The Best Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Recipe
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This Slow Cooker Shredded Beef makes the juiciest fall apart tender pulled beef. We use this versatile, big batch recipe to make dozens of different meals, including shredded beef sandwiches, tacos, pasta, and more!
The reviews on this one speak for themselves! This easy pulled beef is beloved by our family and many others. Give it a try and set yourself up for a weeks’ worth of delicious meals!
This post is sponsored by Ohio Beef. As always, all opinions are my own.
Table of Contents
Easy Slow Cooker Shredded Beef
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!
- This recipe takes less than 10 minutes to prep and only requires a handful of pantry staples and seasonings, like onions, garlic, and red wine vinegar.
- There is absolutely no searing required. This is a “dump it in the crock pot and move on with your day” situation.
- The flavor is super versatile. 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.
- This recipe can feed a crowd, have plenty of leftovers, or freeze for later! We love making this recipe for parties and turning it into Shredded Beef Sliders or freezing the leftovers to take out during an especially busy week.
- It’s gluten free, dairy free, and Keto friendly! This is one of our go-to meals for guests because it fits a variety of dietary needs.
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.
The first night we make it, we keep it simple and serve the pulled beef over homemade egg noodles (store bought noodles are also 100% on the level) or creamy mashed potatoes.
You can even get crazy and do noodles AND mashed potatoes in a beef-inspired version of this Amish Chicken and Noodles.
The next two nights we might shake things up with a sweet and spicy Beef Ramen Stir Fry or Easy Shredded Beef Enchiladas.
Leftover pulled beef also makes a great filling for Mexican Breakfast Burritos or Gyros.
If you really want to impress the pants off your guests, make a whole lot of these Shredded Beef Sandwiches for a football watching party and be amazed at how quickly they disappear.
Key Ingredients + Substitutions
- Chuck roast– This is my favorite beef cut for shredded beef. Look for roasts with good marbling. This recipe uses 2 roasts, to equal 4-5 lbs. of boneless meat.
- Olive oil and Red wine vinegar- The acidic vinegar is a necessary counterpart to the rich beef. White wine vinegar and balsamic vinegar can be substituted in a pinch.
- Seasonings– We use a blend of Kosher salt, fresh cracked pepper, garlic powder, dried parsley, and dried basil to make sure the beef is well seasoned and never bland.
- Garlic and Onions– Finish the dish with fresh sliced garlic and onions, which become soft and slightly sweet as they soak up the juices from the crock pot.
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!
To make the pulled beef:
Step 1: Place your chuck roast (or roasts) on a cutting board and use a fork to stab a few holes on all sides of the meat.
Step 2: 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.
Step 3: 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.
Step 4: Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4-5 hours, until the beef shreds easily with a fork.
Storage, Make Ahead, and Freezing Instructions
- Store leftover beef in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- This recipe 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.
FAQs
How do I know when shredded beef 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, and please please don’t trim the fat off before cooking 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 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.
Do I need to add liquid to the crock pot with the roast?
You really don’t! The beef will release plenty of juices as it cooks. If you really want to, you can add 1 cup of beef broth, but I promise it’s not necessary.
Do I need to brown roast before slow cooking?
When I make Slow Cooker Beer Pot Roast or Crock Pot French Onion Beef Stew, I recommend browning the meat first, but for pulled beef this extra step isn’t needed. The beef will be plenty flavorful without browning.
More of our Favorite Slow Cooker Beef Recipes
Beef is an excellent source of protein (there’s 25 grams in just a 3 ounce serving!), and it’s one of our favorite meats to make in the slow cooker. Here are more ways to put your crock pot to good use!
- Slow Cooker Beef and Noodles
- Slow Cooker Beef Stew and Dumplings
- Slow Cooker Asian Sesame Beef
- Crock Pot Corned Beef and Sauerkraut
- Slow Cooker Steak Bites
- Easy Crock Pot Round Steak
- Crock Pot Spaghetti Sauce with Ground Beef
Visit www.OhioBeef.org, and follow the Ohio Beef Council on Facebook and Instagram for more beef nutrition facts, cooking tips, and recipes. Use #OhioBeef to share photos of your healthy meals this school year!
