Slow Cooker Sweet & Spicy Shredded Beef Tacos

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:

Right? If you know me, you know that my tastes mirror those of a ten-year-old boy’s. Pizza is my favorite food group, followed closely by french fries, ice cream, and chicken nuggets. In an effort to appear more like the grown up thirty-year-old that I am, I ditched my childhood ground beef tacos for these elegant (can tacos be elegant?), rich, slightly sweet tacos loaded with drool-inducing shredded beef, Warren’s famous tamatillo salsa, and guacamole.

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?

We served our tacos with a side of Mexican Rice from Annie’s Eats. It is perfect in every way. Leftovers make great taco salads, enchiladas, and taquitos–if you happen to have any left!

Print Recipe

Table of Contents

Slow Cooker Sweet & Spicy Shredded Beef Tacos

Servings: 8 people

Author: Amy Lee Scott

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

Toppings

• guacamole
• tomatillo salsa (it’s at the very bottom of the linked post)
• cojita cheese
• lime juice