How to Make Shredded Beef
This Easy Shredded Beef Recipe is one of my favorite recipes! Not only is it delicious and flavorful, but it’s also so flexible. You can make this easy shredded beef in a dutch oven, in your slow cooker, or a pressure cooker (Instant Pot). This recipe is also freezer-friendly!
If you’ve met me, you know I am a freak about tacos! Not only am I obsessed with the authentic street taco, but I can also turn almost any meal into a taco.
Case in point, I love eating my Thai Chicken Meatballs with my Cucumber Salad on a Tortilla and calling it a Bahn Mi Taco. Disclaimer: not authentic, but delicious anyhow.
Recipes like this one are great because it means that I always have a low-carb, keto-friendly protein on hand.
What You’ll Love About This Shredded Beef Recipe
This easy pulled beef recipe is excellent when making tacos, but you can also use it to make pulled beef sandwiches or even eat it on top of a salad or some rice.
- Easy: You can make this recipe in the oven, slow cooker, or an instant pot.
- Flavorful: This recipe is so flexible. You can make it simple with a little Taco Seasoning or a Mocha Rub.
- Perfect for Meal Prep: This recipe freezes well, and you can eat it in more than one way, so it’s a perfect easy meal prep recipe.
- Tacos: This is the BEST Mexican Shredded Beef Taco Recipe! It comes out perfect every single time.
- Multi-Purpose: This easy shredded beef recipe is perfect for tacos, burritos, or taco salad, and even sandwichs!
Recipe Notes
Making the BEST Shredded Beef is easy. Just follow a few basic steps and you can make this super flavor full dish that everyone is going to love!
Ingredients
- Chuck Roast: A 4 to 6-pound chuck roast is perfect for this recipe. Remember, you can make this recipe and then immediately freeze half.
- Beef Broth: Buy a low sodium beef stock or beef broth. You can also make your own if you are feeling ambitious.
- Spices: This recipe calls for a mix of smoky spices and finely ground coffee. Smoked paprika, chili powder, ginger, cocoa powder, and Aleppo pepper all give this recipe it’s unique coffee-rubbed flavor.
Special Equipment
I have to be honest and say that I usually am not a fan of slow cooker recipes. However, this recipe makes excellent slow cooker shredded beef tacos. Depending on which method you are using to cook this shredded beef, you need to have one of these.
I am a massive fan of both the dutch oven and the instant pot because it saves me the step of browning my chuck roast in a separate pan.
Pressure Cooker: I have a 6 quart Instant Pot. I have had great success with this recipe using my Instant Pot.
Dutch Oven: I use a 5.5 quart Staub Dutch Oven. I am in love with this pan. I used it at least once a week. It makes incredible soups, stews, and roasts. Recently, I have even started using it for sourdough bread. I highly recommend splurging on this essential cookware if you don’t have one.
Slow cooker: I have a large crockpot. I use it for this recipe, and my Slow Cooker Pulled Pork. I use it very rarely.
Instructions
Step 1: Season and Brown
- Remove the chuck roast from the refrigerator, then rinse it and pat it dry.
- Season the meat with the Mocha Rub.
- Add a few teaspoons of oil to a pan and then brown the roast on all sides.
Step 2: Add liquid
- Add the beef broth.
- Double the amount of liquid you add if you are using the dutch oven or the pressure cooker.
Step 3: Cook
Instant Pot Instructions:
- Season and brown the chuck roast on the Sauté setting in the Instant Pot.
- After browning the chuck roast, add the liquid and set to pressure cook on high pressure for 50 minutes.
- Let the pressure release for 10 to 15 minutes.
Dutch Oven Instructions:
- Season and brown the chuck roast in the dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- Preheat the oven to 450℉.
- Add the liquid to the dutch oven, cover.
- Cook in the oven for 30 minutes.
- Reduce the temperature of the oven to 350℉ — Cook for 4 hours.
Slow Cooker Instructions:
- Season and brown the chuck roast in a heavy-bottomed skillet.
- Add the roast and the liquid to the slow cooker. Cover.
- Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours OR on high for 4 to 5 hours.
What To Serve With Shredded Beef
- Salsa Fresca
- Guacamole
- Roasted Corn Salsa
- Mexican Street Corn (Elotes)
- Homemade Corn Tortillas
- Homemade Flour Tortillas
- Low Carb Tortillas – gnom gnom
- Keto Tortillas – Wholesome Yum
Other Recipe You Might Like:
Easy Shredded Beef Recipe
Equipment
- dutch oven (affiliate link)
Ingredients
- 4 lbs beef chuck roast
- 1 White Onion, Sliced, about 1 cup
- 1 cup Beef Broth (affiliate link), or Filtered Water
Mocha Rub
- 4 tbsp coffee, finely ground
- 4 tbsp smoked paprika
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder (affiliate link)
- 2 tsp aleppo pepper, or Crushed Red Pepper
- 2 tsp chili powder (affiliate link)
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 2 tsp kosher salt (affiliate link)
- 1 tbsp black pepper
Instructions
- Mix up a batch of Mocha Rub4 tbsp coffee, 4 tbsp smoked paprika, 2 tbsp cocoa powder, 2 tsp aleppo pepper, 2 tsp chili powder, 2 tsp ground ginger, 2 tsp kosher salt, 1 tbsp black pepper
- Use a few tablespoons to seasoning your roast.
- Add seasoned roast, sliced onion, and beef broth to a slow cooker.4 lbs beef chuck roast, 1 White Onion, 1 cup Beef Broth
- Cook on high for at least 4 hours. The meat should be fork tender.
- Remove the meat and shred with two forks.
- Serve with taco fixins or your favorite veggies.
Laura’s Tips + Notes
- Brown the seasoned Chuck Roast in the Instant Pot.
- Add the onions and the broth.
- Cook on High Pressure, manual for 50 minutes.
- Let the pressure release for 10-15 minutes.
- Remove roast and place on a cutting board. Use 2 forks to shred.
- On the stovetop, brown the seasoned roast on all sides.
- Preheat oven to 450℉.
- Add the onions and the broth to the dutch oven.
- Cover and place in the oven.
- Cook for 30 minutes.
- Reduce temperature to 350℉ then cook for an additional 3-4 hours.
- After seasoning the chuck roast, brown on all sides.
- Place the browned chuck into the slow cooker.
- Add the onions to the slow cooker and then the broth.
- Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.
- Cook on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours.
YOUR OWN NOTES
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Nutrition
FAQs and Variations
Chuck roast is the best of cut of beef for making shredded beef tacos. This cut of meat is a fibrous cut that needs to be cooked for a long time (or with a pressure cooker) to be tender. Once it is tender you can easily shred it.
Beef brisket is also a great choice for making shredded beef.
Making tacos is as easy as getting together your favorite tortillas and toppings. Be creative! See below for a few ideas for what to serve with Shredded beef tacos.
This shredded beef is paleo. In addition, this recipe is also keto-friendly. Serve on top of a salad or with grain-free tortillas.
