Slow Cooker Mexican Beef is the beyond simple, incredibly flavorful, comfort food you need in your recipe line up! It’s a set-it-and-forget-it hero. This beef is simply seasoned and slow cooks all day until it’s fall apart tender. Perfect for nachos, burritos, tacos, and more. You’ll be putting this on the rotation asap!
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Do you ever have those days that you know are going to be incredibly busy? No time to slow down? No time to take a breath? Or those days that sneak up on you and plans change in an instant and you have to pivot. The question of what’s for dinner needs to be super simple, almost zero effort, and maximum return. My Slow Cooker Mexican Beef is just the answer.
This beef is just amazing. It slow cooks until it is fall apart, tender, and juicy. The simple seasoning and optional searing take no time and you just put everything else into a slow cooker and let it do its thing. At the end of the day, you’ll have a succulent beef that is ready to go for your family’s favorite Mexican dish!
Perfect for Taco Tuesdays, nachos, burritos, bowls, salads or soups, everyone can enjoy this recipe. My kids love it, my husband requests it, so that makes it a no-brainer in my book.
slow cooker mexican beef ingredients
- Smoked Paprika
- Chili Powder
- Coriander
- Cumin
- Dried Oregano
- Granulated Garlic
- Granulated Onion
- Kosher Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper
- Crushed Tomatoes
- Garlic
- Yellow Onion
- Orange Juice
- Lime Juice
- Beef Broth
- Bay Leaves
- Chuck Roast
how to make slow cooker mexican beef
the spice rub
To begin our Slow Cooker Mexican Beef, we need to make a spice rub. It’s super simple and nothing more than a few pantry staples. Simply mix smoked paprika, chili powder, ground coriander, cumin, dried oregano, granulated garlic and onion, and salt and pepper together and coat the outside of a chuck roast. And, if you don’t even feel like doing that, just use your favorite taco seasoning!
If you have extra seasoning left after coating the meat, simply throw it into the slow cooker along with the remaining ingredients.
to sear or not to sear
I will always tell that searing the meat prior to cooking will give you the best flavor. However, I totally get it. If you’re making this recipe early in the morning, sometimes searing a large piece of meat doesn’t necessarily sound like a lot of fun. If you don’t want to sear the roast prior to cooking, don’t worry about it! You’ll still get a great result!
To sear, you’ll need either a skillet on medium-high heat on the stovetop or the high sauté function on your slow cooker. Add a healthy drizzle of olive oil to the skillet and sear the beef on all sides. This will take 3-4 minutes per side, making sure you develop a nice deep crust.
If using a separate skillet to sear, use the beef broth to deglaze the pan afterwards and pour that into the slow cooker. You want to make sure you keep all of that amazing flavor!
into the slow cooker
Now, once you’ve seasoned the beef and either seared or decided not to sear, just add everything to the slow cooker. I recommend the low and slow method. 8 hours on low is your best bet for the perfect, tender beef. Cook high on 4-6 if you need it sooner.
Once the beef is perfectly tender and falling apart upon touch, it’s time to decide how to serve it!
how to server slow cooker mexican beef
In my house, we eat some kind of Mexican food at least twice a week. This recipe is perfect because everyone can make their favorite dish! One of my kids loves a nacho, one prefers burritos. My husband makes a mish-mash thing and if I’m in the mood to keep it lean, I’ll add this to a salad. Whatever you decide to do with this tender slow cooker beef, you cannot go wrong.
Let’s begin with the accompaniments. This is our basic rundown of favorites.
We include but do not limit to the following:
- Flour and/or Corn Tortillas
- Tortilla or Corn Chips
- Crispy Taco Shells
- Pico De Gallo
- Salsa
- Sour Cream
- Lime Wedges
- Cilantro Leaves
- Avocado Slices
- Guacamole
- Shredded Cheese
- Queso
- Sliced Jalapeños
Using the above list we can make any of the following:
- Crispy Beef Tacos
- Soft Beef Tacos
- Nachos
- Burritos
- Enchiladas
- Beef Taco Salads
- Beef Burrito Bowls
- It’s Great For Taco Bars
- Mexican Beef Soup
recipe frequently asked questions
This recipe is both gluten and dairy-free! No need to worry about either of those dietary concerns.
This recipe is perfect for freezing and I do it often! It will stay good in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months. Once you’re ready to use it, thaw it out in the fridge and heat up on the stove or in the microwave. This is such a great thing to keep on hand for those super busy days!
This slow cooker beef will stay good in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Yes, you can! I have and it’s a wonderful protein substitution!
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Slow Cooker Mexican Beef
Ingredients
Spice Rub
- 1½ tbsp chili powder
- 1½ tbsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsp granulated garlic
- 2 tsp granulated onion
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp fresh ground pepper
The Beef
- 2-3 lb chuck roast
- 1-2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup beef or chicken borth
- ¾ cup orange juice
- 1 medium yellow onion, cut into chunks
- 5-6 cloves garlic I leave the cloves whole and them smash them after cooking.
- 2 bay leaves
- juice of 1-2 limes
- 14 oz can crushed tomatoes
- kosher salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
Instructions
The Spice Mix
- Mix all of the dried herbs and spices together. Coat the outside of the chuck roast with the spice mix.
Searing
- In a skillet on medium-high heat or using the high sauté function on your slow cooker, add a healthy drizzle of olive oil to the skillet and sear the seasoned beef on all sides.
- Use the beef broth to deglaze the pan or slow cooker. If using a separate skillet, add this broth mixture to the slow cooker.
The Beef
- Place the chuck roast into the slow cooker with the remaining ingredients.
- Cook on low for 8 hours.
- Shred the beef with a fork and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Thank you!
I am so incredibly happy that you are here! I hope you try my Slow Cooker Mexican Beef recipe and fall in love with it. If you make this recipe, please share and tag me on Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok! And, please leave a comment or star rating below. I absolutely love seeing each and every one of your kitchen masterpieces. And, as always, if you ever have any questions about any of my recipes, please don’t hesitate to contact me!
Happy Cooking!
–Rufus
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This is great in a tortilla or over tortilla chips!