A comforting homemade Mexican plate featuring tender, slow-cooked beef shredded into rustic pieces and simmered in a rich chile verde sauce made with roasted tomatillos, poblano peppers, jalapeños, garlic, and fresh cilantro. Served alongside fluffy Mexican tomato rice and creamy refried pinto beans, this is a generous family-style meal filled with authentic homemade flavor.

Recipe Information

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours 45 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 6

Ingredients

For the Beef

3 lbs beef chuck roast

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1½ teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon Mexican oregano

½ teaspoon garlic powder

1 cup beef broth

1 bay leaf

For the Chile Verde Sauce

1½ lbs tomatillos, husks removed and rinsed

2 poblano peppers

2 jalapeño peppers

1–2 serrano peppers, optional for additional heat

½ white onion, cut into large pieces

4 garlic cloves, unpeeled

½ cup fresh cilantro

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon Mexican oregano

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

½ cup beef broth

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

For the Mexican Rice

1½ cups long-grain white rice

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 Roma tomatoes

¼ white onion

1 garlic clove

2½ cups chicken broth, divided

½ teaspoon ground cumin

Salt to taste

For the Refried Beans

3 cups cooked pinto beans

2 tablespoons lard or vegetable oil

¼ white onion, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

½–1 cup reserved bean broth

Salt to taste

For Serving

Warm corn or flour tortillas

Fresh cilantro

Diced white onion

Lime wedges

Salsa verde

Mexican crema, optional

Instructions

1. Season the Beef

Trim away any large pieces of hard exterior fat from the chuck roast, leaving some of the natural marbling for flavor and tenderness.

Cut the beef into four or five large pieces.

Pat the meat dry with paper towels.

Season all sides with salt, black pepper, cumin, Mexican oregano, and garlic powder.

Allow the seasoned beef to rest for 15 minutes while preparing the vegetables.

2. Roast the Vegetables

Remove the papery husks from the tomatillos and rinse them thoroughly to remove their naturally sticky coating.

Place the tomatillos, poblano peppers, jalapeños, serrano peppers, onion, and unpeeled garlic cloves on a large baking sheet.

Place the vegetables approximately 6 inches beneath the broiler.

Broil for 6–8 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften and develop blistered, dark spots.

Carefully turn the vegetables and broil for another 5–7 minutes.

The tomatillos should be soft and slightly collapsed. The peppers should be blistered on several sides.

Remove the vegetables from the oven and allow them to cool slightly.

3. Make the Chile Verde Sauce

Remove the stems from the roasted peppers.

For a milder chile verde sauce, remove the seeds and pale membranes from the jalapeños and serrano peppers. Leave some or all of them intact for a spicier sauce.

Peel the roasted garlic cloves.

Place the roasted tomatillos, poblano peppers, jalapeños, serrano peppers, onion, garlic, cilantro, cumin, Mexican oregano, salt, beef broth, and lime juice in a blender.

Blend until the sauce is smooth but still has a little natural texture.

Taste the sauce and adjust the salt or lime juice if necessary.

Set the prepared chile verde sauce aside.

4. Brown the Beef

Heat the vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat.

Add the beef in batches, making sure not to overcrowd the pot.

Brown each piece for approximately 3–4 minutes per side, until the exterior develops a deep brown crust.

Transfer the browned beef to a plate and repeat with the remaining pieces.

Browning the beef properly creates a richer and deeper flavor in the finished dish.

5. Slow-Cook the Carne con Chile Verde

Return the browned beef and any accumulated juices to the pot.

Pour the prepared chile verde sauce over the beef.

Add 1 cup of beef broth and the bay leaf.

Bring everything to a gentle simmer over medium heat.

Cover the pot and reduce the heat to low.

Cook for 2–2½ hours, turning the beef pieces approximately every 40 minutes so they cook evenly.

Check the sauce occasionally. If it becomes too thick before the beef is tender, add a small amount of additional beef broth.

The beef is ready when it is extremely tender and can be pulled apart easily with a fork.

6. Shred the Beef

Remove the bay leaf and transfer the cooked beef to a large plate.

Use two forks to pull the meat into large, rustic shreds.

Discard any large pieces of fat or connective tissue.

Return the shredded beef to the pot and mix it thoroughly with the chile verde sauce.

Simmer uncovered over medium-low heat for 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and coats every piece of meat.

Taste and adjust the salt, black pepper, or lime juice if necessary.

7. Cook the Mexican Rice

Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs mostly clear, then drain it thoroughly.

Place the Roma tomatoes, onion, garlic, and ½ cup of chicken broth in a blender.

Blend until completely smooth.

Heat the vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.

Add the drained rice and cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring frequently, until the grains become lightly golden.

Carefully pour the blended tomato mixture over the toasted rice.

Cook for approximately 2 minutes, stirring gently.

Add the remaining 2 cups of chicken broth, ground cumin, and salt.

Bring the mixture to a gentle boil.

Reduce the heat to low, cover the saucepan, and cook for 18–20 minutes without lifting the lid.

Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow the rice to rest, covered, for 10 minutes.

Fluff the rice gently with a fork before serving.

8. Make the Refried Beans

Heat the lard or vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

Add the finely chopped onion and cook for 3–4 minutes, until softened.

Add the minced garlic and cook for approximately 30 seconds, until fragrant.

Stir in the cooked pinto beans and ½ cup of bean broth.

Cook for approximately 5 minutes so the beans absorb the flavors of the onion and garlic.

Mash the beans with a potato masher until mostly smooth and creamy.

Gradually add more bean broth as needed until the beans reach the desired consistency.

Season with salt.

Continue cooking for 5–7 minutes, stirring frequently, until the refried beans are creamy and thick.

9. Assemble the Plate

Spoon a generous portion of carne con chile verde onto one side of a large plate.

Add a serving of Mexican tomato rice and creamy refried beans alongside the beef.

Spoon a little extra chile verde sauce over the shredded meat.

Serve immediately with warm corn or flour tortillas.

Garnish with fresh cilantro, diced white onion, lime wedges, additional salsa verde, or Mexican crema if desired.

Homemade Mexican Tips

Use a well-marbled beef chuck roast. Its fat and connective tissue slowly break down during cooking, producing tender and juicy meat.

Brown the beef in small batches. Overcrowding the pot will cause the meat to steam instead of developing a flavorful brown crust.

Roast the tomatillos and peppers to give the chile verde sauce a deeper, smokier flavor.

Poblano peppers provide a rich roasted flavor without excessive heat. Jalapeños add moderate heat, while serrano peppers make the sauce noticeably spicier.

Remove the pepper seeds and membranes if you prefer a mild chile verde sauce.

Do not shred the beef too finely. Large, irregular pieces create a more traditional and rustic homemade texture.

If the chile verde sauce is too thin, simmer the finished beef uncovered until the excess liquid evaporates.

If the sauce becomes too thick, add a small splash of beef broth.

Let the finished carne con chile verde rest for approximately 10 minutes before serving so the meat can absorb more of the sauce.

Storage

Refrigerator: Store the carne con chile verde in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Freezer: Freeze the beef and chile verde sauce together in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.

Rice and Beans: Store the Mexican rice and refried beans separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Reheating: Warm the beef gently in a covered saucepan over medium-low heat. Add a small splash of beef broth or water if the sauce has thickened during storage.

Serving Suggestions

Pair this homemade carne con chile verde plate with:

Warm corn or flour tortillas

Fresh salsa verde

Diced white onion

Chopped cilantro

Mexican crema

Crumbled queso fresco

Sliced avocado

Pickled jalapeños