Without a grill, cast iron pan, or simply a kitchen that can handle smoke from searing, it’s really tough for lay people to make great steaks. Whenever I lived in apartments, I found it harder to cook meat the way I wanted due to a fear of the smoke alarm going off triggering firetrucks and angry neighbors. As a result, I often looked to other cuts of meat that I could prepare in ways that didn’t require searing. My slow cooker, for example, is one of my favorite ways of preparing tender meat dishes. It’s also a great way to have dinner ready and waiting when you get back from work. With that in mind, I decided to make some basic shredded beef by modifying a spice rub that I use for other cuts of meat when smoking outdoors. This recipe came out wonderfully if I do say so myself. You can eat this as is, serve over rice, use as taco meat (barbacoa), or as a topping for nachos among other ideas.
Total calories for whole roast = 2730
Makes about eight, 4 or 5 oz. servings = about 341 calories each
4 or 5 oz. of shredded beef with rice and corn = about 560 calories
Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Recipe
Tender shredded beef in the slow cooker.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds beef boneless chuck shoulder/roast/brisket (about 300 cal per 4 oz. or 2400 cal total)
- 1 tablespoons onion powder
- 1 tablespoons garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar (about 90 calories)
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoons paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (about 240 calories)
- 1/2 cup chicken or beef broth
- Medium to Large Slow Cooker
- Large Ziploc Bag / large container covered with saran wrap or a lid
- Small bowl for mixing
- Optional: Latex gloves
Directions
- Put the onion powder, garlic powder, brown sugar, chili powder, paprika, black pepper, salt, and cumin into a bowl.
- Add the oil to the spices and mix them together until all of the spices are integrated.
- Put the beef in a ziploc bag (or whatever air tight container you want to use) and then rub the spices all over the meat. You can use a latex glove if you want so that your hands don’t smell like spices for three days.
- After rubbing the meat with the spices, close the bag (or air tight container) and place in the fridge to marinate overnight. You don’t absolutely have to let the meat marinate over night, but it does help flavor the meat and it saves time in the morning especially if you are heading out early.
- After marinating over night in the fridge, take the meat out and place in a slow cooker with half a cup of chicken or beef broth.
- Set the slow cooker for Low Heat and the timer for 8 or 9 hours (if you don’t have a timer, then just come back home after 8 or 9 hours and turn it off).
Before and After Pics of the Beef - When the beef is ready, use two forks to pull the meat apart. I do this directly in my slow cooker, but you can also dump the meat into another container and do it there if you want.
Note: I like to remove some of the larger pieces of fat from the meat first before pulling it all apart, but that is up to you. Some people like that grizzle.
- Lastly, serve it however you like. I served it with sweet, buttery, corn and flavored rice.
Home Is A Kitchen 
would be delicious on a toasted roll i do believe
It’s 7am and I’m already dreaming of dreaming of dinner tomorrow night. This looks delish!
If you try this out let me know what you think. I have a feeling you won’t be disappointed!
Awesome. Just had it for dinner with corn on the cob sweet potato and kale. The juice off the neat made the perfect sauce. Thanks for sharing
I’m really happy you enjoyed it! Great combo of food to accompany the beef too!
Trying this right now. I didn’t use cumin. Don’t care much for the smell of it or flavor. I’ll keel you all updated .
Please let me know how it turns out!
hello
let me start off my saying it was delicious. it was a hit at the family bbq. one thing i did different is i didn’t use cumin & i used the following:
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 tablespoon garlic salt parsley (lawrys)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon black pepper\
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup chicken or beef broth
1/2 water
this was my first time doing this. i put it in my slow cooker around 9:00 thursday night and by 3:00 a.m it was done. the temp was on low. this is such a great meal & prep time was easy. so thank you so much for posting a great recipe and i will definitely keep making some of your recipes.
I’m glad I could help and that the meal came out so well for you! Sharing delicious food with family is exactly what this recipe is about.
This recipe was delicious! Increased the brown sugar to 3 Tbsp. but good both ways. Put it on a roast chicken, too and was excellent!
Never tried it with chicken, but I bet it’s great! Thanks for stopping by, trying the recipe, and the kind words!
Never tried it with chicken, but I bet it’s great! Thanks for stopping by, trying the recipe, and the kind words!
I definitely think this would be great on a nice roll. Looks a lot like pulled pork.
You’d be right! It is kind of like pulled pork, but it’s a touch leaner an less sweet than pork.
I definitely think this would be great on a nice roll. Looks a lot like pulled pork.