I dream in tacos–perfectly sweet and spicy Shredded Beef Tacos, to be exact. My taco love is deep and abiding. For me, tacos mean family. Friends. Long summer nights laughing on a picnic blanket. So when a taco craving hits, it hits hard.
Our go-to taco recipe is our favorite Slow Cooker Carnitas. It is everything good in the world. But we wanted to branch out a little and try beef. We might never go back. Because when I see a gorgeous browned chuck roast, I go a little weak in the knees. I mean, behold:


But don’t be fooled–as gorgeous and grown up as these tacos appear, they are so easy to prepare. Like the Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork, it benefits from a delicious spice rub. And while you don’t have to brown the meat, doing so gives it an extra punch of something awesome and only takes about five more minutes of your time. In return, you’ll get a mega dreamboat of a meal that will leave you swooning.P.S. How pretty is the little wooden spoon we got in Peru?

Slow Cooker Sweet & Spicy Shredded Beef Tacos
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 pounds boneless chuck roast
- 3 teaspoons chili powder
- 1.5 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 cup beef stock
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, minced
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 5 ounces green enchilada sauce (we use generic store brand)
- 2 heaping tablespoons brown sugar
- flour or corn tortillas
Instructions
- Mix chili powder, cumin, and paprika in a small bowl. Rub into the chuck roast on both sides (you might have some leftover). Add olive oil to a large nonstick pan and heat over medium-high. Sear meat for 2-3 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Transfer meat to a slow cooker.
- Carefully pour the beef stock (or 1 cup water with 1 cube beef bouillon) into the hot pan. Simmer over low heat and scrape up the browned bits. Add the tomato paste and chipotle pepper. Toss in any remaining spices. Boil for 2 minutes, until slightly thickened and pour over the meat. Add onion and garlic. Cook for 6-8 hours on low or 4 hours on high.
- When the meat is done, it will shred easily. Transfer the meat to a bowl and discard of the juices in the slow cooker. Shred. Fold in the enchilada sauce and brown sugar. Return meat to the slow cooker and keep on warm until ready to serve.
Notes
- guacamole
- tomatillo salsa (it’s at the very bottom of the linked post)
- cojita cheese
- lime juice
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