Crock Pot Mexican Shredded Beef is fall-apart tender with a deep, rich flavor. Made with chipotles, chiles, and a handful of warm spices, this simple recipe inspired by beef Barbacoa is fantastic for tacos, nachos, salads, and so much more!
Just like Slow Cooker Shredded Salsa Chicken, and Crock Pot Pulled Pork, this recipe is a great make-ahead meal that freezes beautifully.
In This Post
It’s no secret that I love tender, juicy beef cooked low and slow in the crock pot. Whether it’s Crock Pot Beef Roast or Slow Cooker BBQ Beef, those mouthwatering bites of meat that have soaked up all the flavorful sauce win me over, every time!
Is Shredded Mexican Beef The Same As Barbacoa?
This recipe resembles Barbacoa, a traditional Mexican dish made with slow-cooked beef, spices, and chilies. It’s great served on its own or with other dishes like beef tacos, salads, and burritos.
Already a fan of slow cooking? If you’re considering a new appliance or just want to learn more, get all the tips for choosing a Crock Pot in my complete guide.
What To Make With Shredded Spicy Beef
Familiar Favorites
- Tacos with corn or flour tortillas, lettuce, tomatoes, cilantro, and avocado salsa.
- Burritos or burrito bowls with avocado, black beans, and a little sour cream or homemade queso.
- Quesadillas, enchiladas.
- Nachos pilled with pico de gallo and cheese.
- With rice, pinto beans, and corn dip.
Great New Recipes
- Taco Spaghetti
- Breakfast burrito bowls or burritos
- As part of a Mexican dip.
- Add it to a salad bar or Spicy Tomato Cucumber Salad.
Crockpot Mexican Beef Ingredients
- Beef Chuck Roast – You’ll need about 3 pounds.
- Onion & Garlic – These provide the base of the flavors. I prefer to use fresh, but you can use 1 tablespoon of onion powder and 2 teaspoon of garlic powder in a pinch.
- Green Chilies – The chilies come canned and can be found in the store with other Mexican ingredients. They can be mild, medium, or hot, but I usually opt for medium, unless I’m serving little kids – then mild.
- Chipotle Peppers – These are also canned and labeled as “chipotle peppers in adobo sauce.” They are smoked jalapenos, so each can’s spice level can vary. Taste and check to see just how spicy yours are.
- Spices – I add cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.
- Beef Broth – I use regular beef broth, but you can use bone broth or low sodium.
- Lime Juice – Acid helps tenderize the meat. You can use orange or pineapple juice in place of lime juice.
- Apple Cider Vinegar – Another acid to help tenderize the meat and also had a slight sweetness. Some people will use a light beer like Corona in place of this.
Variations And Additions
- If your grocery store has a sale on different roast meat, you can use something other than a chuck roast. Look for a roast with some fat marbling, like in my Crock Pot Beef Roast recipe, for the best flavor.
- You can use finely diced and deseeded jalapenos if you don’t have chipotles.
How To Make Slow Cooker Beef Barbacoa
- First, place the sliced onion in the bottom of the slow cooker. Next, lay the beef roast on top of the onions. Sprinkle the chopped garlic around the sides of the roast, along with cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper, on top of the meat.
- In a small bowl, (I use a large measuring cup) add the beef stock, chopped chipotles, green chilies, lime juice, and vinegar. Whisk together and pour around the edge of the roast.
- Cover and set the timer to 8 hours on low heat or 4 hours on high heat.
- When the roast is done, remove it from the pot and shred it using 2 forks. Drain off ¾ of the liquid from the crockpot and add the beef back in. Gently toss the meat in the juices, then serve!
Donya’s Success Tips
- If you have the time, I highly recommend cooking it on low for 8 hours. The longer it cooks on low, the more tender the meat will be.
- If you have a hand mixer, you can put the cooked beef in a large bowl and use the hand mixer to shred it!
- To store leftover chipotles, put them in a freezer-safe bag and freeze them for later. They take on a strange flavor if you store them in the can in the fridge.
Commonly Asked Question
Absolutely! It’s a great make-ahead, freezer-friendly meal. Just follow the directions for cooking then let the meat cool. Place it in a freezer-safe airtight container or ziptop bag for up to 3 months.
