This slow cooked Mexican beef is so easy to make and results in incredibly tender and flavourful beef that just falls apart after spending all day in the slow cooker.
Use this slow cooker beef in these shredded beef tacos or this beef burrito bowl! And if you’re looking for more slow cooker recipes, definitely try this slow cooker BBQ pulled pork, or this slow cooker buffalo chicken next.
This is one of those recipes I have been making for years and finally I decided it deserved its own spot on the website. You see, this recipe is so ridiculously simple I mean it’s hardly a recipe!
What it definitely is however, is something you need to make immediately. All you really need is some time because as the name suggests, it’s slow cooked, so you’ll need a minimum of 6 hours for this one but the result is so worth the wait.
Every time I make this I am blown away by how good pulled beef can be. There is so much flavour thanks to the homemade seasoning blend which makes this a really versatile protein to add to all your favourite Mexican dishes (keep scrolling for a bunch of serving ideas!).
Key Ingredients
This is one of the easiest slow cooker recipes I have on my site I think. With a well stocked spice rack and a visit to your local butcher, you’ll have everything you need to make this insanely delicious slow cooked pulled beef that can be used as a base for so many different meals.
Note all ingredients and their quantities are laid out in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Beef – this recipe is based on a 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds) approximately sized chuck roast which is perfect for slow cooking as it becomes super tender and delicious. I’ve recently found them to be a little harder to find though, so you can also use a small bolar bade which is very similar to chuck and slow cooks wonderfully, or even use a small brisket.
- Spices – this recipe uses a homemade taco seasoning to give the beef a Mexican-inspired flavour. If you have a store bought seasoning you like, you can certainly use a packet of seasoning instead to make this super quick and easy. It’s important to be aware however that lots of seasoning packets contain gluten and sugar as well so make sure to read the label if you’re catering to different dietary requirements.
Equipment and Tools
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Slow Cooker / Multi Cooker – I replaced my slow cooker with the Philips All In One as it also functions as a pressure cooker so I get a lot more use out of it.
Step-By-Step Instructions
This recipe starts by making a homemade taco seasoning blend. The blend itself is a little spicy but once cooked with the beef becomes quite mild, but if you’re sensitive to heat, feel free to reduce the amount of chilli powder down to 1 1⁄2 teaspoons instead.
Remove your chuck roast or other slow cooker beef cut from its packaging and pat it dry with a paper towel. Rub the spice mixture all over the beef, ensuring it’s well coated. Any seasoning that falls off you can just throw into the slow cooker with the beef as well so it doesn’t go to waste.
Place the beef in the bowl of your slow cooker and add in ¼ cup of water. Place on the lid and cook for 6 hours or low for 8–10 hours. The beef is done when the beef is tender and easily falls apart.
Use two forks to shred the beef directly in the slow cooker and mix the shredded beef with the remaining cooking liquid. Taste and adjust seasoning with extra salt if needed. From here, you can serve however you like or store it for future meals.
Storage Instructions
This slow cooker Mexican beef is fantastic for meal prep as it reheats well and can also be frozen for future meals.
Transfer the cooled beef to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 4 days. To freeze, place the cooled beef in a freezer safe container or ziplock bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
To reheat, either add the beef to a pan over low-medium heat with a splash of water until warmed through or place in the microwave in short bursts (30–60 seconds) with a little water, stirring in between.
Serving Suggestions
This tender, flavourful slow cooked pulled beef is so incredibly versatile! Here are just a few delicious ways to enjoy it:
- Tacos – try this shredded beef tacos recipe which uses this beef (pictured below).
- Bowls – this is my favourite beef burrito bowl which uses this shredded beef, but you can also swap out the beef mince in this taco bowl.
- Burritos – wrap the beef in a tortilla with rice, beans, and your fav toppings.
- Nachos – pile the beef onto tortilla chips with dairy free cheese, avocado and black beans.
- Serve with a side of this rice cooker Mexican rice.
- Loaded Baked Potatoes – swap out the mince for this shredded beef in this Mexican-style loaded potatoes recipe.
Recipe FAQs
Yes you can. Season the beef and place it in the pot with ½ cup of water as instructed. Seal the lid and set the pressure cooker to high pressure for 60 minutes. Allow a natural pressure release for 10–15 minutes before shredding the beef.
I recommend using a small chuck roast, bolar blade, or brisket as they are going to give you the best result when slow cooking.
If you do make this recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating below! And tag any of your creations on Instagram with @eightforestlane as I would love to see.
More slow cooker beef recipes:
Slow Cooker Corned Beef
Slow Cooker Bolognese
Slow Cooker Beef Stew
Slow Cooked Mexican Beef
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ tablespoon chili powder
- ½ tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon red chilli flakes
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 kg chuck beef roast bolar blade, or small brisket
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix together the chili powder, cumin, paprika, sea salt, garlic powder, onion powder, red chilli flakes, oregano, and black pepper.
- Rub the spice mixture all over the beef, ensuring it is well coated.
- Place the beef in the bowl of a slow cooker and pour in ¼ cup of water. Cover and cook on high for 6 hours or low for 8–10 hours, until the beef is tender and easily shreds.
- Once cooked, use two forks to shred the beef directly in the slow cooker. Mix the shredded beef with the remaining cooking liquid. Taste and adjust seasoning with extra salt if needed.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as a guide only and is calculated using automated online tools, therefore we cannot guarantee the accuracy. We encourage you to make your own calculations based on the actual ingredients used in your recipe.
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