You can freeze them separately for future taco nights, nachos, enchiladas, or even a hearty chili or stew.
- For braising in the oven – Smoking the chuck roast uncovered first adds extra smoky flavor, but you can skip this step and cook the roast in a Dutch oven or slow cooker instead. Just prepare the braising ingredients in a slow cooker or Dutch oven instead of the foil pan, sear the roast, and cook covered until the roast reaches about 205°F and is fork-tender. For oven cooking, braise at 325°F.
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