I’ve found that a chunk roast is best for pulled beef recipes. It comes from the shoulder and is full of collagen and fat (the marbling) that creates the juicy shredded beef.
Because a roast has so much collagen, and collagen takes a long time to break down, it has to cook for a long time. If it’s still tough in the crockpot, it hasn’t cooked long enough, and/or there isn’t enough liquid. If it looks dry, add a bit more liquid and keep cooking, checking it every hour.
Yes! To do this, follow the same steps, layering the ingredients. But, cook on high pressure for 60 minutes, let it naturally release for 10 minutes, and then shred and enjoy!
More Crock Pot Recipes You’ll Love
If you tried this Slow Cooker Mexican Shredded Beef Recipe or any other recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 3-pound beef chuck roast
- 1 medium onion, sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 4 ounce can green chilies
- 2 chipotles, chopped
- ½ cup beef broth
- 2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 limes, juiced
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Layer sliced onion in the bottom of the slow cooker. Place chuck roast on top of onions. Sprinkle chopped garlic around the side of the beef.
- In a small bowl, add green chilies, chopped chipotle, beef broth, vinegar, and lime juice, whisk together then pour over the roast. Sprinkle the top of the roast with cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Place lid on the slow cooker and set the timer to 8 hours for low OR on high for 4 hours.
- When the roast is done, remove it from the slow cooker and shred using 2 forks. Drain off ¾ of the liquid from the pot. Add shredded beef back into the pot and gently toss with remaining juice. Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- Can be frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
- Place remaining chipotles in a ziptop bag and freeze for later use.
Nutrition
Want To Know More About Slow Cooking?
If you are new to cooking with a Crock Pot or just don’t know where to start, I’ve got something to help. I’ve put together a helpful guide with tips and recipes to get you using a slow cooker like a pro!
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Hi there! What is the spice level on this recipe? I have a 1 and 3 year old that would also be eating this. Thank you!
Hey there Kristen!
Thank you so much for your interest in this recipe, I think you’re really going to like it! One of the best parts of this recipe is it isn’t that spicy, the only ingredients with a little kick of heat are the chipotle peppers and the green chilies. My recommendation, if you’re making this for younger kids, would be to completely leave out the green chiles and the chipotle peppers. While they’re tasty ingredients, it won’t really change the texture or the cooking process for this recipe so you can simply not include them. I would also add extra lime juice, using a total of 3 limes instead of 2, just to compensate for the liquid from the canned chilies. I really hope this helps, and I hope y’all enjoy the recipe, let me know how everything turns out!
~Donya
excellent!
thank you, this is the go to!
a big hello from Sundre Canada…
Hey there Rita!
Wow! I am so happy to hear that y’all enjoyed this recipe, thank you so much for this fantastic rating. If you liked this recipe you should check out my Slow Cooker Shredded Mexican Chicken, it’s similar to this beef recipe but I switched up the flavors a little bit. Thank you so much for your kinds words of support, if you ever have any questions about a recipe please don’t hesitate to ask!
~Donya
If I have a 3 pound roast do I have to double any of the ingredients
Hey there Leslie!
That is the perfect size roast for this recipe, you can just follow the directions as they are shown and it’ll turn out great! Thank you so much for your interest in this recipe, if you have any more questions feel free to ask! Happy Holidays!
~Donya
Thank you this recipe, Donya! What a hit it made for last evening get together with close friends! I followed your directions except didn’t add all the hot green chillies, They really like it that way. I made some big rolls and some used them for sandwiches! Others like the Greek green beans and the baked potatoes.
We went through 6 bottles of wine. Thank you, again!
Hey there Christine!
Wow! I am so happy to hear this recipe went over well, it sounds like y’all had a lovely meal! Thank you so much for your phenomenal rating and your kind words, I really appreciate your support. I hope you have a great Labor Day Weekend!
~Donya
Definately a really good recipe, a keeper. When I made this, my husband said this is the best shredded beef we have ever had and I hope you kept the recipe. Thank you for sharing!! Making it again tonight.
Hey there Jeannie!
Wow! Y’all are so sweet, thank you so much for your kind comment and your phenomenal rating! I am thrilled to hear y’all have been enjoying this recipe, it’s one of my favorites simply because you can prepare it in the morning and then just forget about it until you’re hungry for dinner. If you liked this recipe you should check out my Crock Pot Chicken Thighs, it’s another easy Crockpot recipe, let me know what you think if you give it a try! Thank you so much for your support!
