Slow Cooker Pulled Beef Tacos or Shredded Beef recipe is made with BBQ, taco or Italian seasoning and served in a tortilla, bun and more.
Slow Cooker Beef Tacos
If you look for things to be grateful for in your day, chances are some of them may be food related. When I make these slow cooker beef tacos, it’s a beautiful day indeed!
I absolutely adore my slow cooker and use it frequently throughout the week. This device is low maintenance and has become my best kitchen buddy as I get to throw in enchanting ingredients in the morning and come home to a welcoming pot of hearty goodness with little else to prepare.
This slow cooker beef tacos recipe is one of those easy recipes you’ll want to make over and over again. If simplicity and taste is what you’re looking for, then you’re going to get it in droves!
These slow cooker beef tacos are exceptional. Kids and adults alike will thank you for these slow beef tacos as they are, without a doubt, exceptional!
Just you wait and see.
Slow Cooker Shredded Beef
Years ago, I was making slow cooker shredded beef, when it suddenly dawned on me I had no taco seasoning. Unbelievable! What are slow cooker pulled beef tacos without that this ingredient I thought?
So I improvised with Italian seasoning and the results were astounding!
I have to admit Italian tacos sounds strange. But this discovery was kind of shocking but in a good way. These Italian tacos were such a big hit, I keep the recipe in my rotation to this day!
Regardless, taco seasoning is alive and well in my home and l now make an Italian version with BBQ sauce for a slow cooker shredded beef that’s to die for!
By adding taco seasoning with a couple tablespoons of Italian seasoning to tomato sauce creates an entirely different tasting slow cooker shredded beef dinner like no other.
The days of adding plain old barbecue sauce to shredded beef are long gone. Say hello to slow cooker pulled beef tacos with an Italian twist and slow cooker shredded beef recipes just got so much better!
Check out all the versions as each slow cooker shredded beef recipe is just as delicious as the other!
Once my friend Marcel showed me this new method, I never looked back.
You’ll understand why when you give it a try! Is that poetic or what??
For what it’s worth, my husband and I have made a friendly wager on which pulled beef or shredded beef recipe is most popular. I have my hunches but one never knows and so I can’t wait to hear which one is yours!
Shredded Beef Sandwiches
Here’s the updated BBQ version of my slow cooker shredded beef sandwich recipe. These shredded beef sandwiches are such an improvement over the original, they really are too good to be true!
This opinion is not only mine, but is shared by many who’ve tried it.
The amount of liquid smoke and hot sauce can be easily adjusted to suit your personal taste. Although some skip these altogether, I recommend using just a little of both.
Unfortunately, my husband and I love hot sauce but it doesn’t love us back. Our stomachs communicate that loud and clear.
That being said, adding a little bit of hot sauce and liquid smoke will not overwhelm these sandwiches.
If you’re like my son and can handle it, feel free to add as much spice as you like. Patrick bumps up the heat by adding diced hot peppers and a lot more hot sauce. He’s a hot tamale, that one, and Ken and I get a kick out of watching him enjoy every last spicy bite as he fans his mouth!
By adding bacon, my shredded beef sandwiches are far from lacking in the flavor department. For better or worse, we’re a family of bacon lovers and adding it to barbecue shredded beef sandwiches is like a breath of fresh air.
Bacon and beef are like two musical instruments that harmonize so beautifully together, eating these shredded beef sandwiches are so uplifting!
A few strips will do the trick. Or add an entire pound depending on how strongly you feel about bacon.
Banning the bacon wagon altogether is okay too as taste is not lost without it.
Either way, the taste of these slow cooker shredded beef sandwiches has no bounds and the delight on everyone’s faces will speak volumes!
Slow Cooker BBQ Shredded Beef Sandwiches
- 1 5-pound boneless beef chuck-eye roast, trimmed and cut into 4 pieces
- 12 slices bacon, diced
- 1 onion, chopped fine
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 ½ cups brewed coffee
- 1 ½ cups ketchup
- ¼ cup brown sugar, packed
- 2 tablespoons mustard, your favorite variety
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce
- 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon liquid smoke, if desired
- salt
- pepper
- 10 buns, split
Place beef inside slow cooker.
