This slow cooker shredded beef taco meat is one of my favorite ways to make an easy taco night with hardly any work. The beef cooks low and slow until it’s tender and easy to shred, making flavorful taco meat that you can pile into tortillas, tacos, burritos, nachos, or whatever your family loves.

Meat for Shredded Beef Tacos

One of our family’s favorite meals is shredded beef tacos. And it’s my favorite too because most of the time, I make it with leftover roast that we have just sitting in the fridge. However, when I don’t have leftover roast sitting in the fridge and am craving some shredded beef tacos, this recipe is my go-to. It’s so quick and easy and full of flavor. Just throw it in the slow cooker and let it cook all day. When you come home, all you have to do is pull it apart and serve it with your favorite tortillas and toppings.

The Cowboys’ Rating: 9/10

Every time I make a new recipe, I have my family rate the recipe out of 10. By the time, these recipes make the blog, they’ve been tried and tested by some of my hardest tiny critics!

Helpful Ingredient Tips

Beef Roast – With this recipe, you really can use any type of roast cut. Chuck roasts, round roasts, sirloin tip roasts, rump roasts – all good choices. However, I do tend to lean toward a sirloin tip roast or rump roast for this recipe. If you’re looking for a good source for beef, you can find that here 😉
Tones Beef Base -or- Better Than Bouillion – Beef base is a concentrated paste made from beef, vegetables and seasonings. It is loaded with flavor and really brings out that beef flavor. Here are my two favorite bases: Tones Beef Base + Better Than Bouillion
Salsa – Any type of salsa will do here. If I don’t have some of my homemade salsa on hand, I usually just grab a bottle of something like Pace Picante Salsa at the store.
Taco Seasoning – You can use a whole packet, or 2 tablespoons of a taco seasoning mix. I have a great recipe here that is gluten free and also incredibly delicious.

HOMEMADE ROAST seasoning

Kosher Salt
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Pepper

Tools You’ll Need

Recipe for Shredded Beef Taco Meat

Place beef roast in slow cooker.
In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine 1/4 cup warm water and the Tones Beef Base. Stir until the beef base is dissolved, then pour over the roast.
Pour the salsa over the roast, spreading it evenly across the top.
In a small bowl, combine the kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and taco seasoning. Mix well, then sprinkle evenly over the roast.
Cover and cook on low for 8–10 hours, or until the roast is tender and easily pulls apart with a fork.
Remove the roast from the slow cooker and shred using two forks. Return the shredded beef to the slow cooker and stir it into the juices.
Serve warm in tacos, burritos, quesadillas, or your favorite Mexican-inspired dishes. Enjoy!

Gluten Free Shredded Beef Taco Meat

This recipe is gluten free, however I do always caution to make sure that the ingredients YOU are using are indeed gluten free. I do caution that you make sure to use a Gluten Free Taco Seasoning. As previously mentioned, I have a taco seasoning recipe that is gluten free here. Tones Beef Base is gluten free and can be found here.

Storage and Reheating

Storage

Store leftover shredded beef in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You can also freeze the cooked beef for up to 3 months. Allow the beef to cool completely before transferring it to a freezer-safe container or bag.

Reheating

Microwave: Place the desired amount of beef in a microwave-safe bowl. Add a splash of water or beef broth to keep the meat moist. Cover loosely and microwave in 30–60 second intervals, stirring between each, until heated through.

Stovetop: Place the beef in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add a splash of water or beef broth and stir occasionally until warmed through.

How to Make Shredded Beef Taco Meat a Freezer Meal

To Freeze:
Place the beef roast in a gallon-size freezer bag. Add the salsa, 1/4 cup warm water, Tones Beef Base, kosher salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and taco seasoning. Seal the bag, removing as much air as possible, and gently massage the bag to combine the ingredients. Lay flat and freeze.

To Cook:

Thaw completely in the refrigerator overnight.
Pour the contents of the bag into a slow cooker.
Cover and cook on low for 8–10 hours, or until the beef is fork tender and easily pulls apart.
Remove the roast from the slow cooker and shred with two forks.
Return the shredded beef to the slow cooker and stir it into the juices.
Serve in tacos, burritos, quesadillas, or your favorite Mexican-inspired dishes.

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