~Donya
Could you use a instant pot for this too since I have one and I was just wondering. Also I like making this recipe though
Hey there Rhonda!
Thank you so much I appreciate it! That’s a great question, and honestly I wouldn’t necessarily recommend using an instant pot. The recipe is written for a slow cooker or crockpot because you’ll want your beef to cook low and slow so it gets nice and tender, I usually use my instant pot for things more like rice dishes, beans, or Mac n Cheese. You can always play around with the timing in an instant pot, but I would use a slow cooker if you have one. I hope this helps! Let me know if you end up trying it in an Instant Pot, I’m curious!
~Donya
How spicy is it with the addition of chipotles and green chiles?
Hey there Jessica!
That’s a great question! I would say the chipotles and green chilies definitely add a kick to this dish, but its not SUPER spicy. The heat blends into the meat and the other spices for a richer flavor, but if you don’t like spicy I would recommend just taking them out of the recipe. The dish will turn out perfectly fine without the chipotles and chilies, it all just depends on personal preference. If you try the recipe, let me know what you think! Hope you’re having a great summer!
~Donya
Ok y’all, definitely one of the most flavorful roasts I’ve ever made! 😍 to be totally transparent, I’m lazy and do the things the easy way. So instead of chopping my garlic, I just smashed it with the side of the knife and threw it in. I had a 7 oz can of whole green chilies and instead of buying a new smaller can with chopped chilies or chopping them myself, I tossed all the green chilies (no liquid) + a whole 7 oz can of chipotles in adobo (with sauce) in a food processor with the beef broth and whizzed it up. Then mixed that with the rest of the ingredients (spices included) and poured over the meat. I knew I’d be leaving it alone all day while I was out, and for way longer than 8 hours (ended up being 8.5 hours cook time and 5 hours kept warm), so I did add some beef broth to the bottom of the crock pot so it didn’t burn as I wasn’t sure if there was enough liquid since I did use more chipotles and the adobo sauce. It was SO tender that it was falling apart as I transferred it to a bowl and I shredded it with one fork, no joke. I added some of the broth/cooking juices into the shredded beef and I literally haven’t stepped away from the bowl yet. SO SO YUMMY. Just a note, if you follow what I did with the whole can of chipotles and adobo sauce, it WILL be spicy and it WILL build on you as you eat. But tbh, I think the whole food processor cheat is the way to go! 👍🏻 Will be my go to beef crockpot recipe from now on!!!
Hey Heather!
Oh my goodness gracious, what an incredibly kind comment to receive, thank you so much! I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe, it’s definitely a favorite in my family. It sounds like you made this dish really work for you, which is was cooking is all about. Thank you so very much for your rating and your support!
~Donya
Sounds delightful! Can’t wait. What is the serving size here? Maybe I missed it… but approximately how many people does this serve? Thank you!
Hey Alma!
Thank you so much for your lovely comment and your rating! I am so glad you’re going to try this recipe, my family goes crazy over it! When you use a 3 pound chuck roast, you’ll end up with about 4-6 servings of food depending on your portion sizes. I really hope you like this, let me know how it goes!
~Donya
Turned out great. The only change I made was using 1 qt. Canned venison on low for 4 hours. Huband is a hunter and always looking for new ideas. Thank you.
Hey Michelle!
Thanks so much, I am really glad you enjoyed this recipe! You gotta love these low and slow recipes you can just pop in and forget about! Thanks so much for your rating!
~Donya
This is in my crockpot now cooking, and I can’t wait for dinner! One question I have, just wanted to confirm how much beef for the recipe? I wasn’t sure if it was 1.3lbs. Or 1/3 lb.?
Hey Christina,
It’s a 1 and 1/3 pound roast. You can use a 1 to 2-pound roast and things will turn out great. I can’t wait to hear how you like it!
Have a great day,
~Donya
I thought it was just me 3 pound roast, not 1 and 1/3 pound roast.
Hey there BJ!
You are completely correct, the recipe calls for one 3 pound roast! I really hope you enjoy this one, it’s an absolute favorite of mine. Thanks for your interest in the recipe, let me know how you like it!
~Donya