In a large skillet, over medium to medium high heat, cook bacon until crisp; around 6 or 7 minutes.
Using a slotted spoon, transfer crisp bacon to your slow cooker. With the exception of a few tablespoons, remove most of the bacon fat from your skillet.
Add diced onions to the bacon grease and stir until softened and tender; around 5 to 7 minutes.
Add chili powder and paprika. Stir until just combined.
Add coffee, ketchup, sugar, and 1 tablespoon of mustard. Stir until blended.
Simmer approximately 10 minutes. Sauce mixture will reduce somewhat and taste so good!
Place half of the sauce mixture inside the slow cooker and seal the remainder in an airtight container inside your fridge.
Cover and cook on low for about 8 or 9 hours or 4 or 5 on high. You’ll know when this shredded beef is cooked because it will be fall apart tender.
Given this, I highly recommend using a slotted spoon when removing it.
Place on a platter or in a bowl and cover loosely with foil.
Transfer cooking liquid to large skillet, skim fat, and simmer over medium-high heat until reduced to 1 cup; about 10 minutes.
Off heat, stir in reserved sauce, remaining mustard, hot sauce, vinegar, and liquid smoke.
Pull meat into large chunks, discarding any excess fat or gristle.
Toss meat with 1 ½ cups of sauce and let sit, covered, until meat has absorbed most of sauce; approximately 10 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper.
Serve on rolls and pass remaining sauce at table.
Slow Cooker Shredded Beef
If you’re all about tender, juicy shredded meat, Best Sweet Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Recipe or Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken Tacos are two great options and make the perfect weekday or weekend meals!
Shredded Beef Taco Recipe
This shredded beef taco recipe is ideal for taco nights and birthday parties.
When my son was small, many birthday celebrations included this shredded beef taco recipe. It was customary to set up a taco making station where the kids would create a taco unique to their own. The more toppings or taco options they had, the more their imaginations ran wild. They had a ton of fun and you could see sheer pleasure as they indulged!
With just a few ingredients, assembling them is easy and takes less time than you think.
At the party, soft and hard tortilla shells were available to everyone. It was a smorgasbord of cheese, sour cream, cilantro, rice, beans or refried bean, onions, green onions, tomatoes, lettuce, avocado, jalapenos and salsa.
And plenty of hot sauce for my son, of course!
Frankly, the more choices on the table, the better the chances of making a quality shredded beef taco that will exceed your crowd’s expectations.
Shredded Beef Recipe
Cooking beef can be challenging depending on how it’s made. For making the ultimate shredded beef recipe, look to your slow cooker for the answer as low and slow is the name of the game.
Pulled Beef
No matter the season, this slow cooker shredded beef recipe transfigures into wonderfully seasoned pulled beef wraps or sandwiches you’ll want to make over and over again. There are three versions of this delightful shredded beef recipe.
One with an Italian flare. One has a Mexican touch and the third is done with a barbecue sauce. All are absolutely delicious and definitely worth the effort.
Serve this beautiful pulled beef mixture in tortilla shells, wraps or buns, over rice or in a salad with vegetables and lots of cheese.
Each are expressions of making pulled beef taste out of this world amazing.
What to do with Boneless Chuck Roast
If you’re pondering what to do with boneless chuck roast, slow cooker pulled beef tacos is your answer. Although somewhat inexpensive as far as beef goes, boneless chuck roast can be notoriously tough if not cooked right. Low temperature and time is all it takes to turn chuck roast into the most juicy, tender, melt in your mouth piece of meat you’ll ever make.
Try my stove top pot roast as it is one of the more popular chuck roast ideas and is always a crowd pleaser.
Perfect for any occasion. This Mom’s Best Easy Stove Top Pot Roast will not disappoint and is definitely something different when it comes to chuck roasts.
Nothing fancy at all. Not a long list of ingredients. Just a delicious plate of pure comfort food like my mom used to make.
Maybe a beef chuck recipe is right up your alley and just what you’re looking for!
If looking for other ways of making a boneless chuck roast, how about easy enchiladas or a simple beef and onion Ragu pasta dish? Both recipes are included in the next section.
Originally, I was going to post one, but there was quite the debate on which recipe was better.
