This recipe for shredded beef with cheesy grits is comfort food at its finest. How could you not love a comforting bowl of beef with grits on a cold night?
My recipe for shredded beef is just a handful of ingredients:
- A big chuck roast
- Onions
- Garlic (which I roast and turn into a paste!)
- Butter
- Red Wine
- Beef Stock
- Whole-peeled tomatoes
- Salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper
That’s it! You are just 8 simple ingredients away from a big bowl of warming shredded beef. I like my shredded beef to have a bit of heat, so I really load up on the crushed red pepper, but you can use it to taste.
This beef recipe is really a blank canvas, so you can add whatever you like. You can add chili powder and cumin and use this on tacos or you can add harissa and serve it over rice. You could also cook this with sautéed mushrooms and serve over mashed potatoes. The possibilities are really endless/
I prepared the cheesy grits during the last 30 minutes of the recipe and simply used yellow grits, butter, water, milk, and lots of cheese. I like spicy grits so I used a blend of sharp cheddar and pepper jack cheese, and I added a few shakes of cayenne.
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Shredded Beef with Cheesy Grits
Equipment
- Large saucepan
Ingredients
Shredded Beef:
- 3 pounds chuck roast cut into large pieces
- 2 tablespoons neutral cooking oil plus more, if needed
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 yellow onions peeled and sliced
- 1 garlic bulb halved cross-wise (peel left on)
- 2 cups red wine or beef stock
- 28 ounce can of whole peeled tomatoes
- 15 ounce can of whole peeled tomatoes
- 1-2 cups beef stock more if needed
- Salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper to taste
Cheesy Grits:
- 2 cups yellow grits
- 6 cups water
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup shredded cheese sharp cheddar and/or pepper jack
- 1 teaspoon cayenne powder more or less to taste
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Brown the Beef:
- Preheat oven to 375ºF.
- Pat the chuck dry and season all over with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a wide ovenproof pot over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the beef without crowding the pan and cook in batches, 3-4 minutes per side until completely browned all over. Transfer to a bowl If there is a lot of excess oil in the pot, strain it off (without losing the fond).
Cook the Onions and Garlic:
- Melt the butter into the same pot over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring often, for 7-8 minutes until browned. Add the garlic bulb, cut-side down, and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Season all over with salt and pepper.
Deglaze the Pot:
- Pour in the wine and scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom. Bring to a boil.
- Add both cans of whole peeled tomatoes and the beef stock. Season with salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper. Bring to a boil and then turn off the heat.
Braise the Beef:
- Return the beef to the pot. Flip the garlic bulbs so they are cut-side up and the garlic is sitting slightly on top of the pot.
- Transfer to the oven and bake for 3 hours until tender. Stir the beef occasionally and spoon broth over the garlic as it cooks.
Shred the Beef:
- Remove the pot from the oven. Scoop out the garlic and transfer it to a plate. Carefully pop the cloves of garlic out of the skin. Discard the garlic. Using a fork, mash the cloves into a paste.
- Transfer the beef to the same plate and shred it with two forks.
- Lightly mash the tomatoes with a spoon.
- Return the garlic paste and shredded beef to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes. Add more liquid as necessary and stir occasionally to keep it from burning. Taste and season to your preferences.
Prepare the Cheesy Grits:
- In a large saucepan, bring 6 cups of water to a boil.
- Add the grits, whisking as you add them to the water. Reduce heat, whisking regularly for 6 minutes until they begin to thicken.
- Add the milk and cook over low heat for 20-25 minutes. whisking regularly, until the grits are thickened and tender.
- Season with salt, pepper, cayenne, and paprika. Add the cheese and whisk to incorporate. Once melted and thick, turn off the heat.
To Serve:
- Divide the cooked grits between shallow bowls and spoon the shredded beef on top. Enjoy!
This is the best dish I have ever made in my life and I can cook!
That makes me so happy to hear!
Do you have a lid on the pot while it is in the oven?