Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Tacos

Published January 28, 2018. Updated August 21, 2019

This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy.

Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Tacos have been on of my go-to regular recipes for 5+ years! These easy, restaurant quality Mexican tacos are perfectly flavorful and oh so tender. Load them up or serve them street taco style with just onion, cilantro and lime.

Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Tacos

Shredded Beef Tacos

I actually shared this recipe back in January of 2012 (and I’ve made them probably 100 times since) but I wanted to update the photos and also the method a little.

Back then I just added the beef into the slow cooker without browning it first, which yes you can do, but those 6 minutes of browning are a game changer I tell you.

It makes such a difference that it’s the only way I’ll make these shredded beef tacos anymore.

Seasoned taco meat shown here after shredded in a slow cooker

Ingredients for This Recipe

  • Chuck roast or cross rib roast
  • Olive oil
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Beef both
  • Spices including chili powder, cumin, onion powder and garlic powder
  • Fresh lime
  • Tortillas and toppings, for serving

Scroll below for printable recipe.

How to Make These Tacos

  • Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Dab both sides of beef dry with paper towels.
  • Season beef with salt and pepper (about 1 tsp salt, 3/4 tsp pepper) and sear in pot until browned on both sides, about 3 minutes each side.
  • Transfer beef to a 6 or 7 quart slow cooker. Pour beef broth over roast.

  • Sprinkle chili powder, cumin, onion and garlic powder evenly over roast. Cover slow cooker and cook on low heat 8 hours (high heat cooking is not recommend here).

  • Remove roast from slow cooker, shred beef (remove fat) and return shredded beef to slow cooker (season with a little more salt if needed).

  • Add in lime juice, cover with lid and cook on low an additional 5 – 10 minutes while preparing toppings and tortillas.

  • Remove beef from slow cooker with tongs to remove juices when plating or drain in a colander.

  • Serve in warmed tortillas with desired toppings.

two beef tacos with corn tortillas shown here on an individual white plate with cheese, tomatoes, lettuce and avocado. Served with a side of mexican rice.

Can I use Fresh Onion and Garlic?

You can also go use fresh onion and garlic here if preferred. To do so after browning roast, saute 1 small onion halved along with 3 or 4 cloves of garlic (in place of the garlic powder) in that same oil in the pot after you’ve browned the roast.

Then pour the broth into the pot with the onion and garlic and scrape up those browned bits at the bottom, and finally pour that mixture over the beef in the slow cooker.

This recipe yields perfectly tender, wonderfully seasoned and flavorful beef. You’re whole family will love these tacos, trust me!

Any left over beef from this recipe can also be used for tacos, enchiladas, taquitos, nachos or burritos.

I hope it becomes a favorite for your family too!

More Taco Recipes You Might Like

16 Quick & Easy 30 Minute Recipes! (plus weekly recipe updates)

Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Tacos
4.82 from 11 votes

Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Tacos

These tacos have been a family favorite and a reader favorite for 5+ years! They're so easy to make and so flavorful! They taste just like the tacos you order at Mexican restaurants. The shredded beef makes great leftover too.
Servings: 6
Prep20 minutes
Cook8 hours
Ready in: 8 hours 20 minutes

Ingredients

For serving

  • Warmed corn tortillas or fresh flour tortillas
  • Chopped romaine lettuce
  • Shredded monterey jack or cheddar cheese
  • Guacamole or diced avocados
  • Sour cream
  • Fresh pico de gallo or diced tomatoes
  • Freshly squeezed lime juice
  • Hot sauce

Instructions

  • Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Dab both sides of beef dry with paper towels. 
  • Season beef with salt and pepper (about 1 tsp salt, 3/4 tsp pepper) and sear in pot until browned on both sides, about 3 minutes each side.
  • Transfer beef to a 6 or 7 quart slow cooker. Pour beef broth over roast.
  • Sprinkle chili powder, cumin, onion and garlic powder evenly over roast. Cover slow cooker and cook on low heat 8 hours (high heat cooking is not recommend here).
  • Remove roast from slow cooker, shred beef (remove fat) and return shredded beef to slow cooker (season with a little more salt if needed). 
  • Add in lime juice, cover with lid and cook on low an additional 5 - 10 minutes while preparing toppings and tortillas.
  • Remove beef from slow cooker with tongs to remove juices when plating or drain in a colander. 
  • Serve in warmed tortillas with desired toppings.
  • Recipe source: Cooking Classy

Notes

Tortillas and toppings not included in nutritional value.
Nutrition Facts
Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Tacos
Amount Per Serving
Calories 386 Calories from Fat 225
% Daily Value*
Fat 25g38%
Saturated Fat 10g63%
Cholesterol 130mg43%
Sodium 433mg19%
Potassium 717mg20%
Carbohydrates 2g1%
Protein 33g66%
Vitamin A 620IU12%
Calcium 50mg5%
Iron 4.7mg26%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition values are estimates only. See full disclaimer here.

Leave a Comment

Rate this recipe




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

203 Comments

  • William Attina

    OMG. The best shredded beef tacos I’ve ever had and the 1st time ever using a crock pot. I changed some ingredients because of what I had on hand like pasilla chili powder,half a onion, beef bouillon cubes with 2 cups water and a handful of Japanese chili pods also about 6oz tomato sauce I didn’t use from the night before also added a fresh green chili I didn’t want to go to waste. Extremely good and fed 3 kids and myself with not that much leftovers.

  • Don

    Added two steps I gleaned from other recipes. After removing the slow cooked beef, I transferred the liquid to a sauce pan and reduced the liquid in half. After shredding the beef, I poured the reduced liquid over the meat and tossed the shredded beef to distribute the juices. I then put the pan with the meat under the broiler to dry out the meat and crisp up the meat. Turned it several times. Did not need to additional salt or pepper as the concentrated liquid had plenty of flavor. Thanks for a new addition to Taco Tuesday.

  • Patty Burns

    Made these for dinner. The house smelled wonderful all day long! I added jalapeños as we really love heat. Will definitely go into the rotation!