So it’s only fair to give both options and let you, dear readers, decide which one suits you best. If the mood strikes you to comment, I’d be curious to know which one comes out ahead.
Something Different to do with Chuck Roast
Looking for new ideas and something different to do with chuck roast? You’re definitely in the right place.
Try my awe inspiring Easy Enchilada and Easy Ragu recipes.
One has a Mexican flare and the other Italian. Both are made with beef chuck and are equally divine.
Rigatoni with Beef and Onion Ragu
- 1 (1- to 1 ¼-pound) boneless beef chuck-eye roast, cut into 4 pieces and trimmed of large pieces of fat
- salt
- pepper
- 2-3 tablespoons oil
- ⅓ cup pancetta, diced
- ⅓ cup salami, diced
- 1 medium carrot, peeled and diced
- 1 medium celery rib, diced
- 5 medium onions, diced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 2 teaspoons oregano leaves
- 1 pound rigatoni
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated, plus extra for serving
Sprinkle beef with 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Set aside.
Adjust oven rack to lower middle position and preheat oven to 300 degrees.
Over medium heat (ideally in a Dutch Oven or oven safe skillet or pot), heat a few tablespoons oil until it shimmers or a drop of water flicked in it dances.
Add and saute diced pancetta, salami, carrot and celery until cooked and tender, stirring regularly; about 5 minutes.
Next, add tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly until browned; less than 2 minutes.
Add 2 cups water, scraping all the browned bits that may have accumulated from the bottom of your pan.
Add onions and bring to a boil.
Stir in ½ cup wine and 1 teaspoon of oregano.
Add beef and push into onions to ensure that beef is submerged.
Transfer to oven and cook, uncovered, until beef is fully tender; 2 to 2 ½ hours.
Transfer beef to carving board.
Place pot over medium heat and cook, stirring frequently, until mixture is almost completely dry.
Stir in remaining ½ cup of wine and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Using 2 forks, shred beef into bite-size pieces. Put beef and 1 teaspoon of oregano into sauce and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Remove from heat, cover, and keep warm.
In a large pot, bring 4 quarts water to a boil. Add rigatoni and 2 tablespoons salt and cook, stirring often, until al dente. Drain rigatoni and add to warm sauce.
Add Parmesan and stir vigorously over low heat until sauce is slightly thickened and rigatoni is fully tender; 1 to 2 minutes.
Serve and have extra Parmesan on hand for those who wish to add more.
Easy Enchiladas
- 3 pounds boneless beef chuck-eye roast, trimmed and cut into 1 ½-inch cubes
- salt
- pepper
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 onions, minced
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 (15-ounce) cans tomato sauce
- ¼ cup red wine
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 12 (6-inch) corn tortillas
Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees.
Pat beef dry with paper towel and season with salt and pepper.
In a large Dutch oven or medium high heat, heat 1 tablespoon oil until shimmering or a drop of water flicked in it dances.
Cook half of the beef, turning occasionally, until well browned all over; about 8 minutes. Transfer to large bowl. Repeat with remaining oil and beef.
Pour off all but a few tablespoons of fat from pot. Add onions and ½ teaspoon salt and cook over medium heat until softened; about 8 minutes.
Stir in chili powder, cumin, coriander, cayenne, and ¼ teaspoon pepper and cook until spices darken; about 2 minutes.
Add garlic and cook until fragrant; approximately 30 seconds.
Stir in tomato sauce and wine and bring to boil.
Add browned beef, along with any accumulated juices, to pot.
Transfer pot to oven and cook, covered, until meat is fork-tender; 2 to 2½ hours.
Transfer beef to a large bowl.
Strain sauce through fine-mesh strainer, discarding solids, and set aside. (This should yield about 2 cups of sauce.)
Increase oven temperature to 375 degrees.
Spread ¾ cup sauce over bottom of 13- by 9-inch baking dish; set aside.
When beef is cool enough to handle, shred into bite-sized pieces.
Add 1 cup cheese and additional ¼ cup sauce and toss to combine.
Spray tortillas on both sides with cooking spray and arrange on rimmed baking sheet.
Bake until warm and pliable; about 1 minute.