Slow Cooker Pulled Beef Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 4 – 5 lbs. boneless chuck roast (from 2 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 yellow onions, sliced (or two small )
- 5 cloves garlic (sliced)
Instructions
- Remove the chuck roast (or roasts) from their packaging and use a 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, parsley, basil, and garlic powder on all sides.
- Place half of the onion on the bottom of the slow cooker followed by the roast and all of the drippings from the cutting board. Sprinkle with garlic cloves and top with the remaining onion.
- Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4-5 hours, 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.
I make this recipe over and over again because it’s just so darn good, and versatile! It’s a bombproof winner every time.
Looking to make this for a large party to serve alongside Hawaiian rolls for sliders. Is there enough flavor in this meat to do that? I’m going to have pickled onions and cheese for people to make sandwiches.
Absolutely! We do this all the time. It’s also great with banana peppers. https://neighborfoodblog.com/pulled-roast-beef-sliders/
Mine turned out great, and I wanted an extra mexican flavoring so used some adobo chili…Even realllllllllly picky Dutch husband loved it. I’m thinking it will be a hit at your party- maybe some pineapple salsa as a side since you are in Hawaii! Lucky you!
I am gonna give it a try
Transplanted Californian in the Netherlands- trying this tonight with “sukkadelappen” which translates to a shoulder cut… it’s already sliced into about 10 slices (4 pounds or so) and is what is used here for slow cooked beef. 🙂 It was so easy- wow, let’s hope it comes out good, I’m giving it plenty of time in the crockpot, as long as it wants and I added chipotle peppers to give it some Mexican zing! I miss my Cal-Mex food 🙂 Also I had no dried basil so I used oregano.
This looks amazing!
I’m planning on making flat breads for the pulled beef – do you have any suggestions on what toppings will go well with the beef? Not sure if Greek flavours will work.
I think Greek flavors could be really yummy! You could add some oregano to the beef itself and top with feta. You could also go more Italian with provolone and banana peppers. The beef is fairly neutral in flavor so you can take it a lot of directions!
I am going to give this a try tonight – having family dinner tomorrow and making a beef pot pie with mashed potato crust. Will give update on how it turns out! Thank you for this recipe!!
Delicious. I also added a half cup of barbecue sauce which gave it a subtle smoky flavor, 1 tab brown sugar and 1 tsp paprika to the rub. My grandsons loved it. Lovely recipe. Thanks.
This has become my go to recipe for shredded beef! I actually made this in a Nesco set on 250 F with 6-3lb roasts for our 10 yr wedding anniversary party. They turned out great. I just had to triple everything. Surprisingly the Nesco worked as well as the slow cooker, but did take a little longer, but could have been the amount I was cooking. I have made it for Christmas Eve for the past couple years and will do again. I tend to add a bit more garlic, since we love it and I grow my own, than the recipe calls for but otherwise follow it as is.
Thanks so much for sharing this recipe!
Hi. My slow cooker is still going and my kitchen smells amazing. I realised though that my onions must have been to big – there’s so much of them. My kids are only interested in the beef – do you have any suggestions what I could do with all the yummy juices and onions? Thank you 😊
It could be the perfect start to a stew–you could even do a quasi-French onion soup. You might need additional broth, add thyme, and top with Swiss cheese.
I have found that if you cut the onions in quarters and then thinly slice them they pretty much “disappear” into the shredded beef. The flavor is there, but the large onion chunk isn’t. That might help for the kids that are only interested in the beef. My grandson really likes this and isn’t a real fan of onions.
Yes! That’s a great tip for hiding the onions if you have folks that don’t like them.
Would a sirloin tip roast work? It’s a 6 pound roast
How about French onion soup
Hello!
I want to make this but i can’t find one solid roast like you have in your pictures. Instead, i have two maybe 2″ thick slabs of meat; they just look like giant steaks tbh. If i like… stack them on top of each other, will that work? I’m worried if i cook them side by side, they’ll cook too fast and they’ll be tough.
I usually use two roasts and do it just like that! Stacked on top of each other or side by side is just fine.
This is THE BEST shredded beef recipe out there. I added a few springs of fresh rosemary to the top of the roast, but other than that, I followed the recipe. Adding this to my recipe book of go-to meals!
Could I do this in the instant pot?
