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This easy Crockpot shredded beef tacos recipe makes the tastiest seasoned shredded beef! It’s freezer friendly, so you can have a fun and delicious taco night anytime.
Try my Crockpot Ranch Chicken Tacos or Beef Taco Skillet next.
Why you’ll love it
Using your slow cooker to make taco meat is super low effort, yet it tastes like you spent all day perfecting it. Simple pantry ingredients meet bold flavors in this tender shredded beef taco recipe. It’s infused with a homemade blend of savory, smoky seasonings!
Apart from my Mississippi Pot Roast Recipe, these Crockpot beef tacos are my favorite way to use beef chuck roast. It’s ideal for low and slow, set-it-and-forget-it kinda cooking. It makes a generous amount, so you can freeze plenty for later on when taco cravings hit.
What you’ll need
- Beef – I go for a well-marbled beef chuck roast. See alternatives below.
- Beef broth – to keep it moist and juicy
- Green chilies – I go for mild for a slight kick and always keeps cans of these in my pantry
- Au jus gravy mix – this seasoning packet makes a fabulous shortcut to deep savory flavor
- Seasoning – my simple blend includes chili powder (most kinds are mild), smoked paprika, ground cumin, garlic powder, and onion powder
- Butter – unsalted butter provides that rich, irresistible quality and moisture
Helpful tips
- If you’re in the U.S., you should easily be able to find chuck roast in most major grocery stores. In Canada, the naming system is different, so look for “blade roast” or “cross rib pot roast boneless”. Basically, you want to look for a tougher, fattier (well marbled) cut of meat, not something lean.
- Low and slow is best for this recipe! If you find the meat isn’t shredding easily after 8 hours, you can cook it even longer.
How to make Crockpot shredded beef tacos
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Place the beef in the Crockpot, and pour the broth over. Add the green chilies around the roast, and sprinkle the gravy powder and seasonings on the roast. Place the butter on top. Cook on low until fall-apart tender. Using two forks, shred the roast. Spoon the juices over top. Assemble the tacos, and serve with my Chipotle Ranch Dressing.
Tools for this recipe
Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!
- This is my Crockpot model.
- Use these nested magnetic measuring spoons to measure out the spices (and store them easily in one place).
- My trusty can opener has been going strong for years.
Substitutions and variations
- You can definitely switch up the suggested toppings. This recipe is flexible! Some more taco toppings ideas: shredded cabbage or iceberg lettuce, chopped tomatoes, cheese (try Cotija or shredded cheddar, Mexican cheese blend, or Monterey Jack), Quick Pickled Red Onions, my Easy Guacamole Recipe, sour cream, pico de gallo, and salsa.
- You could make this using boneless pork shoulder if you prefer.
- This recipe is quite mild. You can use spicy green chilies, a hot chili powder, or add in some cayenne pepper, however. The chipotle ranch I suggest serving it with can have a bit of a kick depending on how you decide to make it.
Oven and Instant Pot methods
- If you want to make these in the oven, use a Dutch oven or covered roasting dish. Cook it at 275F for 3-4 hours (for a 3-4 lb. roast) or until fall-apart tender.
- For an Instant Pot, try 60 minutes on high pressure followed by a 15-minute natural pressure release. Add 3/4 cup of water before sealing up your Instant Pot.
What to serve with Crockpot shredded beef
- It’s not just for tacos! The shredded beef could be served in burritos, with Garlic Mashed Potatoes, in sandwiches, in my Taco Salad instead of the ground beef, etc. It’s very versatile.
- If you’re looking for a yummy salad pairing, try my Avocado Corn Salad.
- You can’t go wrong with my Frozen Margaritas to round out the meal.
Leftovers and storage
- Store leftovers of this shredded beef for 3-4 days in the fridge in a tightly sealed container.
- Reheat on the stove or in the microwave until warmed through, taking care to not dry it out.
- Freeze leftover taco meat for up to 3 months.
More taco recipes
If you made this slow-cooked beef for tacos, please leave a star rating and review below! You can also tag me on Instagram with photos of S&L recipes you made.
Crockpot Shredded Beef Tacos
Ingredients
- 3-4 pounds beef chuck roast
- 1/4 cup beef broth
- 2 (4 ounce) cans mild green chilies with juices
- 1 (1 ounce) packet au jus gravy mix
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter cut into pieces
For serving:
- Corn or flour tortillas, chopped red onions, avocado, lime wedges, etc. optional, to taste
- Chipotle ranch dressing optional, to taste
Instructions
- Place the roast in your slow cooker. Pour in the beef broth. Add the green chilies around the roast, sprinkle the roast with the au jus packet, chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder, and onion powder, and then place the butter on top of the roast.
- Cover and slow cook on low for 8 hours or until it's fall-apart tender.
- Meanwhile, prepare the chipotle ranch dressing (if using), then cover and refrigerate it until needed.
- Shred the beef with two forks and toss with the juices in the slow cooker.
- Served with warmed tortillas and desired toppings. See more suggestions in the blog post – this recipe is very flexible!
Notes
- You can sear the beef in a skillet first if you prefer.
- I don’t recommend cooking the roast any faster at a higher heat. It won’t be as tender. You may need to cook it for more than 8 hours for it to shred easily, so keep that in mind.
- The chipotle ranch dressing can also be found on page 217 of our debut cookbook Salt & Lavender: Everyday Essentials.
- Nutrition info is for the taco meat only.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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