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Home » slow cooker » Slow Cooker Pulled Beef

Slow Cooker Pulled Beef

Published: Mar 19, 2023 · Modified: Sep 17, 2023 by Louisa Clements · This post may contain affiliate links

This post may contain affiliate links

This recipe for Slow Cooker Shredded Beef is not only simple to make, but it’s also incredibly versatile. The juicy and flavorful beef is perfect to use in so many dishes, like shredded beef sandwiches, tacos, or pasta.

Just put the beef in your crockpot in the morning and by the time you come home, you’ll be greeted with the mouth-watering aroma of a perfectly cooked meal.

Pulled beef and noodles in a slow cooker insert with parsley sprinkled on top.
Jump to Recipe
10 hours hours 15 minutes minutes 2 Comments

This is truly one of those set-it-and-forget-it recipes. And while it does need some time in the slow cooker (it takes 10 hours to cook!), the prep time is quick (about 15 minutes) and the results? The kind of dish that you can make on the weekend to enjoy throughout the week.

Why this recipe works

The slow cooker breaks down a tougher cut of meat into something that is succulent and melt-in-your-mouth. Using a chuck roast (or blade roast) means that you’ll end up with pulled beef that tastes, well, beefy. It’s rich, savory and accented by caramelized-like onions and garlic.

Closeup of shredded beef in the slow cooker being picked up by a pair of tongs.

What to serve this with

That’s the best part about this recipe! You can make this once and eat it in many different ways. The first night, I’ll often serve it over egg noodles with my house salad.

Another option would be to serve it over mashed potatoes with an Italian coleslaw for some freshness, or in a taco with a side of avocado corn salad.

Ingredients for pulled beef on a table.

Ingredients you’ll need

  • Beef chuck roast or blade roast (as it’s called in Canada) is the base of this recipe. You’ll want to trim off some of the excess fat that’s visible.
  • For the aromatics, I use a combination of sliced onions and garlic. To add flavor, the beef is cooked on a bed of sliced onions and garlic, and the meat itself is studded with garlic pieces.
  • For balance, I use red wine vinegar and olive oil. You could also use apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar.
  • The spice rub is a mixture of salt, garlic powder, black pepper and Montreal steak spice. The steak spice is a little trick of mine that I love to add to beef dishes to enhance out the beef flavor (like my chili in the Dutch oven).
  • Finally, some beef broth helps keep the meat extra moist.
Two glass bowls on a wooden board, one with a spice mixture and the other with olive oil and red wine vinegar.

Step-by-step instructions

  • To start this slow cooker pulled beef recipe, begin by preparing two bowls. In one bowl, combine red wine vinegar and olive oil. In the other bowl, mix garlic powder, Montreal steak spice, salt, and pepper to make the spice rub.
Next steps for making pulled beef. Beef is in the slow cooker insert, with onions. Next using a knife to poke holes in the beef and studding them with garlic.
  • Next, layer half of the sliced onions at the bottom of the crockpot insert, followed by the beef roast. Using a pairing knife, create about 12 slits in the top of the beef–these should be about ½″, and stuff half of the minced garlic into each slit.
Steps for beef. Pouring the vinegar mixture over top of the beef, sprinkling with the spice rub, topping with onions and adding beef broth.
  • Pour the vinegar and oil mixture over the beef, and rub it in with your hands over both sides. Sprinkle the spice rub over both sides of the beef, then top with the remaining onions and garlic.
  • Pour beef broth around the beef, being careful not to pour it directly on top. Cook on low for 10 hours
Cooked beef in the slow cooker insert, with caramelized onions on top.
  • Once cooked, remove the beef from the crockpot and shred it using two forks. Discard any large pieces of fat and skim any excess fat off the top of the liquid in the slow cooker before returning the shredded beef to the slow cooker. This fall-apart-tender beef can be used in a variety of dishes, from sandwiches to tacos to pasta.

