Go Back
–+ servings
Shredded Mexican beef in a slow cooker, garnished with lime slices and cilantro, with extra lime slices on a cutting board nearby.
Print Recipe Add to Collection
Rate this Recipe!

Slow Cooker Mexican Shredded Beef

If you're looking for a low-lift with a big payoff, this is it. We're slow cooking a chuck roast until it melts, giving you the perfect base for tacos, nachos, burritos and enchiladas. This is what we call a meal plan .
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time8 hours
Total Time8 hours 40 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Servings: 10 servings (approximately ½ cup per serving)
Calories: 391kcal
Author: Kita Roberts

Equipment

Ingredients

For the Beef

  • 4-5 lbs boneless beef chuck roast cut into 4-inch chunks
  • 2 tbsp olive oil or vegetable oil

For the Rub

  • 2 tbsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tbsp ground cumin
  • 1 tbsp dried oregano
  • 1 tbsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

For the Braise

  • 1 large yellow onion chopped
  • 6-8 cloves garlic smashed
  • 3 oz tomato paste (half a small can)
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • ½ cup apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar

Finish

  • ½ cup fresh cilantro chopped
  • 2 limes juiced

Instructions

Season the Beef

  • Pat the beef chunks completely dry with paper towels. Combine the smoked paprika, cumin, oregano, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl. Rub the spice mixture generously over all sides of the beef.
    A glass bowl filled with chunks of raw, seasoned meat sits on a white marble surface.

Sear in Batches

  • Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Sear the beef in batches, without crowding, until a deep crust forms on all sides - about 2-3 minutes per side. The beef should release easily before flipping. Transfer seared beef to the slow cooker.
    Pieces of seasoned meat of seared meat being browned in a cast iron skillet.

Build the Braise

  • In the same skillet (do not wipe out), cook the chopped onion for 2 minutes until softened. Add smashed garlic and cook 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and stir constantly for 1-2 minutes until it darkens from red to brick/mahogany color.
    Diced onions with spices are being sautéed in a black cast iron skillet coated in caramelized tomato paste.
  • Pour in beef broth, apple cider vinegar, and brown sugar. Whisk to combine, scraping up all browned bits from the pan. Pour over beef in slow cooker.
    Chunks of raw beef and chopped onions in a black slow cooker, coated with a sauce, ready for cooking.

Slow Cook

  • Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours or HIGH for 4-5 hours, until the beef falls apart with zero resistance.

Shred and Rest

  • Remove beef to a large tray or board. Skim about two-thirds of the rendered fat off the top of the braising liquid; whisk the remaining fat back into the liquid.
  • Shred the beef with two forks, discarding large pieces of fat or gristle.
    Cooked pieces of slow cooker Mexican beef with sauce on a black baking tray, with two serving forks, placed on a cooling rack over a white surface.
  • Return shredded beef to the slow cooker. Stir to coat in the cooking liquid. Set your slow cooker to 'warm' and rest for at least 20 minutes before serving.
  • If you're batching to freeze, allow the beef to cool, one its been returned to the liquid in the slow cooker, then portion into 1-cup silicon cubes and freeze for 4 hours. Remove the frozen cubes from the mold and use a vacuum sealer to seal. Label and freeze for up to 3 months.

Finish and Serve

  • Stir in fresh cilantro and lime juice just before serving.
    Shredded Mexican beef in a slow cooker topped with lime slices, with tortillas, halved limes, and lime slices on a wooden board nearby.

Notes

  • Store with braising liquid, not drained, for up to 5 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer.
  • Reheat in a skillet with a splash of broth or water over medium-low heat.
  • If the sauce looks thin after shredding, ladle some into a saucepan, reduce for 5 minutes over medium-high, then whisk back in.
  • Do not skip the 20-minute rest-and-soak on Warm - it's what remoistens the meat and adds a layer of flavor before you dive in.
  • We love to mix in diced jalapeños or fire-roasted hatch chilies when serving.
  • Batch cook tip: Cool completely, divide into 1-cup silicone molds, and freeze for 4 hours. Then pop the frozen meat out of the molds, vacuum-seal, label, and freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat straight from frozen in a saucepan over medium-low with a splash of broth to loosen.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 391kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 125mg | Sodium: 1009mg | Potassium: 810mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 980IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 68mg | Iron: 5mg