The Best Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Recipe (2024)

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This Slow Cooker Shredded Beef makes the juiciest fall-apart-tender pulled beef. We use this versatile recipe to make dozens of different meals, including shredded beef sandwiches, tacos, pasta, and more!

This post is sponsored by Ohio Beef. As always, all opinions are my own.

Shredded beef is my back to school BFF. When I’ve got a busy week ahead, I know this recipe has my back. It’s meal prepping MAGIC that makes a whole week of meals a breeze.

My favorite part about this pulled beef is just how easy it is! It takes less than 10 minutes to prep and only requires a few seasonings, onions, garlic, olive oil, and red wine vinegar. I don’t add any broth to the slow cooker, so the meat cooks in its own delicious juices. The resulting pulled beef is rich, savory, and accented by caramelized onions and garlic. In other words, it’s AMAZING.

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What to Make with Shredded Beef

Ok wait, I changed my mind. My actual favorite part about shredded beef is alllll the delicious things you can make with it.

Today, I’m thrilled to be starting a a series of big batch recipes, where we meal prep one recipe, then repurpose it into new recipes throughout the week. Cook once, eat 3 (or 4!) times.

This Slow Cooker Shredded Beef makes enough for at least three dinners, and it’s the perfect protein-packed anchor for so many different meals.

More Shredded Beef Recipes

Alright, but what about night 2 and 3 and 4? Well, my friends the choice is yours.

Make it a Taco Tuesday with some Shredded Beef Tacos.
Shake things up a bit by adding pulled beef to a sweet and spicy Beef Ramen Stir Fry!
Toss it with your favorite BBQ Sauce for some BBQ Shredded Beef Sandwiches.
Sub ground beef for shredded beef in these Quick Greek Gyros.
Use the beef as a filling for Easy Shredded Beef Enchiladas.
Layer pulled beef with tomato sauce, ravioli, and cheese to make a Ravioli Lasagna.
Or impress the pants off all of your teenage son’s friends (or, let’s be real, your husband’s grown man friends), and make a whole bunch of Pulled Roast Beef Sliders for them to devour in a disturbingly short amount of time.

How To Make Pulled Beef in the Crock Pot

Now that you’re dreaming of all the delicious beefy recipes that await you, let’s break down how to make this easy shredded beef!

When I make roasts, I usually recommend browning the meat in a skillet before adding it to the crock pot. However, with shredded beef, this extra step really isn’t necessary. That makes this a truly dump-and-go recipe. HOORAY!

To make the pulled beef:

Place your chuck roast (or roasts) on a cutting board and use a knife to stab a few holes on all sides of the meat.
Whisk together some olive oil and red wine vinegar then rub it all over the meat.
Sprinkle evenly with salt, pepper, basil, parsley, and garlic powder.
Cut a large onion into wedges, placing half of it on the bottom of the slow cooker, followed by the roast. Sprinkle with sliced garlic cloves and top with the remaining onion.
Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 8-10 hours or until the beef shreds easily with a fork.

How do I know when roast is done?

If you test the roast after 8 hours and it doesn’t easily pull apart, it needs a little longer to cook. It’s a common misconception that a tougher roast is overcooked. In most cases, the opposite is actually true! Give the roast an extra hour or two, and it should shred easily with a little help from two meat forks.

What is a good cut of beef for shredding?

It may sound counterintuitive, but the best cuts of meat for tender, juicy shredded beef are actually the toughest cuts. Tough cuts like chuck roast stand up well to slow cooking, and become succulent and pull-apart-tender after hours in the crock pot.

My favorite cut is a chuck roast, which may also be labeled as a shoulder roast, chuck eye roast, or arm chuck roast. Look for a roast that has good marbling (or white fat) running through it.

Brisket is another great choice for shredded beef. In fact, I use brisket to create these amazing Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Brisket French Dip Sandwiches.

Because I like to have enough beef for several meals, I always use at least 4 lbs. of boneless meat. You likely won’t find a single roast this big at the grocery store, so I usually just pick up two 2-3 lb roasts at a time. Look out for deals to save money! Our local grocery store often runs Buy One-Get One sales on roasts. Learn more ways to save when buying beef here.

Slow Cooker Shredded Beef, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

So we already know this slow cooker shredded beef is:

Slow Cooker Pulled Beef Recipe

Yield: 12

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 8 hours

Total Time: 8 hours 10 minutes

This juicy, tender Slow Cooker Pulled Beef makes the ultimate shredded beef for sandwiches, tacos, and more.

Ingredients

4-5 lbs. boneless chuck roast (or 2 2 lb. roasts)
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 1/2 Tablespoons Kosher salt
Fresh cracked pepper
3 teaspoons dried parsley
2 teaspoons dried basil
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 really large (or two small) yellow onions, sliced
5 garlic cloves, sliced

Instructions

Preheat your slow cooker to low heat.
Remove the chuck roast (or roasts) from their packaging and use a knife or fork to stab a few holes on all sides.
Whisk together the olive oil and red wine vinegar then rub it all over the meat.
Sprinkle evenly with salt, pepper, basil, parsley, and garlic powder on all sides.
Place half of the onion on the bottom of the slow cooker followed by the roast. Sprinkle with garlic cloves and top with the remaining onion.
Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or until the beef shreds easily with a fork. If you check it after 8 hours, and it's not easy to pull apart, continue cooking for another 1-2 hours.
Remove the roast from the crock pot and transfer to a cutting board. Pull the beef apart using two meat forks. Beef can be served immediately with juices over noodles or mashed potatoes. It also makes a great sandwich, taco, or burrito!

Notes

Store leftover beef in the fridge for up to 5 days.
It also freezes very well! Freeze in a freezer safe container or freezer bags (frozen flat for easier storage) for up to four months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat in the microwave or on the stove top.
If you prefer less salt, you can reduce the amount to 1 Tablespoon of Kosher salt.

Did you make this recipe?

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