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Crock Pot Mexican Shredded Beef Tacos

Crock pot Mexican shredded beef tacos with tender, fork-shredded beef simmered in a spiced broth. Served in soft flour or corn tortillas with bright lime, salsa, and fresh toppings.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
rest 10 minutes
Total Time 8 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Beef and cooking broth
  • 3 lb beef chuck roast
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 1 onion Halved.
  • 6 garlic Cloves.
  • 2 tbsp cumin
  • 2 tsp oregano
  • 2 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 lime Juice of 2 limes.
Tortillas and toppings
  • 16 soft flour or corn tortillas Warm for serving.
  • 1 diced onion
  • 1 cilantro
  • 1 lime Extra wedges or slices for garnish, if desired.
  • 1 salsa
  • 1 sour cream
  • 1 cooking liquid from slow cooker Serve on the side for dipping if desired.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Slow-cook the beef
  1. Place the beef chuck roast into a slow cooker with the beef broth, onion halves, garlic cloves, cumin, oregano, chili powder, black pepper, salt, and bay leaves. Make sure everything is evenly distributed around the roast for steady seasoning.
  2. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, until the beef shreds easily with a fork. When it’s ready, the meat should visibly pull apart into tender shreds.
Shred and finish with lime
  1. Remove the beef and shred directly in the slow cooker, discarding any large fat pieces. Stir the mixture while shredding so the spices and broth cling to the beef.
  2. Stir in the lime juice and let the shredded beef sit for 10 minutes to let flavors settle. You should see the beef glossy with the seasoned juices as it rests.
Warm tortillas and assemble tacos
  1. Warm the soft flour or corn tortillas just until pliable for filling. They should feel soft and flexible without cracking.
  2. Fill each tortilla with shredded beef and then top with diced onion, cilantro, lime, salsa, and sour cream. Add toppings generously so they create colorful contrast over the visible shreds.
  3. Serve with the cooking liquid from the slow cooker on the side for dipping if desired. Keep it warm so it’s pourable and flavorful.

Notes

Pro tip: shred the beef directly in the slow cooker so it stays moist and absorbs the spiced cooking liquid. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days; the beef can be frozen up to 3 months. For a lighter option, swap sour cream with Greek yogurt for a similar tangy topping.