Made this twice so far and it is so good. Like some others, I cut the salt portion in half. I also added a few banana peppers last time. It’s so good for roast beef sandwiches. I was scared about not adding any liquid, but the about of juice we had was unreal! Can’t wait to make this again. Thank you!
What do you recommend in place of onions (not shallots, either)?
Thanks!
You could just omit them altogether, or use onion powder (probably between 1/2 – 1 Tbsp).
how many does this serve; i’m looking to have it serve for 2 people and no leftovers, can i half the recipe? and if so, do i also half the cooking time?
Hi! This serves a lot! 8-10 people. You can definitely halve it, but it will still probably have a few leftovers for two people. I recommend freezing the extras. You will still need about the same cooking time, as it takes that long to break down all the tough connective tissue in a roast and make it nice and tender!
How much meat should I use to serve about 50-60 people? I don’t think the amount of meat I would need will fit in a crock pot? I’m thinking of making it in a nesco-any idea of the temperature and time I would cook this at in a nesco?
I’m not familiar with the Nesco. Is it a type of slow cooker or a roaster? I’d it’s a roaster, you’d want to do low temp— 325 for 3-4 hours, maybe more with that quantity of meat. You could also roast it in several baking dishes in the oven. If you’re serving the meat with sides or as a sandwich, I think you could get by with about 15 lbs of roast.
Will be trying this tomorrow! One query though – I’ve always browned red meats before putting in the slow cooker, but this recipe says to put it straight in as it is. Had anyone tried browning it? Wondered if it’s due to the size of the joint?
You can brown it if you want to! I usually brown roasts when I’m making pot roast, but I haven’t found it necessary for shredded beef. It has tons of flavor without the extra step of browning.
Can it be cooked on high in half the time? Or it must be down on low in the slow cooker? Thanks!
I’m sorry I am just seeing this question! You can cook on high, but it might take more than 4 hours. I would plan on 5 or so just to be safe!
Can you omit the vinegar and use beef broth? Or would you recommend something else?
Thank you
Hi Teresa! You can use beef broth, but the flavor of the vinegar is really nice with the beef. You could use balsamic or white wine vinegar instead, or even a little red wine to get that hit of acid.
I love the recipe, but even on low my roast was overcooked at 7 hours. Would recommend not more than 6. And keep an eye on it.
I have made many slow cooker beef roasts in my life, but this one is by far and away the absolute best one. I made it exactly as the recipe directed.
I grew up hating pot roast. So I always avoided making roast.
I was looking for different protein alternatives to my normal go-tos and came across this recipe.
This is one of the most delicious things I have ever had in my life. I swear I could eat the whole roast in my sitting haha.
I used shallots instead of yellow onion and it still turned out perfect!
Can I add more vegetables to the pot or will that change the cooking of the meat process?
Could I use apple cider vinegar instead of red whine vinegar?
Many thanks!
Hi Nina, You can substitute apple cider vinegar, but I would use less as it has a stronger flavor than red wine vinegar.
Could you post the nutrition information please! I made this recipe (cut in half) exactly as written and my husband absolutely loved it! This will be in the regular rotation, it was so easy and will make a few meals for the two of us. Thank you for this perfect pulled beef recipe!
Yes! The nutrition information is now included. I’m so glad you loved the recipe! Thanks for taking the time to come back and let us know.
I made this yesterday using almost 6 lbs total (2 pieces) of chuck roast and it turned out delicious! As suggested in some of the comments, I only used 1/2 the salt the recipe calls for. I’ll definitely make this again.
I wanted to try this recipe, but hesitate to. Shouldn’t it have some liquid?
I know it might seem wrong, but you actually don’t need any liquid. The beef fat will render in the slow cooker, leaving plenty of liquid for the beef to cook. You can see in the photos that there’s a lot of liquid in the crock pot by the end! I hope you give it a try!
Hi, I have beef tenderloin. Do you think it would still workout with this recipe?
Beef tenderloin won’t shred like a roast does in the crock pot. That’s a great cut of meat for a special occasion. I recommend roasting it instead and slicing into beautiful filets.
