Slow Cooker Shredded Beef

Slow cooker shredded beef is so simple to make it really doesn’t even need a recipe. You could essentially just toss beef into a slow cooker with a little bit of water, and bada bing, bada boom, you’ve got yourself some slow cooker shredded beef. However, as with everything, I like to a little bit of spice to my dishes to add just enough intrigue to keep you coming back for more.

Shredded beef is not something I had growing up, in fact it’s not something I even cooked in the past, but rather something that I have gotten into lately. A few years ago, after learning a lot about food production and nutrition, I decided I wanted to make a change and focus more on the sustainability of the meat that I buy. After visiting my local butcher and local farmer’s market, I decided the most logical thing for me to do was to buy a beef share. Much like you can opt into a vegetable CSA, you can also opt into a beef CSA and I was so lucky to find an amazing farm in my area, Arc Acres. The beef CSA is simple, you choose the quantity and size you want, and when the time comes, you pick up your share for the winter. The share includes a variety of assorted cuts to add to the freezer so you can make meals all year long, but because you don’t get to pick and choose your cuts, it forces you to be a little creative with some of the cooking methods you might be used to. I’ve had an absolute blast trying different cuts, new recipes and whipping up batches of bone broth, which is how I created this fun recipe for slow cooker shredded beef.

I think most people see roast cuts and immediately think roast dinner, but there is so much more you can do with them. The odd cuts and the fattier cuts are best cooked low and slow to maximize flavour and texture, so this recipe is just that. I’ve gone for a bit of a Mexican theme with my choice of spices (because I think it makes great tacos), but once shredded this meat can really be used for anything from breakfast to stews, and makes a great meal prep idea for a week of lunches.

Slow Cooker Shredded Beef

If you don’t have a chuck roast any beef roast will do. The mixture of spices add some extra flavour, but you could also cook the meat with simple salt and pepper and then season it with a sauce or marinade once it is done.

Author: Stephanie Kay
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 8 hours
Total Time: 8 hours 10 minutes
Yield: 8 servings 1x
Category: Mains
Cuisine: Paleo, Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free

Scale

Ingredients

2lb chuck roast
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chilli powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup beef stock or water
2 tablespoon tomato paste
2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Instructions

In a small bowl, mix spices and salt together to create a rub.
Using your hands, rub the spice mix onto the roast on all sides. Ensure that the beef is well covered.
In a skillet on medium-high heat, melt butter and sear roast on all sides. You simply want to cook the roast for 30 seconds per side to sear in all of the juices and enhance the flavour of the spices. You can skip this step, but the flavour won’t be exactly the same.
Transfer the seared meat to a slow cooker, and add in the rest of the ingredients to the pot. The meat will not be covered in broth, this is totally fine. More juices will run out as it the meat cooks down.
Turn the slow cooker on low and allow to cook for 8-10 hours. The meat will be done when it easily falls apart.
Once cooked, remove the meat from the slow cooker and transfer to a cutting board. (Do not throw out the leftover liquid in the slow cooker.) Using two forks, pull the beef apart until it is all shredded.
Depending on your slow cooker, the remaining liquid in the slow cooker might be thick or liquidy. If it is very runny, quickly transfer the liquid to a saucepan and cook on high for 5-10 minutes until the water has evaporated and the sauce has thickened. The leftover sauce will be used as an extra marinade for the beef.
Transfer the shredded beef back into the leftover sauce and toss well to combine.
The beef can be served immediately, stored in the fridge for a week, or in the freezer for several months.
Enjoy!