Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Tacos

Creating these Slow Cooker Tacos

These Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Tacos get a big flavor boost from cooking on low for 8 hours in homemade beef taco seasoning, beef broth and onions.

Add even more color and personality to these tacos with fun toppings such as avocado, your favorite hot sauce, shredded purple cabbage, corn, salsa, red onion or Cojita cheese.

This Mexican Shredded Beef is on rotation in our house because of its versatility and simplicity.

You can use it to make these tacos, enchiladas, nachos, quesadillas, rice bowls or even sliders!

Plus, slow cooker meals make life 10x easier, right?!

You most likely have all of the seasonings on hand for the beef taco seasoning: chipotle powder, paprika, garlic powder, chili powder and cumin!

One of our favorite things to do is make this recipe & create a taco bar at home! All you need to do is…

Line up all of your favorite taco toppings, the Mexican shredded beef, corn and/or flour tortillas and make each tortilla a little different. It’s a fun idea for a date night in!

Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Tacos Ingredients

• Boneless chuck steak: 2 1/2 – 3 lbs. Chuck steak is great for slow cooking. It becomes more tender and juicer the longer you cook it which is why low and slow is the name of the game for this recipe! (8 hours on low)
• Beef Taco Seasoning: You will need chipotle powder, chili powder, paprika, cumin, salt, pepper and garlic powder.
• Olive oil: This is used when searing or browning the chuck before you place it in the crockpot. This step is important because the caramelized surface of the meat will lend rich flavor to the finished dish.
• Beef broth and lime juice: Liquids the meat is cooked in. You can also add a touch of orange juice too if you have it on hand!
• Onion: Sliced white onion
• Tortillas: Corn or flour – up to you!
• Toppings: sour cream, avocado, salsa, shredded cheese, Cojita cheese, hot sauce, guacamole, corn, red onion, lettuce, lime wedges, radish, cilantro, etc.

How to Make Slow Cooker Beef Tacos

1. Cut beef into 4 large chunks and pat dry with paper towels. Season the beef on all sides with generous amounts of salt and pepper.
2. Heat olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Once hot, add in the steak and sear for 2 minutes on each side.
3. Transfer meat to a crockpot and pour in the beef broth, lime juice, beef taco seasoning and onions.
4. Cook on low for a minimum of 8 hours. (Low and slow is key for tender beef!)
5. Shred and assemble the tacos with your favorite taco toppings. Voila, slow cooker tacos!

Can I Freeze Mexican Shredded Beef?

Yes! To freeze you’ll want to keep the liquid and beef separate. Reheat the beef in the oven (covered with foil), heat the sauce then toss. It’s best to keep it separate because otherwise I find the beef gets a bit soggy (especially when defrosting).

What to serve Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Tacos with

• Cilantro Lime Rice
• Vegetarian Bean Dip
• Salsa
• Guacamole

Tips for Making Slow Cooker Beef Tacos

• Be sure to sear the meat before placing in the bottom of your slow cooker.
• Cook low and slow (at least 8 hours) for tender and juicy meat.
• Pressed on time? See the 2 1/2 hour Dutch oven method in recipe notes below!
• Freeze it for later use! Tacos, quesadillas, enchiladas, nachos, burritos, etc.
• Get creative with your taco toppings! However, balance is key. It can be easy to over do it, you will want balance to the taco and have toppings that compliment each other.
• Heat your tortillas on the stove (we do this by place directly over the flame on the stove)
• Make your own salsa for brightness and freshness.
• Play around using different cheese on your tacos: Cotija, Oaxaca, pepper jack, and feta cheeses all work nicely with tacos
• Always finish your taco off with a squeeze of fresh lime juice. Acidity provides a refreshing counterpoint to the richness of the Mexican shredded beef and cheese. Plus, a bit of fresh lime juice squeezed over the top goes a long way!

the goods

Frying pan

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Slow Cooker

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Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Tacos

These Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Tacos solve your weeknight dinner problems and the beef is so versatile too. Use it in these tacos, or in enchiladas, quesadillas, burritos or as the protein for rice bowls!

5 from 6 reviews

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 8 hours

Total Time: 8 hours 30 minutes

Servings: 8 people

Calories: 486kcal

Author: Tawnie Graham of Kroll’s Korner

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Ingredients

• ▢ 3 lb. Chuck steak, boneless
• ▢ 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• ▢ 1 Tbsp. salt
• ▢ 1 Tbsp. pepper
• ▢ 2 cups beef broth
• ▢ 1/4 cup lime juice (juice from 1 lime)
• ▢ 1 white onion, sliced
• ▢ 8 Flour tortillas

Beef taco seasoning

• ▢ 1 Tbsp. chipotle powder
• ▢ 1 Tbsp. paprika
• ▢ 2 tsp. chili powder
• ▢ 1 tsp. garlic powder
• ▢ 1 tsp. cumin

Toppings: cheese, onions, salsa, sour cream, avocado, guacamole, hot sauce

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Instructions

• Cut beef into 4 large chunks and pat dry with paper towels. Season the beef on all sides with generous amounts of salt and pepper.
• Heat olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Once hot, add in the steak and sear for 2 minutes on each side. Transfer meat to a crockpot and pour in the beef broth, lime juice, beef taco seasoning and onions. Gently stir to combine.
• Cook on low for a minimum of 8 hours. (Low and slow is key for tender beef!) Shred and assemble the tacos with your favorite taco toppings.

Video

Notes

Corn tortillas work well with this recipe too. 

 

Dutch oven method: Preheat oven to 325°F. Heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season and sear meat as directed above. Add the beef broth, lime juice, beef taco seasoning and onions. Gently stir to combine. Cover with a lid and cook for 2 1/2 – 3 hours. Once done, shred using 2 forks. Place the meat back into the Dutch oven in it’s juices. (This prevents meat from becoming dry!) Assemble tacos. 

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Nutrition

Serving: 1taco | Calories: 486kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 116mg | Sodium: 1314mg | Potassium: 783mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1014IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 86mg | Iron: 6mg

Hi, I’m Tawnie!

Welcome to my tiny “korner” on the Internet! I am a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist who loves cookies as much as kale. (OK, maybe I like cookies a little bit more but shh, don’t tell anyone). I am so glad you’re here! Follow along for hassle free, realistic and approachable recipes.

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