Mexican Shredded Beef
Forget the ground beef, this Mexican Shredded Beef is an even more delicious filling for tacos, burritos, and all your Tex-Mex favorites! Made in the slow cooker, it’s tender, juicy, and full of big, bold flavors.
Ground beef tacos are delicious, but it’s important to switch up your taco game, especially if you make Taco Tuesday a regular occurrence. Mexican shredded beef is an excellent filling to add to your rotation—maybe in between Grilled Shrimp Tacos and Chorizo Tacos?
This shredded Mexican beef recipe is made with chuck roast that’s slow cooked with lots of Tex-Mex spices in the crockpot until it’s tender enough to pull apart with a fork. The slow cooking means there’s lots of time for the flavors to develop and deepen, but more importantly, the meat stays moist and juicy, resulting in a fantastic taco filling. And unlike ground beef, shredded beef has bigger chunks of meat that add a more satisfying texture to your tacos.
Of course, you don’t HAVE to use Mexican shredded beef for tacos. The world is your oyster, my friend. I share some more ways to put this recipe to use below!
Ingredients for Mexican Shredded Beef
Here’s a quick rundown of what you’ll need for this recipe. For the full measurements, scroll down to the recipe card.
- Chuck Roast – Chuck roast is a cut of beef that really benefits from a long, slow cooking time in a crockpot.
- Spice Rub – Ground cumin, ground chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, ground cayenne, kosher salt and ground pepper.
- Olive Oil – Or another oil you like to use for cooking, like avocado oil.
- Beef Broth – A more flavorful alternative to water for the cooking liquid.
- Crushed Tomatoes – I like these better than diced tomatoes for this recipe because they’re juicier, but they still have more texture than a tomato sauce or puree.
- Salsa – Use a spicy salsa for more heat, or a mild salsa if you like things tamer—although keep in mind there will still be some heat from the chipotle.
- Chipotle Chili in Adobo – You’ll need the pepper itself plus some of the sauce from the can.
- Honey – Just a bit for balance.
- Limes – You’ll need the juice and zest.
- Ground Oregano – I recommend Mexican oregano because we’re making Mexican shredded beef, but Turkish oregano is fine too.
How to Make Mexican Shredded Beef
This is a quick rundown of the steps for making Mexican shredded beef. You’ll find more detailed instructions in the recipe card below.
- Make the rub. Whisk together all of the ingredients in a small bowl.
- Season. Pat it dry, then rub on the seasonings.
- Sear. Heat oil in a cast iron skillet and sear the roast on all sides.
- Cook. Add the beef to the slow cooker with the rest of the ingredients and cook on HIGH for 3 ½ – 4 ½ hours or on LOW for 6-8 hours.
- Shred. Transfer the beef to a plate and shred it.
- Cook again. Return the shredded beef to the slow cooker and cook for 20 minutes more. Season to taste.
- Serve. Transfer the beef to a bowl and use it to make other recipes or serve in warm tortillas.
Tips for Making Mexican Shredded Beef
These simple tips will help you make sure your Mexican shredded beef turns out perfect
- Sear the roast. Don’t skip the searing! Browning the roast before adding it to the slow cooker enhances the overall flavor by creating a rich, caramelized crust. It’s essential!
- Adjust the heat. If you prefer a milder flavor, reduce the amount of cayenne and chipotle. For spicier shredded beef, add extra. I recommend erring on the side of not spicy, because you can always add more heat, but you can’t subtract it.
- Make it for meal prep. I love Mexican shredded beef for meal prep dinners. The flavors continue to develop in the fridge and because it can be used in so many ways, it doesn’t feel repetitive if you eat it two nights in a row.
- Store and reheat it properly. Refrigerate any leftover shredded beef in an airtight container with the sauce for up to 4 days. To reheat, simply warm it gently with the sauce in a skillet or microwave. (The sauce helps it stay moist.)
My Favorite Ways to Use Mexican Shredded Beef
Here are some of my favorite ways to use this Mexican shredded beef.
- Tacos. The classic choice! Serve the shredded beef in warm corn or flour tortillas and top with diced onions, fresh cilantro, avocado, and a squeeze of lime juice.
- Burritos. Roll up the beef in a large tortilla with rice, beans, cheese, and your favorite salsa. Or make it into a burrito bowl!
- Quesadillas. Cheesy quesadillas are even better when you add Mexican shredded beef between the layers of cheese.
- Nachos. Layer tortilla chips with shredded beef, cheese, jalapeños, and your choice of toppings.
- Salads. Add this recipe to Dorito Taco Salad instead of ground beef.
- Stuffed peppers. Mix the shredded beef with cooked rice and stuff the mixture into halved bell peppers, then top with cheese. Follow the baking method this recipe: Stuffed Bell Peppers.
What to Serve With This Recipe
- Refried Beans
- Avocado Corn Salad
- Quick Pickled Jalapeños
- Mexican Street Corn Salad (Esquites Recipe)
- Cilantro Lime Rice
- Guacamole Salsa
- Quick Pickled Red Onions
- Black Bean and Corn Salad
More Slow Cooker Beef Recipes
- Slow Cooker Beef Stew with Ale
- Crock Pot Italian Beef Sandwich
- Slow Cooker Thai Red Curry Beef Stew
- Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwich
- Mississippi Pot Roast
- Crock Pot Pulled Pork
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Get the Recipe: Mexican Shredded Beef
Ingredients
- 1 chuck roast
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon ground chili powder
- ½ tablespoon smoked paprika
- ½ tablespoon garlic powder
- ½ tablespoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 can crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup salsa
- 1 chipotle chili in adobo
- 2 tablespoons adobo sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey
- Juice and zest of 2 limes
- 1 tablespoon ground oregano
Instructions
- Whisk together all of the spice rub ingredients in a small bowl; set aside.
- Pat beef dry with paper towels then liberally season with the spice rub, gently pressing to adhere. Save any excess spices to add to the pot later.
- Heat oil in a large cast iron skillet (or large Dutch oven for oven/stovetop method) over medium-high heat. Once very hot, add beef and sear on all sides.
- Transfer beef to a 6 quart (or larger) slow cooker along with all remaining ingredients, including any leftover spices. Stir to combine. Cover and cook on HIGH for 3 ½ – 4 ½ hours or on LOW for 6-8 hours, OR until the beef shreds easily with two forks.
- Remove the beef to a rimmed plate or large bowl (do NOT discard juices in slow cooker), and shred with two forks, discarding any excess fat.
- Add the shredded beef back to slow cooker and toss with slow cooker juices. Cook on low for 20 minutes for beef to absorb juices. Taste and season with hot sauce/cayenne pepper, lime juice or brown sugar to taste.
- Remove beef with a pair of tongs to a serving bowl or strain in colander so tacos, etc. don’t get soggy. I like to save the liquid to cook my rice in (just add liquid plus water needed for rice). Serve in tacos, burritos, quesadillas, taquitos, salads, nachos, etc.