It cooked nicely for me tonight. The oil and vinegar and the natural juices help cook it
Honestly I will be making this recipe tomorrow, but I do similar steps with pork all of the time and I believe you would be surprised at how much liquid comes out of the meat… It is a misconception that you need to add liquid to a crock pot in order to make something good and juicy. The only liquid I add when I make pork is orange juice that I freshly squeeze over the top of it and that is more than enough until the liquid comes out of the beef and when the fat and connective tissues begin to melt along with the collagen and everything else that’s in beef – all of these things melting and frequently being called liquid gold… It will take care of it for you!
Hi,
I made this a few times over the past few,weeks and it was a huge hit.
We felt it needed less,salt personally. And I didn’t have red wine vinegar the second time and just used white vinegar, and it was still delicious.
Do you think this could also work in a slow oven in a covered dish?
I’ve never tried it in the oven, but I imagine it would. Please come back and let us know if you try it in the oven!
My slow cooker is out of commission so I did this in the oven with a large Dutch oven pot. 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 4 hrs seemed to do the trick! ( I had two 2.5lbs roasts)
Wonderful recipe! Can this recipe work well with different types of beef cuts?
I really recommend sticking with a chuck roast. Chuck roasts tend to have the best marbling, and become very tender and easy to shred when slow cooked. Other cuts might be tougher to shred and come out more in slices.
Do you think it would work to shred the beef and then add it to a stew?
Absolutely! This works great for beef stew!
I used tri tip because it was on sale and I like it. Came out great although I did use some broth since there is less fat and collagen available. The pulled strands are wonderfully long and the dish was more enjoyable than I had expected. Thank you!
Do you have to add water to slow cooker?
Nope. This recipe shouldn’t need added water. The liquid you see here is all moisture and fat drippings from the ingredients.
As a general rule, if a slow cooker recipe lacks moisture, it’s better to add it as part of flavorful ingredient (more veggies, sauce, or broth) rather than plain water (which will just leech flavor OUT of the dish).
I have a bottom round roast. Would this work with this recipe?
In my experience, bottom round roast is a bit leaner and less fatty than chuck roast. You may have a slightly harder time shredding it. I think the flavor would be great, but it might not be fall apart tender.
I had a 3 lb bottom round cut and wanted to try this recipe (since I’m still kind of inexperienced when it comes to cooking meats), and it came out great. I basically eyeballed everything but followed the same procedure. I placed the meat fat side up so when it renders it flows over the rest of the meat, in the crock pot on low for about 9 hours, shredded with 2 forks no problem, and there was plenty of liquid as well. I was able to shred it fine enough plus mixing it with the liquid that my 16 month old with 6 teeth was able to eat it.
This looks amazing! I’m going to throw it in the crock pot for tomorrow night. I don’t think I have red wine vinegar on hand, would white vinegar be ok to substitute?
That should work just fine!
Hi!
Thank you for the wonderful recipe. I just cooked the beef and it’s the first time I’ve been able to make successfully a cut that falls apart! The meat however is a little on the dry side and not super moist… I’m wondering where I could have gone wrong?
Hmmm, it’s so tough to know without being in the kitchen with you. I recommend always looking for cuts of meat with lots of marbling (fat), for the best results.
Sounds amazing. Will give it a try with my flavored olive oils and vinegars that are infused with herbs. Thank you so very much for sharing.
I’m going to try with a pressure cooker, I wonder if it will burn since no liquid.
You can always add some beef broth if it’s a concern! I haven’t personally tried this in an instant pot.
So easy, so good. I put this on high for four hours, and it came out delicious.
What about doing a couple in a nestco
Is there any liquid aded to this recipe? Why did you say to put holes into the roast? Did you stuff your roast with garlix?
No, there’s no additional liquid. The holes just allow the herbs, spices, and red wine vinegar to soak in. We don’t stuff the roast with garlic, but you certainly could! We find the flavor is great with just sprinkling the roast with sliced garlic.
This is delicious!!! So easy to make and it’s typically all ingredients I have on hand. I have typically made it with bees but today I am trying it with bison. Hopefully it turns out just as good!
I can understand why you are trying bison. There can’t be much meat on the bees. LoL
Can I add a little paprika for smokeyness?
This was so easy to make! I cooked it overnight and woke up to the wonderful smell of garlic! Total time was about 11 hours, and I shredded it right in the crockpot using 2 forks – no need to dirty a cutting board! Next time I will probably cut the amount of salt in half, but it was absolutely delicious!
