This Crock Pot Mexican-Style Shredded Beef is perfect for taco night! Chuck roast, salsa, taco seasoning and sauce are all that's needed! So tender and flavorful!

SHREDDED BEEF FOR TACOS!

One of the great things about slow cookers is they allow you to take a fairly tough and fairly inexpensive cut of meat and really transform it. By cooking it at a lower temperature and for a longer amount of time, the meat improves in texture and flavor.

tostada with shredded beef, lettuce and tomato on a wooden cutting board

WHY USE A SLOW COOKER FOR MEAT?

Here's the smarty pants science: Slow cooking softens the connective tissue that binds the muscle fibers in the meat and the proteins in the muscle are less likely to overcook.
The longer cooking time allows the collagen in the meat to break down, creating a rich gelatin. Translation: the meat is tender and juicy!
Then when you add different spices and flavors to the party, you can change a simple CROCK POT BEEF DIP into Beef Tacos. I'm using a 3-step flavoring process with this recipe.
With each step, we are really "upping" the flavor in this meat. It comes out so tender and so flavorful and there are a bunches of uses for this shredded beef.

Crock Pot Mexican Shredded Beef recipe from The Country Cook, shredded beef shown in a slow cooker with chopped parsley sprinkled on top

INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (FULL RECIPE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST)

chuck roast
taco seasoning
salsa
water
taco sauce

Mexican Shredded Beef ingredients: chuck roast, taco seasoning, salsa, water, taco sauce

HOW TO MAKE MEXICAN-STYLE SHREDDED BEEF:

Note: You'll need to try to plan this out ahead of time since the meat needs time to marinate. Place roast on a large piece of plastic wrap. Sprinkle entire packet of taco seasoning over chuck roast. Make sure all sides get coated. Rub it in to ensure good coating.

taco seasoning ruined into a chuck roast on a piece of aluminum foil

Wrap up roast with plastic wrap.

Then wrap in aluminum foil and then pop it in your fridge overnight (or for at least 2 hours but overnight is best.)

roast wrapped in aluminum foil on a marble surface

The next morning, place the marinated roast into the slow cooker. Note: you'll need a minimum 5-quart slow cooker for this recipe and this oval shape works great for the shape of a chuck roast. Pour jar of salsa over the roast. Then pour in 1 cup of water. No need to stir.

salsa and water covering a chuck roast in a slow cooker

Cover and cook on low for about 8-9 hours. Take meat out and shred with a fork. At this point the roast should be very tender so it should be fairly easy to shred. Discard any fatty pieces. Dump out the remaining liquid that is in the slow cooker. Note: I like to leave about ½ cup of the cooking liquid in the crock pot. Then put the shredded meat back into the slow cooker.

cooked and shredded chuck roast in a black oval slow cooker

Pour in taco sauce.

taco sauce added to shredded and cooked chuck roast

Give it a good stir. Then cover and cook on high for 15-20 minutes until warmed through. Then serve! You can use any type of shell you like. Or use the beef in a taco salad or on a tostada, whatever your preference.

Mexican-Style Shredded beef shown being held in tongs over the slow cooker

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Crock Pot Mexican Shredded Beef

This Crock Pot Mexican-Style Shredded Beef is perfect for taco night! Chuck roast, salsa, taco seasoning and sauce are all that's needed!

4.91 from 20 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Crock Pot Taco Shredded Beef, Mexcan Beef, Mexican Shredded Beef, Slow Cooker Mexican Shredded Beef

Prep Time: 2 hours 10 minutes

Cook Time: 9 hours 20 minutes

Total Time: 11 hours 30 minutes

Servings:

Calories: 230kcal

Author: Brandie @ The Country Cook

Ingredients

Instructions

Place roast on a large piece of plastic wrap. Sprinkle entire packet of taco seasoning over chuck roast.
Rub it in to ensure good coating. Make sure all sides get coated.
Wrap up roast with plastic wrap. Then wrap in aluminum foil.
Put it in the refrigerator overnight (or for at least 2 hours but overnight is best).
The next morning, place the marinated roast into a 4-6 quart slow cooker.
Pour jar of salsa over the roast. Then pour in 1 cup of water. No need to stir.
Cover and cook on low for about 8-9 hours.
Take meat out and shred with a fork. It should be very tender and easy to shred. Discard any fatty pieces.
Dump out the remaining liquid that is in the slow cooker (reserve about ½ cup)
Then put the shredded meat back into the slow cooker. Pour in jar of taco sauce and give it a good stir.
Then cover and cook on high for 15-20 minutes until warmed through.

Video

Notes

You'll need to try to plan this out ahead of time since the meat needs time to marinate. Serve in taco shells with your favorite toppings!

Nutrition

Nutritional Disclaimer

“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.

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Originally posted: February 2013
Updated & republished: April 2021

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