Slow Cooker Shredded Beef

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Slow Cooker Shredded Beef is the perfect protein to toss onto your plate! Made simply with beef, salsa, and a few pinches of salt and pepper, this deliciously tender beef recipe is as easy to make as it is delicious. 

We LOVE our slow cooker. It’s safe to say that we plug it in at least once a week, especially during the chilly winter season. Put your Crockpot to work as well with dinner recipes like Crockpot Apricot Chicken, Slow Cooker Taco Meat and Crockpot Pierogi and Kielbasa Casserole.

Top down view of beef on a wooden cutting board.

Slow Cooker Shredded Beef

This easy dinner idea is kid-friendly, SO easy to make, inexpensive, and totally stress-free. Essentially, all you need to do is season some beef with a little salt and pepper before tossing it in the Crockpot with salsa.

Then you just let the slow cooker do all the work for you! After following those simple steps, you end up with tender beef that’s ready to shred. There are SO many ways to enjoy this simple slow cooker shredded beef

How to Make Shredded Beef in the Slow Cooker

Honestly, it’s pretty hard to mess up this taco meat recipe. It’s truly foolproof! 

  1. Season the beef on all sides and place it in the slow cooker. Pour salsa all over the beef. 
  2. Cook on low for about 8-10 hours. 
  3. Remove the meat from the slow cooker and shred it with two forks. Return the shredded meat to the slow cooker and enjoy!
Beef roast in a slow cooker.
Salsa poured over a beef roast in a slow cooker.
Salt and pepper on a beef roast.
Cooked beef in a slow cooker.

Tips for the Best Slow Cooker Shredded Beef

  • We don’t recommend cooking the beef on high heat. If you want to cook the beef faster, cut it up into smaller chunks so it doesn’t take as long to cook.
  • This may sound silly to say, but this dish has more of “beef” flavor than a taco meat or fajita beef flavor. The salsa helps to give it some moisture and some background tomato and onion taste, but it doesn’t flavor the beef very much. If you’re using the beef in tacos, burritos, etc., consider adding taco seasoning, fajita seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, pickled jalapeños, etc. An Italian dressing packet and pepperoncini are another great option! This recipe is meant to be more of a blank slate to build from.
  • You’ll need about 2 packets (about 2 ounces) of taco or fajita seasoning for a 3 to 4 pound beef roast (or extra packets for more pronounced flavor).

Storage

This Crockpot shredded beef will stay fresh in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 3 to 4 days.

Shredded beef on a cutting board.

How should I serve Slow Cooker Shredded Beef?

This blank slate recipe can be dressed up in a number of different ways! Add some taco seasoning and serve it on tortillas, place it on a bun with a drizzle of your favorite sauce, or toss it onto some nachos. 

What kind of salsa should I use?

Any kind works! We recommend buying a container of store-bought salsa that you already are familiar with, that way you know you’ll like the subtle flavor it provides. 

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Slow cooker shredded beef on a cutting board.

Slow Cooker Shredded Beef

5 from 1 vote
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Author: Kimberly
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 9 hours
Total Time: 9 hours 5 minutes
Servings: 12 Servings

Ingredients

  • 3 to 4 pound beef roast
  • Salt and pepper, generous amount to season the beef
  • 2 cups salsa

Instructions
 

  • Place the beef into a slow cooker and season both sides with salt and pepper. Pour the salsa over the beef.
  • Cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours or until the beef begins to separate and fall apart.
  • Remove the beef from the slow cooker and use forks to shred. Return the beef to the slow cooker and enjoy!
  • See post for tips, FAQs, and storage options.

Suggested Equipment

Notes

*The calories listed are an approximation based on the ingredients in the recipe card and a serving size of 1/4 of a pound. Actual calories will vary.
 
*For more information, tips, and answers to frequently asked questions, please refer to the post.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.25cup | Calories: 149kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 65mg | Sodium: 1991mg | Potassium: 429mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 208IU | Vitamin C: 52mg | Calcium: 330mg | Iron: 3mg
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