I’ve made this before and it was incredible! I’m wondering if I could use a pork shoulder butt roast instead of beef to create a type of pulled pork. Would you change anything?
I’ve actually tried this before and it does work! The flavor is not as rich as it is with the beef, but still very good. I like to add banana peppers.
I don’t have kosher salt. Can I use something else as a substitute? I have Redmon Real Salt/Fine Sea Salt and Pink Himalayan salt.
I would use the fine sea salt or pink himalayan salt.
I am trying this tonight. Hope it is as good as it sounds
Can I make this in an oven, instead of a slow cooker? And if so, on what temperature and for how long? (Assuming covered the whole time…)
Do I flip it over at any point?
I haven’t made this in the oven, but I think it could work! I would do it at 300 degrees for 3-4 hours, and put a little more liquid in–maybe a cup of beef broth. And yes, keep covered the whole time.
1
Absolutely Wonderful!
Hi there, I’m gonna make this recipe for dinner tomorrow night. I have a bag of egg noodles id like to serve along the shredded beef. Can I add the noodles to the crockpot at some point or does this change the recipe?
Thank you!
Yes! You can follow the instructions for these Slow Cooker Beef and Noodles, and add the noodles 30-40 minutes before the end of the cooking time. Add 3-4 cups of beef broth to the shredded beef recipe if you plan to do this. https://neighborfoodblog.com/slow-cooker-beef-and-noodles/
Awesome post
Very flavorful. I tried the instant pot version. Will certainly make again!
This recipe is the best! My toddler can’t get enough! I want to make it with a smaller (2-2.5lb) piece of meat, would this change the cook time in the crock pot?
Not really. I would still recommend 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low. So glad you love the shredded beef!
This was my first time doing slow cooker pulled beef and your recipe knocked it out the park!! My husband can’t stop eating it and neither can I — thank you for something so delish! We’re eating over noodles tonight!
This was excellent! It cooked for just under 8 hours and basically fell apart as I shredded it. We had it on bread with brown gravy. This one will go into our list of regular meals! Thanks!
Can’t wait to try this tomorrow! What is the benefit to poking a few holes in the meat before cooking? I’ve never used this technique in the past when cooling roasts in a crockpot.
It just allows the marinade to soak in a bit more. I hope you enjoyed the shredded beef!
I wanted to share that we think this is THE BEST beef/roast recipe ever written! I mean it! We use it 10 ways from Sunday and love it every time🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Thank you for sharing it😆
Thanks so much for this kind review! It always makes our day. We’re so glad you love the shredded beef!
I live with my daughter’s family and I was thinking of using this recipe – half for my daughter and family for tacos and half for me as a mashed potatoes and gravy meal. I love slurpy meat on potatoes! But I’m worried about how strong the onion flavor is and what the vinegar brings to the dish. I’m afraid the yummy picture is making me want to make something I won’t like.
I think you’ll find this is pretty versatile for tacos or over mashed potatoes. The vinegar is not strong, but it does give the meat a little tang. If you’re worried about the onions, you can omit them!
An absolutely amazing recipe. I did a 2.5 lb chuck roast in my instapot in slowcooker mode (on low, vent open after the 1st hour or so) and it worked beautifully. Very flavorful, amazingly tender, not mushy, onions caramelized beautifully, garlic still very flavorful). Made about 20 taquitos. Thank you!!
So glad you enjoyed the shredded beef! Thanks for taking the time to come back and let us know!
Wow wow wow!!! I stumbled upon your recipe about a week ago and my husband suggested a brisket point. I cooked it overnight and I honestly got a little nervous around 8 hours when it didn’t shred easily. Thought I had done something wrong. Waited a couple hours and it started to pull apart. Then I turned the crock pot off and let it rest for about an hour til after breakfast. Haha. Wonderful! We chopped the onions and stored it with the juices in the fridge. Reheated in some juices in the toaster oven at 300 for 10-15 min stirring halfway through. Tonight, we had brisket tacos with homemade tortillas. The children (even my non-meat ester) ate it so fast! Husband said it was one of the best meals he’s ever had. Thank you so much!! I love how there’s very little work and I can have it all week for our family of 5
Maybe this is too obvious to ask, but is the oil/vinegar mix supposed to go into the slow cooker or just used for rubbing?
