I think I may be one of the only people in the world who’s not a Chipotle fan. I know…judge away.
But. I absolutely love shredded beef tacos. They’re my absolute favorite thing to order at two of my favorite Mexican restaurants in town. So when I saw one of my favorite bloggers post a delicious photo and recipe of her shredded beef tacos a few months ago, I knew I had to give them a try!
In the past whenever I’ve tried making shredded beef, the seasonings have always seemed too bland. But sure enough, this recipe — rockin’ the chipotle peppers, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic and more — made for some totally flavorful tacos!!! And for leftovers later in the week…it starred again in some quesadillas and sandwiches as well. :)
So bring out your crock pot, and give this recipe a try! It’s definitely a keeper!
Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Tacos
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
- 2 pounds beef (I used a boneless chuck roast)
- 2 tsp. chili powder
- 1 tsp. cumin
- 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
- 1 cup beef stock
- 2 Tbsp. tomato paste
- 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, minced (if you want extra flavor/heat, add an extra pepper)
- 1 small white onion, diced
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- Flour tortillas
Instructions
- Whisk together the chili powder, cumin, and smoked paprika in a small bowl. Rub the spice mix into the beef, covering each side evenly.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Carefully place the beef in the skillet and sear on each side until browned, about 2 minutes per side. Remove the beef from the skillet and place in the bottom of a slow cooker.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and diced onion to the saute pan. Saute for an additional 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add the beef stock and stir the pan to deglaze it, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add tomato paste and minced chipotle, and whisk into the pan sauce until combined. Bring the sauce to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for a 3-5 minutes until the sauce has reduced and thickened slightly. Pour the pan sauce down over the beef in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 3-4 hours, until the beef shreds easily.
- Shred the beef with two forks, and toss to coat with any of the remaining juices. Serve the beef in the flour tortillas, topped with your favorite taco toppings.
Notes
Did you make this?Let me know how it turned out in the comments below!
Ali’s Tip:
If you’re like me and rarely make it through an entire can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, would highly recommend chipotle powder! It’s now available in most grocery stores, and is so fun to have on hand. For one pepper, I usually substitute in around 1/2 tsp. of the powder.
Hi, I’d like to try and make the shredded beef tacos can you please tell me where I can get the chipotle adobo sauce would I be able to get it from any grocery store?
Hi Diana! You can find chipotle peppers in adobo sauce in the International aisle of most grocery stores. We hope this helps!
Made these last week (had a Mexican themed date night at home), awesome! Making them again tonight for some friends, cheers from New Zealand!
Thanks for sharing Kylie, we’re happy you liked them, and hope your New Zealand friends do as well! :)
I made this yesterday. I added an equal amnuot of chicken stock because I was cooking 4lbs of pork. I let the whole thing go in my slow cooker for about 3 hours. It was excellent, but I had to add a significant amnuot of salt to bring the flavor up to where it should be. Thanks for the inspiration.
Thanks Niraj, we’re happy you liked these! Thanks for sharing how you made them with pork! :)
Making it tonight, semelles good so far.
We hope you love these Andrea, thanks for giving the recipe a try!
Yum! Absolutely perfect! This website seriously NEVER disappoints!
Thank you so much, Julia, we really appreciate that! :)
Hi!
Would you suggest halving the recipe to make it enough for two people? So exited to make this…2nd meal of the relationship so wish me luck! It looks great!:)
Hi Lauren! Yes, I think this recipe would work just fine, halved. Good luck! Let me know how it turns out for you guys. : )
im trying this recipe for the first time! I still cooking as I toe! I’m having my Cinco de Mayo party and after reading the reviews I’m sure it will be great! I’ll let you know tomorrow.
Laura, I hope you love them and that your party is a blast! : )
I made this recipe out of a combo beef and pork stew meat (that’s what I had). I cooked for 4 hours in slow cooker then made burrito bowls. The whole family loved them. Wonderful flavor in the meat. I am sharing with all my foodie friends. Thank you for sharing Ali!
Thanks for sharing Diana, so glad they were a hit with the fam!
I have this in the crock pot for the last 6 hours on low but it’s still to hard to shred??
I just put these in the crock pot. I couldn’t find the peppers so I substituted with different peppers. Our house smells delish! Can’t wait to try!
Thanks for giving it a try Anna, hope you guys liked them!