Expert tips

  1. While some recipes may say it will only take eight hours for the beef to become fall-apart tender, I actually found in my recipe tests that at the eight-hour mark, the beef was still quite tough and not able to shred. Stick to ten hours, and don’t open the lid to check!
  2. In my recipe tests, I also found that searing the beef doesn’t actually add much extra flavour. This cut of beef is so beefy and savory that it wasn’t worth the effort. Depending on how you’re serving the beef, for example, if you’re baking beef tacos, you can sear the beef once it’s been shredded for some extra texture.
Closeup of pulled beef in the slow cooker with egg noodles with parsley sprinkled over top.

Slow Cooker Pulled Beef

Author: Louisa Clements
4.60 from 5 votes
This versatile Slow Cooker Pulled Beef is juicy and flavorful, great for dishes like sandwiches, tacos, or pasta. Just set it in the crockpot in the morning and come home to a delicious meal.
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Prep: 15 minutes minutes
Cook: 10 hours hours
Total: 10 hours hours 15 minutes minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients

  • 2.5 lbs beef chuck roast, or blade roast
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 tablespoon red wine vinegar , or apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon Montreal steak spice
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • 1 onion, thinly sliced, divided
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced, divided
  • 1 cup beef broth

Instructions

  • The first step is to prepare your vinegar and olive oil mixture, and your spice rub in two bowls. For the spice rub, you’ll combine garlic powder with Montreal steak spice, salt and pepper.
  • Next, arrange half of the sliced onions at the bottom of the crockpot insert. Place the beef roast on top. Using a pairing knife, cut about 12 slits in the top of the piece of meat. These should be about ¼ inch deep, leaving you enough space to stuff with minced garlic.
  • Pour the vinegar and oil mixture over the beef, and rub it in with your hands over both sides. Sprinkle the spice rub over both sides of the beef, then top with the remaining onions and garlic.
  • Pour beef broth around the beef, being careful not to pour it directly on top. Cook on low for 10 hours
  • Once cooked, remove the beef from the crockpot and shred it using two forks. Discard any large pieces of fat and skim any excess fat off the top of the liquid in the slow cooker before returning the shredded beef to the slow cooker. This fall-apart-tender beef can be used in a variety of dishes, from sandwiches to tacos to pasta.

Notes

  • Avoid the temptation to check on the meat while it’s cooking; opening the lid of the slow cooker will let all of the heat escape and increase the cooking time. 
  • In my recipe tests, I found that searing the beef doesn’t actually add much extra flavour in this case. Because this cut of beef is so beefy and savory, it wasn’t worth the effort. Depending on how you’re serving the beef, for example, if you’re making beef tacos, you can sear the beef once it’s been shredded for some extra texture. 
Did you try this recipe?Leave a comment + rating and let me know what you think!
Filed Under: Dinner Recipes, easy, slow cooker, Summer, Winter
Nutrition Facts
Slow Cooker Pulled Beef
Amount Per Serving
Calories 597 Calories from Fat 360
% Daily Value*
Fat 40g62%
Saturated Fat 15g94%
Trans Fat 2g
Polyunsaturated Fat 3g
Monounsaturated Fat 22g
Cholesterol 196mg65%
Sodium 746mg32%
Potassium 1049mg30%
Carbohydrates 5g2%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 56g112%
Vitamin A 59IU1%
Vitamin C 3mg4%
Calcium 82mg8%
Iron 7mg39%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet. Nutrition information is an estimate and is provided for informational purposes only. If you have any specific dietary concerns, please consult with your healthcare practitioner.
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4.60 from 5 votes (4 ratings without comment)

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Comments

  1. Patsy leavell

    January 16, 2024 at 1:57 pm

    Love this recipe. I made pulled beef for sandwiches and then had beef n noodles. Very flavorful

    5 stars

    Reply
    • Louisa Clements

      February 03, 2024 at 9:30 am

      So glad you enjoyed, Patsy! It's such a great recipe for leftovers. Happy cooking!
      Reply

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Hi, I'm Louisa Clements & welcome to Living Lou. I've been creating simple, fresh & flavorful recipes for the modern kitchen for 14 years.
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