We love a good Big Beef Burrito — it’s far better than eating out for Mexican. At home we can tailor every flavor and texture to our liking. For this version we smoke our own lean, meaty chuck roast to make rich, tender shredded beef. We pile the tortillas with refried beans, cheddar or pepper jack cheese, Spanish rice and fresh salsa, then top everything with enchilada sauce and sour cream. You can finish it with your favorite red or green sauce; tonight we used a smoky hot green salsa. Homemade means no compromises and plenty of flavor.
Every month we buy a large chuck roll and break it into roasts, steaks and stew meat. For this recipe I used a 7 lb boneless chuck roast. I cooked it covered first to develop tenderness, then uncovered for a short time to add a finishing kiss of smoke. The roast was seasoned generously, browned, and then smoked for several hours until fork tender. After shredding, the meat went back to the smoker uncovered for another hour to deepen the smoke flavor. We served the shredded beef with canned refried beans topped with shredded cheddar and chopped red onion. The Spanish rice was a boxed mix cooked in spicy tomato juice instead of water, and fresh medium-hot salsa finished the plate.
All week long this shredded beef has been used in tacos, burritos, nachos and pulled beef burgers — it’s versatile and delicious.
Big Beef Burrito
A Wood Pellet Grill Recipe
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 4 hours covered at 350°F (177°C), plus 1 hour uncovered
Grill: Any wood pellet grill or smoker
Pellets: use your preferred flavor
Ingredients: Big Beef Burrito
- Shredded beef
- Pepper jack or other cheese
- Salsa fresca
- Red or green sauce or salsa (your choice)
- Tortillas
- Sour cream
- Canned refried beans (optional)
- Spanish rice (optional)
- Canned enchilada sauce (red or green)
Ingredients: Southwestern Shredded Beef
- 1 (approx. 7 lb) boneless chuck roast
- 1½ bottles Goya Mojo Chipotle marinade
- 5 tablespoons seasoning (use your preferred beef rub)
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 3–5 tablespoons fresh minced garlic, to taste
- 5 sweet peppers, seeded and sliced
- 2 large sweet onions
- 1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes with green chilies
- 1 (7 oz) can diced green chilies
- 3 tablespoons fat for browning (Crisco, lard, or bacon drippings)
Directions: Big Beef Burrito
Assemble warm tortillas by layering shredded beef with refried beans, cheese, Spanish rice and fresh salsa. Drizzle with enchilada sauce or your favorite red/green salsa and add sour cream. Fold and serve immediately while hot.
Directions: Southwestern Shredded Beef
1. Rub the roast with seasoning and dust with flour. Heat fat in a large cast iron Dutch oven and brown the meat on all sides.
2. Add one sliced onion, the sweet peppers and half of the Mojo Chipotle marinade to the pot. Cover and place on a pellet grill preheated to 350°F (177°C). Cook covered for about 4 hours, until the meat is fork tender.
3. Remove the roast and shred it using forks or meat rakes. Return the shredded beef to the Dutch oven and stir in the diced tomatoes with green chilies, the can of green chilies, the remaining marinade and the remaining diced onion.
4. Place the Dutch oven back on the grill uncovered for about an hour to develop additional smoke flavor. If you cook at temperatures over 250°F (122°C) there will be less smoke, so a dedicated smoke source or a brief uncovered finish helps add that smoky note.
5. Taste and adjust seasoning. Keep warm until ready to assemble the burritos.
We use an instant-read thermometer for checking meat temperatures and recommend focusing on time and temperature rather than rigid rules. A recipe is a guideline — adapt ingredients, pellets and finish to suit your taste.
About Our Recipes
We cook on our patio with a variety of grills and smokers. Many of our recipes adapt easily across pellet, gas, wood and charcoal grills. The most important elements are time and temperature: adjust those and you’ll get consistent results. If weather or equipment limits you, some dishes can be finished in the oven or slow cooker, though outdoor cooking adds depth and character.
Treat a recipe as a guideline rather than a strict rule. Experiment with seasonings, pellet blends and finishing techniques until you find combinations that suit your taste. Cooking should be creative and enjoyable.
Live your passion and do what you love,
Ken & Patti
