Slow Cooker Shredded Beef

Spicy and perfectly tender pulled beef for your tacos and casseroles with this super easy slow cooker shredded beef recipe.

I love a sandwich with juicy pulled beef roast any time of the year. The juices should be dripping and I need it with a little heat, Mexican style.

My tip for making a slow cooker pulled beef recipe is to skip beef broth and use lots of spices, chiles, and lime juice to get the most tender roast beef you’ve ever had.

Shredded beef makes cooking (and our life!) so much easier, and a slow cooker just takes over the cooking process. You can load it in the morning and come back home to a huge batch of perfectly cooked and seasoned pulled beef – that’s what makes all the difference.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Dump and go. It is a quick and easy shredded beef recipe with barely 5 minutes of prep work.
• A large batch of shredded beef – enough for 8 portions. Easy to feed a crowd.
• Versatile – you can use this cooked beef in so many recipes!
• Budget-friendly and freezes well. Perfect for meal prep.
• It is healthy, naturally gluten-free, and absolutely delicious.

Ingredients Notes

This is an overview of the process, exact measurements and steps are at the end of the post – see the recipe card.

• Boneless beef chuck roast. Same as the chuck eye roast. Rump roast or round roast can also be used. Pieces with fat will make the best crock pot beef.
• Diced green chiles. This recipe is very close to shredded Mexican beef as it uses chiles.
• Chili powder. Regular or chipotle chili powder, both are amazing.
• Minced garlic cloves. Fresh garlic has much more flavor than garlic powder, but you can use powder too. And add onion powder or sliced onions too if you like, they also give aroma and flavor.
• Ground cumin, salt, and black pepper for seasoning slow cooker beef.
• Lime juice adds zesty freshness and helps to keep the beef moist and tender.

Kitchen Equipment

• Slow cooker (note that cooking time varies depending on the brand and size)
• Use a liner for no-mess cooking.
• Two forks.
• Airtight container for storage

How To Make Shredded Beef In A Slow Cooker

1: Load The Ingredients: Beef Goes First

1. Coat the crock pot insert with a spritz of cooking oil.
2. Add the roast to the insert.
3. Top with the diced green chiles, chili powder, minced garlic, cumin, salt, and pepper.

2: Slow Cook & Shred

1. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4-5 hours – or until the beef is tender and easily pulled with a fork.
2. Once cooked, pull the meat until you reach the desired shredded consistency.

3: Add Beef Back To Slow Cooker

1. Stir the pulled beef into its cooking liquid (all the juices).
2. Sprinkle with the lime juice and stir again.
3. Serve with refried beans, tacos, corn tortillas, hamburger buns, or some roasted veggies and mashed potatoes.
4. Use toppings you like, the simplest are: cilantro, green onions, sour cream, pickled red onions, and some classic Mexican sides you would get with tacos.

What To Use Slow Cooker Shredded Beef For?

The options are endless, to be honest, but mostly I’m using cooked beef for:

• Shredded beef tacos
• Burritos or burrito bowls (with some black beans, corn, and caramelized onions)
• Shredded beef sandwiches
• Beef stew
• Cottage pies
• Enchiladas
• With noodles

Storage

Store your leftover beef in an airtight in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat in a microwave, in the oven at 350 F, or on the stove.

You can freeze leftover shredded beef in a freezer-safe bag once it is completely cool for 3-4 months.

You can also freeze all the uncooked ingredients for meal prep in a freezer-safe bag for 2 months.

Substitutions & Variations

• Add some tang and brightness to the flavors with apple cider vinegar, red wine vinegar, or white balsamic vinegar. Vinegar also helps to tenderize the meat. Simple adding tomato paste will also add some sweet acidity.
• Bay leaves can add lots of aromas and flavors. You can remove them when the beef is done.
• Add beef broth. It keeps the beef juicy and enhances beefy flavors. Low-sodium beef broth is better to avoid oversalting. Chicken broth can also help.
• Worcestershire sauce – classic American ingredient for deep umami flavor. Never hurts any slow cooker recipe. You can replace it with soy sauce or dry red wine.
• Add brown sugar. It is a secret ingredient to balance the richness and savory taste of the meat.
• Add BBQ sauce if making shredded beef for beef tacos for the game day.
• Mexican shredded beef. We already have chiles, you can also use taco seasoning, and chiles in adobo sauce, and orange juice, add banana peppers, bell peppers, and smoked paprika, and serve it with tortillas and some pico de Gallo.
• This crock pot recipe can also be made in the pressure cooker or in a Dutch oven on the stovetop.

Popular Questions

What Is The Easiest Way To Shred Beef?

I find the easiest way to shred the beef is when it is still warm. Pull it apart with your hands or two forks. If you don’t want to get your hands dirty, use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment.

What Cut Of Meat Is Best For Shredded Beef?

Tough cuts like chuck eye roast, rump roast, brisket, tri-tip, or round roast are the top cuts for tender and juicy shredded beef. If you make them in the slow cooker, you will get rich and flavorful pulled meat.

Do not use cuts that are great for steaks.

Can I Put Raw Beef Straight Into A Slow Cooker?

Yes. If you want to make shredded beef in a slow cooker, you can add the whole chuck roast beef in the pot, without searing it.

If you want to trap all the moisture inside the meat, you can sear the beef chunk for 2-3 minutes on each side before slow cooking.

What Liquid Should I Slow-Cook Beef In?

You can use natural juices of the beef and veggies (chiles, onions, garlic) you add to the slow cooker, or use a cooking liquid mixture with beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, and some vinegar. You can also simply add some water to keep the beef from drying out.

If you love this slow cooker beef recipe, you’re going to love these other beef recipes in the slow cooker too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!

Pair This With These Tasty Recipes

Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice

Easy Homemade Flour Tortillas – SO SOFT – Ready in 30 min.

Mexican Cornbread

Grilled Corn Salad

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