You can put whatever remains of the oil/vinegar mixture in the crock pot with the meat.
Wow! This recipe is fantastic! I wouldn’t change a thing!
First go with it – I misread the salt. Oops. Still fine.
Second go – perfect.
I prepared as written in my instant pot with one cup of water.
I served it the first time as beef and noodles. I used 3 cups of liquid from my instant pot, post-cooking. Whipped up a gravy by adding Worcestershire sauce, salt, garlic powder, and flour until the taste and thickness were as desired. Served with a pound of Amish noodles and a side salad. YUM! Crowd pleaser!
The second go, again in the IP. But now I have the shredded meat to do a thousand ways. Last night was on a fresh soft hoagie bun with caramelized onions and cheese. Skip the bun for gluten-free or THM “S” meal. I’ve already shared with a dozen and a half friends.
This comment made my day! Thanks so much for sharing! I’m glad to hear it works perfectly in the instant pot too!
I’m going to make this for 11 people for serving on sandwiches. How many lbs of beef do you suggest? Its for a weekend cabin trip so I really don’t want very much leftover. By the way, these are very big eaters:)
I’m sorry for the delayed response. I would plan on 1/4-1/3 pound of meat per person, so around four pounds.
Can the meat be prepped and seasoned the night before for more of a dump and go the next morning?
Absolutely. That should work just fine.
Hello! I just got my first slow cooker as a gift and was going to try your recipe. The slow cooker manual however states that “all ingredients should be immersed in the cooking liquid” and your recipe doesn’t mention any liquids. Will I burn my meat? Or slow cooker? 🥴 I’m a bit scared to try it without liquid. Thanks!
It will be fine! I’ve made it a lot of times and never had a problem. The meat renders a lot of juice. If you’re concerned, just put 1/2-1 cup of broth in the bottom. Good luck and enjoy your new slow cooker!
I made this for dinner last night. Yummm! I used butter to sauté onions and garlic in a cast iron Dutch oven, then put them in the instant pot. Next I cut the chuck roast into four chunks and browned it in some olive oil in the same Dutch oven.
I do not have red wine vinegar. I have rice vinegar, pure sesame oil, Worcestershire sauce and apple cider vinegar. Will any of these work to replace the red wine vinegar?
I apologize for the delay. I would use the rice vinegar as a substitute.
Can I make it the day before and reheat the next day for pulled beef sandwich? How would you reheat?
Absolutely! This is one of our favorite ways to use leftover shredded beef. You can reheat it on the stove top over low heat or in a microwave safe bowl in the microwave (for smaller portions). Here’s our favorite recipe for pulled beef sandwiches: https://neighborfoodblog.com/leftover-pot-roast-sandwich/
I’m using sirloin tip roasts. Should I add beef broth to the crock pot?
I haven’t tried it with sirloin tip roasts before. I know that’s a leaner cut, so it probably wouldn’t hurt to add a cup of broth to the slow cooker.
Hi does it have to be beef chuck I have a beef roasting joint with not much fat? Thanks
I think a roasting joint should work well!
Absolutely the best! So moist and yummy! Think I’ve found the best recipe out there for pulled beef! Thank you so much! 69 yrs. old and finally made the best meal ever!
Wow. Thank you so much for this comment! It made my day! I’m so glad you loved the shredded beef!
Hi Courtney!
I have made this recipe several times now. The first time as written and figured out it was way too much for just the 2 of us, lol but so good we just ate the leftovers all week. The second time I cut it in half, it was more the correct amount. We had a good meal with gravy made with the juices over creamy mashed potatoes. And we have at least one more meal. We enjoy it so much we have it at least twice a month. I pass the recipe on to everyone as easy and delicious! I have not changed anything or substituted. It is perfect as written.
Thanks for sharing,
Emma
I’m so glad you love the shredded beef recipe! Thanks so much for taking the time to come back and let me know and for sharing with your friends!
This looks amazing! Can you freeze it after its cooked?
Absolutely! We regularly freeze the leftovers!
This is my GO TO roast recipe. It is so delicious and flavorful! I love that there is a slight tangy-ness to it. Making it again for Christmas Day to serve over homemade mashed potatoes. I will add carrots and celery about 1/2 way through cooking time, for a complete meal!
