Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Tacos

Shredded beef taco topped with cilantro and red onion.

5 from 1 vote

Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Tacos

These juicy, tender slow cooker shredded beef tacos pack in so much flavor. Less than 20 minutes to prep, and can be made into so much more than just tacos; quesadillas, nachos, burrito bowls and more. Freezer-friendly, even better as leftovers and the perfect meal that everyone can make their own. The whole family will love it!

Prep Time15

Cook Time8

Total Time8 15

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Author: Lorie Yarro

Equipment

Crockpot (6 qt.)

Ingredients

3 lb boneless chuck roast
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp black pepper
2 Tbsp olive oil
¼ c fresh lime juice
1 can of rotel, (diced tomatoes and green chiles) (10 oz.)
4 garlic cloves minced
¾ c beef stock low sodium
1 Tbsp chili powder
1½ tsp cumin
1½ tsp oregano
½ tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp onion powder
¼ tsp cayenne pepper

Instructions

Pat the meat dry with a paper towel, season generously on both sides with salt and pepper, and press/massage the seasoning int the meat. You can cut the meat into two halves to make it easier to work with if desired.
Heat a large skillet or pan to medium-high heat. Once heated, add the olive oil and allow to get very hot. Add the seasoned beef to the hot skillet and allow it to sear for about 3 minutes on each side-- It should pull away easily when it's ready to flip!
Add the rotel to cover the bottom of the crockpot. Lay the seared beef over top. Pour the lime juice and beef stock over top of the meat and then add the remaining seasonings, cover the top of the meat.
Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW HEAT for about 8-10 hours, or until the meat is fork tender and easily falls apart. (High heat is not recommended in this recipe.)
When the meat is cooked and falling apart, you can shred it in the crockpot with two forks or pull it out and shred it on a cutting board, removing any large chunks of fat. Transfer the meat back to the pot and stir to mix with the juices. Keep the heat set to warm until ready to serve.
You can serve straight from the slow cooker or transfer the meat to a serving dish. Use tongs if serving from the pot as there will be a lot of juiciness and it can be a bit of a greasy mess--fair warning!

Notes

If your meat is tough even after 8 hours of slow cooking on low, it probably needs more time. This is the question I get more than anything when it comes to any crockpot chuck roast recipe. We are very used to thinking that more cook time makes meat dry but that is not the case with a beef chuck roast. It takes time for the connective tissues to break down and certain circumstances can cause one piece of meat to need more time than another. Just don't worry about cooking the beef longer if needed.

Searing the meat adds an extra step to making these tacos, but it makes such a difference in the flavor of the meat. However, you can skip this step if you are short on time and want a simple way to shave down some of the prep time.

Make this dish the day before you plan to serve it. You can easily prep this meat the day before you plan to serve it. Follow the same cooking instructions and then store overnight in a sealed container in the refrigerator. Pour back into the crockpot the following day and set to warm for about 2-4 hours and allow it to heat back up. Add an extra splash of lime juice and broth if needed!

Storage: Store leftover meat in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 3-4 days. I personally think this meat is even better the second day after cooking! To freeze, allow it to cool completely and then transfer to a freezer safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before heating. I like to add more seasoning and lime juice when cooking after freezing to bring it back to life.

Nutrition