Crock Pot Shredded Beef Tacos
Crock Pot Shredded Beef Tacos are an amazing meal for your family any night of the week since you’re using your slow cooker. These flavorful tacos are easy and delicious and will quickly become part of your dinner rotation!
Crock pot shredded beef tacos are a tasty and easy weeknight meal. The beef is slow-cooked with Mexican oregano and smoky guajillo chili powder, becoming irresistibly tender.
These tacos are served street-style in corn tortillas and topped with fresh onions for the perfect bite. A simple, flavorful dinner that everyone will enjoy!
Ingredients
This is meant to be a brief overview of this great recipe. For step-by-step instructions and a full printable recipe card with ingredients, please scroll down to the teal box below.
- Guajillo Chili Powder: I love this seasoning because the heat is mild, and the flavor is tangy with just a little smokiness. Look for it in the seasonings aisle or purchase it online.
- Fresh Garlic: While you can substitute garlic powder in a pinch, fresh garlic will give your tacos more flavor.
- Crushed Tomatoes: The tomatoes add flavor and body to the shredded beef tacos.
- White Vinegar: This will help break down the beef’s connective tissue and add a bit of acidity to the dish.
- Mexican Oregano: Compared to regular Oregano, this variety is more earthy. It’s worth picking up Mexican Oregano if you love authentic Mexican food. In a pinch, you can use regular Oregano as a substitute.
- Beef Roast: I have used chuck and top round, and I prefer the chuck, which has a higher fat content. The chuck roast is more flavorful, shreds very well, and is often a little bit less expensive.
- Beef Broth: You can use beef stock if needed.
- Onions: Finely dice a white onion, which will cook down with the tomatoes and seasonings, adding delicious flavor. Yellow onions or sweet onions will also work.
- Additional Seasonings: Paprika, onion powder, cumin, allspice, cinnamon, salt, and black pepper support the guajillo chili powder and Mexican oregano.
- Tortillas: While corn tortillas are more authentic in Mexican cuisine than flour, the choice is up to you. Personally, my taste buds prefer corn tortillas. For kids, I like soft flour tortillas because they are a little less delicate.
- Toppings: You can add anything you want on top of your tacos. My family doesn’t care for cilantro, so I use chopped parsley. Thinly sliced red onions and chopped tomatoes also add freshness.
Out of something you need? Check out our free ingredient substitutions printable! Some ingredients are easier to substitute than others. I’ve made some recommendations above, but keep in mind that substitutions may change the overall flavor or texture of the recipe.
Ang’s Recipe Tips
- Remove the beef roast from the slow cooker and place it on a cutting board. Use two forks to shred the beef.
- For a smoother sauce, use an immersion blender to puree the cooking liquid.
- After shredding, return the meat to the slow cooker with tongs, then toss it to coat.
- Toasting the tortillas adds tons of flavor and really makes the tacos something special. Don’t skip this step!
- If you are serving instant rice on the side, replace some of the water with the beef cooking liquid. It adds tons of delicious flavor!
Serving Suggestions
Serve the toasted tortillas and slow-cooker shredded beef with your favorite taco toppings like guacamole, sour cream, pico de gallo, salsa, or a bit of fresh lime juice.
I love adding crumbled queso fresco or cotija on top of these slow-cooker shredded beef tacos. Experiment with cheddar cheese for more heat, and pepper jack.
Storage
To Store: Leftover crockpot shredded beef tacos should be stored in an airtight container. Always store tortillas in a separate container, or they will become soggy. (These are my favorite airtight containers.)
To Reheat: Microwave individual portions in 30-second intervals until heated throughout.
To Freeze: Allow the beef mixture to cool completely. Transfer the mixture to a resealable freezer bag. Label and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To Thaw: Transfer the bag of frozen beef to the fridge and thaw overnight. For quicker thawing, place the bag into a large bowl with room-temperature water for 1-2 hours.
Leftovers
Use leftover Mexican shredded beef to make quesadillas, enchiladas, burritos, rice bowls, nachos, and more! It can also be used instead of ground beef to make walking taco casserole or beefy cheese dip.
Not ready to make this yummy beef tacos recipe yet?
You’re going to want to add this recipe to your meal plan! When you do make it, please come back and comment and leave me a 5-star rating below!
Crock Pot Shredded Beef Tacos
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Ingredients
Shredded Beef
- 2 teaspoons guajillo chile powder
- 2 teaspoons dried Mexican Oregano
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon allspice
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 6 cloves fresh garlic
- 1 cup crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup white onion diced
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 4 cups beef broth
- 4 lbs beef chuck roast
For Serving
- 20 small corn tortillas
- red onion thinly sliced
- tomatoes chopped
- fresh parsley or cilantro, finely chopped (optional)
Instructions
- In a small mixing bowl, combine all the seasonings.2 teaspoons guajillo chile powder, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1/2 teaspoon allspice, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper
- In a 6-quart slow cooker, add the garlic, tomatoes, onions, and liquids. Stir in the seasonings.2 teaspoons dried Mexican Oregano, 6 cloves fresh garlic, 1 cup crushed tomatoes, 1 cup white onion, 2 tablespoons white vinegar, 4 cups beef broth
- Place the chuck roast into the crock, turning to coat it in the tomato mixture.4 lbs beef chuck roast
- Cover and set the crockpot to LOW for 8 hours or HIGH for 6 hours.
- Once ready, transfer the roast to a cutting board and use two forks to pull it apart.
- With the meat still on the cutting board, use an immersion blender to puree the cooking liquid to make a smooth sauce (optional). Remove about 1 cup of liquid from the crockpot and place it into a shallow square baking dish.
- Return the shredded beef to the crockpot and toss the beef to coat it with the remaining liquid.
- Heat a large skillet or griddle to medium high heat. Lightly spray the surface with cooking spray. Dip a tortilla into the liquid until coated on both sides. Toast the tortilla 1-2 minutes until golden brown.20 small corn tortillas
- Add meat, onions, tomatoes, parsley and other toppings as desired and serve immediately.red onion, tomatoes, fresh parsley
Equipment
- Immersion Blender optional
Notes
- Remove the beef roast from the slow cooker and place it on a cutting board. Use two forks to shred the beef.
- For a smoother sauce, use an immersion blender to puree the cooking liquid.
- After shredding, return the meat to the slow cooker with tongs and toss it to coat the beef.
Nutrition
Similar Recipes
If you like beef tacos, then next time, you’ll also want to try our steak tacos or slow cooker ground beef taco meat.
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