Shredded beef tacos are easy and flavorful with our recipe. A slow cooker brimming with saucy, Mexican-inspired shredded beef is a simple way to put up an impressive spread with very little time spent standing over the stove. Beef chuck cooks in the slow cooker until it shreds easily with two forks. Smart supermarket ingredients—jarred salsa verde and canned crushed tomatoes—are shortcuts to making a tomato chile sauce that tastes as though it simmered for hours. Use the shredded beef as a filling for tacos or burritos for a party, and save the leftovers for easy weeknight burrito bowls, tostadas or taco salads.
Ingredients for Shredded Beef Tacos
- Chuck roast: Delicious beef tacos start with a big chunk of beef, specifically five pounds of boneless chuck roast cut into chunks. Breaking down the meat into four or five large pieces helps the heat from the slow cooker penetrate it more evenly than leaving the roast whole, which ensures more even cooking.
- Beef broth: Though the beef will release moisture as it cooks, it’s important to start the braise with a small amount of flavorful liquid to help transfer the heat of the slow cooker into the meat.
- Onion, jalapeno pepper and canola oil : Sauteeing onion and jalapeno pepper in a little neutral oil lays a flavor base for the sauce. Seed the pepper if you like, or leave the seeds in for a spicier edge.
- Garlic: A bit of garlic adds a high note to the sauce. Two cloves gives a flavor backbone, but the sauce can accommodate more garlic if you like.
- Spices: Jarred chili powder is actually a spice blend of dried chiles with dehydrated onion and garlic, so it’s a wonderful way to add a lot of flavor into this shredded beef recipe from a single spice jar. Ground cumin adds a smoky flavor that’s unmistakable.
- Canned tomatoes: Cooked red salsa often begins with fresh tomatoes, simmered down into a pulpy, brick red sauce. Because canned crushed tomatoes are already broken down, they don’t require a long cooking time to add body and sweetness to the sauce.
- Salsa verde: Adding jarred salsa verde, which is made from onion, tomatillo and green chili peppers, is an easy way to add mild spice and savory tanginess to the sauce for the beef.
- Taco fixings (optional): While you can certainly meal prep the beef on its own, we love to use this recipe to build tacos, burritos or burrito bowls. We recommend serving it with corn or flour tortillas, shredded cheddar cheese, crumbled cotija, sour cream, guacamole, sliced radishes, pickled red onions, sliced jalapeño peppers, shredded lettuce, salsa, cooked rice and fresh cilantro leaves.
Directions
Step 1: Braise the beef
In a 6-quart slow cooker, combine beef and broth. Cook, covered, on low until meat is tender, six to eight hours. Remove meat; discard juices. When cool enough to handle, shred with 2 forks. Return to slow cooker.
Step 2: Make sauce and add to beef
In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and jalapenos; cook and stir until softened, three to four minutes. Add garlic and seasonings; cook one minute longer. Stir in crushed tomatoes and salsa; bring to a boil. Pour mixture over shredded beef; stir to combine. Cook, covered, on high until heated through, about 1 hour.
Step 3: Build tacos, burritos or burrito bowls
If desired, serve filling (using tongs) on tortillas for burritos or tacos and add toppings. To make a burrito bowl, place beef on top of hot cooked rice and add topping as desired.
Shredded Beef Taco Variations
- Use pork: Start with a five pound boneless pork shoulder in place of the beef chuck.
- Add a smoky element: Add a couple canned chipotle peppers in adobo to the sauce to add a smoky, spicy edge.
- Use shredded beef other ways: Use the filling to stuff empanadas, as a topping for nachos, as a layer in a Mexican lasagna or to make pit beef-style sandwiches topped with gooey Oaxaca cheese.
- Add corn or beans: Bulk up the beef by adding a can or two of drained, whole kernel corn and/or rinsed pinto or black beans.
How to Store Shredded Beef Tacos
Store shredded beef and taco toppings separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Rewarm the beef and tortillas in the microwave.
Can you freeze shredded beef tacos?
Though you can’t freeze whole, assembled tacos, the braised beef filling freezes and defrosts beautifully. Store it in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 6 months. Portion it into smaller containers for last-minute meals to pull out of the freezer when you need it. Defrost in the fridge overnight the day before you plan to use it and then reheat it in a saucepan on the stove or in the microwave.
Shredded Beef Taco Tips
Can you cook the beef on high for a shorter amount of time?
You can cut the cooking time down in half by setting the slow cooker to high instead of low, but keep in mind the roast might not be as tender. Cooking it low and slow really helps break down tougher cuts of meat, develops more flavor and leaves you with a better final product.
What should you serve with shredded beef tacos?
This braised beef is adaptable to different preparations, but it would benefit from some fresh and crunchy elements to contrast it’s soft, rich slow-cooked flavor. Add tortilla chips with fresh salsa verde, and esquites or Mexican street corn salad. No one would be mad if margaritas were served.
