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.
I was just going to mention the same thing as Julie abut freezing the chipotle peppers. I was in the middle of making this recipe and was rather fortunate to open the freezer drawer — and there was my frozen chipotles. Didn’t have to go for a hunt thru the freezer to find them. Just tear off some of the frozen section in the bag and you’re good to go. YUM — have to wait 6 to 8 hours now!
Ali mentioned that she never uses a whole can of chipotles. I freeze the rest (sauce and all) in a plastic bag. When I have a recipe calls for chipotles, I grate the frozen sauce and peppers into the dish.
i will make these tomorrow. i just wanted to tell you, chipotles in adobo taste much better to me, and i also never get through a can. i freeze it in a ziplock then pull it out and chop off the amount i need while its still frozen. pop it back in the ziploc. freezer. voila.
I put individual chipotle peppers and a little of their sauce in individual snack size zip lock bags and freeze. Usually I am blending them into a sauce or chopping them. I thaw them quickly in the microwave.
Used this as a “starter” recipe and adjusted to our preferences. Used the basic spices listed – but replaced the paprika with a “piri piri” spice (which main ingredient is pequin chiles and spanish paprika), plus a 1/2 tsp of “Baker’s Brew Coffee spice”. Substituted an 8oz Heineken plus 1/2 cup of expresso in place of the beef stock. Used 4-5 chipotles and their adobe sauce, plus a whole onion instead of half. Excellent flavor and just enough heat for us. Served them topped with a homemade red slaw. Be sure to keep the sauce, as the beef re-heats really well in it and absorb the liquid and it’s flavor for next servings.
I am Starting my shredded beef for my tacos tomorrow. I am following these instructions adding a little Cajun seasoning and a whole yellow onion.
I made this last night and it was uh-mazing. I don’t think it needs any “fixins” though…white corn tortillas and the shredded beef were perfect on their own.
Thanks for this recipe…it’s definitely a keeper!
I have now made the recipe several times and it always turns out amazing. I have it cooking as I am typing this and my house smells great. I add even extra chipotle peppers because my family really likes it spicey. This is a recipe that I will pass down to my daughters. Thank you for sharing!
I made these last night and they were absolutely delicious! I only cooked them on low for about 5 hours because i still like the texture of beef and didn’t want it to be shredded too fine. My fiance is still raving about them. Definitely a keeper!
Just what I was looking for, to make Indian tacos!
This isn’t Indian.
Ummmm, “Indian Tacos” are not Indian food. They’re Indian as in Native American, so made with traditional fry bread. I’ve also heard of them being called Street Tacos. Either way, they’re delicious!
Indian tacos are Native American. Basically meat on fry bread with taco-type toppings. In Arizona, I grew up knowing them as Navajo Tacos, one of my favorite foods! Here in Oklahoma, they are called Indian Tacos & usually have shredded beef & whole pinto beans with lettuce,tomato,salsa, sour cream, etc. I can see where this meat would be really good on them, I may just have to make some!
Really good! The first time I made this I followed the recipe. The second time I added more garlic, onion powder (along with the chopped onion) and seasoning salt. It was sooooo good.
Mine has been cooking for 5 hours now and my stomach is growling!! It smells sooooo good!! I can’t wait until my husband gets home and walks in and smells it. :) I know he is going to say something. He loves shredded beef tacos, and this recipe definitely sounds like something he will love. I used 2 chipotle peppers because we like spice. Especially him… if it tastes as good as it smells, I think my tastebuds will be having a party as soon as I take the first bite. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. :)