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.
Really tasty, I cut out a lot of the fat from the meat, prior to cooking. I just didn’t want to be be eating all that fat with my meat. It still tasted really good. I used the canned Adobe pepper and sauce and froze the rest in individual portions for another time. This recipe is a keeper.
Have anyone ever made this in an InstantPot? If so what was the cooking time? TIA
I just made this in my stovetop pressure cooker and cooked it at pressure for 50 minutes. I did double the beef stock to not burn or run out of liquid though. You will have to strain out the extra liquid but its so tasty, thanks for the recipe
I use an entire can of chipotle peppers. I’m in Colorado. :D
Amazing!!!!!! Thank you!!!!!!
Thanks, Hortencia, we’re glad you enjoyed them!
Made this many times! A great recipe which i recommend to everyone, thanks!
Thanks, Amy, we’re so glad you enjoy the recipe!
CAn I slow cook a beef brisket instead?
Hi Raymond! Yes, definitely! Just put the brisket in the slow cooker, fat-side up. We hope you enjoy!
How is the cook time only 15 minutes? Also since you simmer for 3-5 minutes, I don’t see how the prep time is only 5 minutes.
Hi John — oh no, that is a big error! We’ve just edited the recipe to reflect the proper prep and cook times. We apologize for this!
Great tacos – really really tasty – thank you for sharing this recipe…, I added black pepper and Himalayan salt obsoletely wonderful.
I love Mexican food, as soon as I can make this recipe at home.
Thank you, great recipe! I added a little bit of fresh squeezed lime juice in my crock pot came out soft and flavorful. I usually prep the meat and place everything in crock pot and refrigerate the nite before. Then put on low heat and go to work in the morning. When I get home only 20 minutes to just warm some tortillas and gather up my toppings. Home by 5 dinner by 530 and leftovers for the next day, crockpots should be mandatory in every home. Keep pumping out more recipes you’re the best!
Aw, thank you, Shelly! This sounds delicious! :)
Those look amazing but I have to ask about those tortillas! Are those homemade or store bought?
Thanks, Tricia — we hope you enjoy the recipe! And the tortillas are store bought. :)