Thank you so much for this amazing recipe! I’ve made the sliders from your blog (that use this beef also) and it was fantastic as well! I will definitely be reading more of your blog and trying more of your recipes out. 🙂
I love this! So glad you enjoyed the shredded beef. Thanks for taking the time to let me know and Merry Christmas!
Thank you. I shredded it and then put it in a cast iron skillet and browned the meat. I then added three cans of roasted tomatoes and an onion chopped up and simmered until all the juices evaporate. Then I add two cans of green chili’s. Trust me a little burnt on the meat is a MUST!!
I made this last night for my husband and I with a 2.5 pound beef chuck roast. I did not have red wine vinegar so I used white wine and I used dried thyme instead of dried parsley.
It was AMAZING!!! So easy, so delicious, and so versatile! We used it to make nachos and tonight I will make pinto beans to go with it. My husband keeps talking about how much he loves this shredded beef and even made his own beef and cheddar sandwich for lunch today!
I will definitely make this again!
This makes me so happy! Thank you for sharing, it makes my day!
Thank you so very much!
That helps immensely! Thank you…one more question, please–can or would you add carrots & potatoes to the recipe or cook/roast separately? Want to make the meat the day before (for an earlier dinner with toddlers) and hoping I can store the meat with juices in fridge to reheat the next day and either cook potatoes/carrots with the meat in the slow cooker or the next day and add to the meat when reheating. Thank you for the additional answer.
You could do either! You can cook the potatoes and carrots along with the roast the first day, but I would probably add a cup of beef broth. If you do it the next day, I would add the carrots and potatoes to the slow cooker along with the juices and a cup or two of broth and cook on low 8 hours or high 4 hours. Add the beef for the last hour or so. Hope that helps!
This sounds delicious! If you choose to sear first, would you do the liquid rub and dry spices first? or just the liquid rub? or save both for after the searing? Can’t wait to try this.
I would salt and pepper the roast, then sear in oil. Transfer to the slow cooker and rub with the oil/vinegar and remaining seasonings. Hope that helps!
Made this to eat as BBQ pulled beef with homemade coleslaw and it was 👌
So perfect, in fact, I’m making it again for the Amish inspired beef and egg noodles over mashed potatoes. (I’m from the Midwest and grew up having this at nearly every family get-together)
I’m wondering if you have a link to how to adapt this… 🤔 The chicken recipe doesn’t seem to be very transferable to this as I won’t have massive amounts of liquid. And even though I did a whole lot of eating, I’ve never attempted to make this myself!
Thanks in advance!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the shredded beef! You’re in luck, because I actually just adapted this recipe to make classic beef and noodles! It’s a favorite around here too. Here’s the link: https://neighborfoodblog.com/2020/09/slow-cooker-beef-and-noodles.html
Do you have a recipe for the BBQ pulled beef, or did you just add your favourite bbq sauce to the shredded beef?
You could add BBQ sauce to this recipe, or you could try our BBQ pulled pork recipe, but sub the pork for a beef roast. https://neighborfoodblog.com/slow-cooker-sweet-and-spicy-bbq-pulled-pork-for-sundaysupper/
I don’t have a slow cooker or Dutch oven. I do, however, have an Instant Pot. What would be the recommended setting to cook this on and for how long? Thank you.
I’ve never tried this in the Instant Pot, but it should be done in 35-40 minutes, cooked on manual setting on high. Doing it in the Instant Pot will also require that you add more liquid so it doesn’t burn–I would add 1 cup of beef broth. Please let me know if you make it and how it works for you!
Do you thaw the roast first? Or can i putit in frozen?
I always use a thawed or fresh roast.
I made this tonight and it was delicious, the meat was so tender and flavorful, the whole family enjoyed it! I had about 4 cups of liquid left so I transferred it to a pan on the stove and added cornstarch to thicken into a gravy. When the gravy was done I tasted it and it was very salty! So I turned the heat down to low and added about a cup of lactose free sour cream to it and whisked until creamy. The flavor reminded us of beef stroganoff, it was so good! I’m allergic to mushrooms or I would have thrown those in too, for a true stroganoff flavor. Thank you for the recipe, tomorrow I will add taco seasoning to left over beef and make shredded beef tacos. I love getting two meals out of one dish! Thanks again!