Arrange warm tortillas on a work surface.
Place ⅓ cup beef mixture in center of each tortilla.
Roll tightly and arrange, seam-side down in baking dish.
Pour remaining sauce evenly over enchiladas and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
Cover with foil and bake until cheese is melted and enchiladas are heated through; 20 to 25 minutes.
Serve and savor every bite.
Ingredients for Slow Cooker Pulled Beef Tacos
- beef pot roast, boneless, top or bottom blade, sirloin tip or cross rib
- diced tomatoes
- tomato paste
- sweet onion
- garlic
- Italian seasoning or taco seasoning
- salt
- pepper
- tortillas
Optional Toppings
- cheese (cheddar, mozzarella, Parmesan, swiss, feta, Monterey jack, etc.)
- sour cream
- onions (red, white, yellow, Spanish)
- green onions
- shallots
- chives
- cilantro
- tomatoes
- lettuce
- sweet peppers
- olives (black or green)
- guacamole
- jalapenos
- refried beans
- corn
- lime juice
How to make Slow Cooker Pulled Beef Tacos
Prepare slow cooker with cooking spray.
Add beef and roll around to coat.
Cover and cook on low until beef is tender; 7-8 hours.
Remove beef from slow cooker and remove any string.
Using 2 forks shred or chunk into bite sized pieces. Different cuts of meat shred differently so don’t hesitate to cut meat into small chunks as necessary.
Transfer to a mixing bowl.
Add 2-4 cups of the sauce to the beef and toss to coat. Being a lover of sauces and gravies, I tend to add more sauce. The amount of sauce is up to you.
Serve wrapped in a tortilla with green onions, sour cream or any other toppings you desire.
Easy Mexican Inspired Recipes
Experience the taste of Mexico in the comfort of your own home with these easy Mexican inspired recipes! Adios!
Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas (Mexican Tacos)
Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken Tacos
Slow Cooker Cheesy Taco Beef Hash
Easy Slow Cooker Taco Chicken and Rice
Taco Zucchini Beef and Pork Skillet
Take a moment to check out our video below. You won’t believe how easy these Slow Cooker Pulled Beef Tacos are to make!
Slow Cooker Pulled Beef Tacos Video
Slow Cooker Pulled Beef Tacos
Equipment
- large slow cooker
Ingredients
- 2 - 4 pounds beef pot roast, chuck, boneless, top or bottom blade, sirloin tip or cross rib
- 1 can (28 oz) canned tomatoes, diced
- 1 can (5 ½-6 oz) tomato paste
- 1 cup sweet onion, diced
- 2 tblsp garlic, minced
- 1-2 tblsp italian seasoning, dried OR 3 tablespoons taco seasoning or 1 package
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 10 soft tortillas
Options
- 1 cup cheese, shredded, more or less to taste
- sour cream - as needed
- 2 green onion. thinly sliced
- tomatoes, diced
- lettuce shredded or chopped
- jalapenos
Instructions
- Prepare your slow cooker with cooking spray.
- In slow cooker add diced tomatoes, tomato paste, onions, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Stir until combined.
- Add beef rolling around to coat. Cover and cook on low until beef is tender, 7-8 hours.
- Remove beef from slow cooker and remove any string.
- Using 2 forks shred or chunk into bite sized pieces. I find that different cuts of meat shred differently so do not hesitate to cut the meat into small chunks as necessary.
- Transfer to a mixing bowl.
- Add 2-4 cups of the sauce to the beef and toss to coat. I love sauces and gravy so I tend to add in more sauce than Ken does when he makes this. The amount of sauce is up to you.
- Serve wrapped in a tortilla with green onions, sour cream and any other toppings if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
Slow Cooker BBQ Shredded Beef Sandwiches
When making BBQ shredded beef sandwiches or wraps I prefer to use this recipe and you will too once you give it a try!- 1 5-pound boneless beef chuck-eye roast, trimmed and cut into 4 pieces
- 8 slices bacon, diced
- 1 onion, chopped fine
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 ½ cups brewed coffee
- 1 ½ cups ketchup
- ¼ cup packed dark brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons brown mustard
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce
- 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
- salt
- pepper
- 10 sandwich rolls, split
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