Slow Cooker Shredded Beef

I absolutely love the aroma of slow-cooked shredded beef! It reminds me of pure comfort, or eating at a delicious Mexican restaurant. If you’re searching for a simple slow cooker shredded beef meal, this one’s for you. Not only is it simple, it’s an easy slow cooker shredded beef for beginners recipe.

This easy recipe is a set-it-and-forget-it slow cooker meal that anyone can make! Simply seasoned beef chuck roast is slow cooked on a bed of onions until it is fall apart tender. The beef is shredded similar to pulled pork and can be served over mashed potatoes, rice, noodles, or as a filling for a delicious sandwich.

So, even if you’re new to cooking, you won’t believe how much flavor this recipe gives. Best of all, you can set it and let the slow cooker do its job! This family friendly slow cooker shredded beef is sure to be a crowd-pleaser, even if you have kids in the home!

Perfect for busy weeknights, slow cooker shredded beef is a simple set-it-and-forget-it meal the whole family will love! Tender pieces of braised seasoned beef that are melt-in-your-mouth tender, thanks to the slow cooking in a crock pot. Flavorful, juicy, and this best slow cooker shredded beef recipe could not be easier to make!

And, you can add plenty of delicious sides to serve with this dinner, especially if you’re on the hunt for homemade slow cooker shredded beef ideas. From pairing it with homemade mashed potatoes to air fryer green beans, the options are endless as this beef is delicious with many different flavor combinations. 

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Why You Will Love This Recipe

• Only a few simple steps to make! This hands off slow cooker recipe is great for busy weeknights.
• Full of flavor and pairs well with many simple sides.
• Family friendly. This recipe can be made in large batches and saved for later.
• Versatile and easily customizable, this recipe makes it easy to please everyone.

Try my Slow Cooker Philly Cheesesteak!

How to Make It

Making this healthy slow cooker shredded beef version is straightforward:

Step 1. Add the sliced onions (if using them) to the pot of the slow cooker in an even layer across the bottom. Place the roast on top of the onions.

Step 2. Use a fork to pierce several holes across the top of the roast, allowing the seasoning in. Spread the Worcestershire sauce and beef broth evenly over the roast.

Step 3. Combine the salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning in a small bowl (to ensure it’s mixed together fully) and sprinkle generously over all sides of the roast. Use your hands to rub the seasoning into the sides of the roast not facing upward.

Step 4. Cook the roast on low for 8 hours, or until it’s fall apart tender. Shred the meat with two forks and serve over noodles, mashed potatoes, rice, or another veggie side you prefer.

Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

Boneless chuck roast: You can use a variety of cuts of beef, depending on your household’s preferences. However, a standard chuck roast works best for flavor and fall-apart, juicy, tender beef!

Onion: Omit or swap the onion for onion powder if you’re not a fan of the texture of onion or if you do not have any onions in your pantry.

Beef stock: If you don’t have beef stock on hand, you can use half of a bouillon cube mixed with water. Water down the beef bouillon mix to suit your tastes (or to mimic the taste of beef stock), as bouillon cubes are typically much saltier, unless you’re using a reduced-salt bouillon cube.

Worcestershire sauce: You can swap the Worcestershire sauce for coconut aminos or for an even closer match, soy sauce. 

Seasonings: This recipe can be easily customized to fit any flavor profile you prefer by simply changing the seasonings.

Seasonings: This recipe can be easily customized to fit any flavor profile you prefer by simply changing the seasonings.

Try any of these great seasonings or spices the next time you make this easy shredded beef.

• Sage
• Onion powder
• Cajun seasoning
• Greek seasoning
• Cayenne pepper
• Lemon salt
• Soy sauce
• Maggi seasoning
• Seasoning salt
• Parsley
• Rosemary

Tips for Success

This recipe can be made with pretty much any cut of beef you have on hand. While chuck roast has a good ratio of meat to fat, brisket, strip loin, cross rib, and rib roasts will all make a delicious pulled beef.

• Make sure the beef is fall apart tender before shredding. It should shred easily. If the beef is still tough, cook for an additional hour.
• Use plenty of beef broth to keep the roast from getting dry. The juices in the crock pot after cooking can be used as a gravy.
• Leave some of the fat on the roast before cooking. The fat will keep the beef flavorful and moist.
• This recipe is great for meal prepping and can be made in large batches in advance.

Storage & Reheating

This recipe makes great leftovers.

Store leftover pulled beef in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Reheat gently on the stove until warmed through or cook in the microwave on high until warm. If the beef appears dry, try adding some butter or additional beef stock.

This easy quick slow cooker shredded beef recipe is freezer friendly and doubles well! It is great to make a double or even triple batch of this recipe and freeze half for a quick dinner when you need it.

Let the cooked beef come to room temperature and place in an airtight container or freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Thaw in the microwave or in the fridge overnight. Do not leave it on the counter to thaw as the beef may spoil.

Try my Slow Cooker Philly Cheesesteak Sandwiches!

Serving Suggestions

This recipe makes a delicious main dish that can be served alongside a side like the best instant pot mashed potatoes recipe, rice, noodles, or roasted vegetables. You can also try pairing this fall-apart beef with Parmesan crusted asparagus fries. Absolutely scrumptious! Pulled beef also makes a great sandwich, burrito, or wraps.

Notes

Doubling or tripling this recipe is highly recommended if you’re planning to take it to a potluck dinner or even a holiday party. We assure you, your guests will definitely want more than one serving! It’s that good.