Tinga de Res con Arroz Rojo (Beef Tinga with Mexican Rice)
Slow simmered shredded beef in smoky chipotle sauce, served over fluffy red rice with warm tortillas on the side.
Made with Chipotle tinga sauce and Mexican red rice (arroz rojo). Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time3 hr 15
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £3.71 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Put the beef, halved onion, garlic and bay leaves in a large pan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil, skim off the grey scum, then lower the heat.
- 2
Simmer gently, partly covered, for 2 hours 30 minutes until the beef shreds easily with a fork. Top up with hot water if it drops below the meat.
150 min - 3
Lift the beef out and let it cool for 10 minutes. Shred it into fine strands with two forks. Keep a mug of the cooking liquid and strain the rest into a jug to use as stock.
- 4
Heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the sliced onion for 6 minutes until soft and golden.
6 min - 5
Add your ready made chipotle tinga sauce (see the base recipe), the shredded beef and about 100 ml of the cooking liquid. Simmer for 10 minutes until thick and glossy.
10 min - 6
Reheat your ready made Mexican red rice (see the base recipe) until steaming hot all the way through. Serve the beef tinga over the rice with coriander and lime wedges.
Tips
- Shin or chuck gives the best strands. Lean steak shreds into dry threads and does not soften the same way.
- Keep the beef cooking liquid. It makes a good stock for soup or for loosening the tinga if it thickens.
- Cool any leftovers within 2 hours and keep rice and beef in separate tubs so the rice reheats properly.
Storing and freezing
Cool quickly and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze the beef tinga in portions for up to 3 months. Reheat until steaming hot all the way through, and reheat rice only once.
Questions
Can I use a slow cooker or pressure cooker?
Yes. Slow cook the beef, onion, garlic and bay on low for 8 hours or pressure cook for 50 minutes, then shred it and finish in the sauce as in the recipe.
Is it gluten free?
Yes, if your tinga sauce and rice were made gluten free and you checked the tin of chipotles. The beef is simmered in water with no stock cube.
What goes with it?
Warm corn tortillas, sliced avocado, refried beans or a simple green salad. It also makes excellent tacos the next day.
More made with chipotle tinga sauce
Tostadas de Tinga de Setas (Mushroom Tinga Tostadas)
VEFNFCaldo Tlalpeno con Pollo y Garbanzos (Chicken, Chickpea and Chipotle Soup)
GFEFNFChilaquiles de Tinga con Pollo (Chicken Tinga Chilaquiles)
GFEFNFPescado al Chipotle (Baked Cod in Smoky Chipotle Sauce)
GFDFEFDouble check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.