I made this tonight and it was delicious, the meat was so tender and flavorful, the whole family enjoyed it! I had about 4 cups of liquid left so I transferred it to a pan on the stove and added cornstarch to thicken into a gravy. When the gravy was done I tasted it and it was very salty! So I turned the heat down to low and added about a cup of lactose free sour cream to it and whisked until creamy. The flavor reminded us of beef stroganoff, it was so good! I’m allergic to mushrooms or I would have thrown those in too, for a true stroganoff flavor. Thank you for the recipe, tomorrow I will add taco seasoning to left over beef and make shredded beef tacos. I love getting two meals out of one dish! Thanks again!
Yay! This comment makes me so happy. I’m so glad you enjoyed the shredded beef and were able to make multiple meals out of it! That was our goal for sure!
Delicious! I had one roast, just under 3 pounds (my slow cooker is on the small side so more would not have fit). I skipped the olive oil and reduced the salt to 3 tsp. Otherwise followed the recipe except I didn’t have enough dried parsley so I added some dried oregano to make up the difference. I served with barbecue sauce on top, and sides of mac&cheese and baked beans for a few days then made what was left into an enchiladas casserole. Love the versatility. Thanks!
So glad you enjoyed the pulled beef recipe! Thanks for coming back to let me know!
I was wondering if anyone has added carrots to this? If so, when to add them and how they taste with the meat?
Hello! If I only have a 3 pound roast, how should I adjust the other ingredients?
Just reduce everything by about 1/3– 1 1/2 T Olive oil, 1 1/2 T vinegar, 1 T kosher salt, pepper, 1 teaspoon parsley, 1 1/2 teaspoon and garlic powder. The onion and garlic can be the same.
I dont have red wine vinegar could I use apple cider vinegar??? I did see for a brisket people were using apple cider vinegar with it
I would probably use balsamic or white wine vinegar if you have it, but the apple cider vinegar could work in a pinch!
This sounds delicious. Bonus it’s Keto! Do you know what serving size is? How many carbs?
Hi Ann, Unfortunately I’m not super familiar with the keto diet. I’ve listed how many servings you get out of this recipe, along with the total fat and carbs in the nutrition box in the recipe card. I hope that’s helpful! Enjoy the shredded beef recipe!
Thank you for this recipe. What if I don’t have 8 hours? Can I turn the slow cooker to High for maybe an hour or two and then turn down for another 4 or so?
Hello, I’m sorry for the delayed response. This should also work on high for 4-5 hours or high for 2 and low for 4.
I made this exactly as recipe written and I wish I had doubled the ingredients! So fabulous! if I had made more I could have frozen for a quick dinner in the future! Will definitely make for my New Year’s open house!
So glad you enjoyed it! And yes, shredded beef makes a great freezer dinner!
Everyone loves it. Perfect for busy work days.
I have made this several times and it is wonderful. Easy and sooo flavorful. The only thing I tried this time was to cover the roast with sliced mushrooms (aLOT of them!). What an excellent recipe. I find that it cooks even faster when I cut my roast into three chunks and rub the oil/wine vinegar over each one – and that wine vinegar? I think that’s a magic ingredient! Next day leftovers are even better. . . thank you for an excellent recipe.
We are big mushroom fans around here, so we might have to try that next time! It sounds fantastic. I am SO glad you love the Slow Cooker Shredded Beef!
This was so delicious! I served it with a tahini sauce and we used the leftovers for salads and sandwiches. I will definetely be making this one again.
Wonderful! So glad you enjoyed the Shredded Beef. Thanks so much for taking the time to let me know!
This was a success thanks. I strained the liquid after cooking and added a thin cornstarch slurry and made a gravy. Will def make this again. Ty.
Yum! I’m so glad you enjoyed the shredded beef!
I have a 6 pound beef, not very fatty. Is this recipe still good as is?
Yes, this should still work fine! If there’s very little fat, you may want to add a 1/2 cup broth to the bottom.
Would you recommenced cooking noodles in this? I like Reames noodles that are found in the frozen food section of the super market. Do you think that would work? Thank you.
I wouldn’t recommend cooking the noodles in the crock pot with the beef. I would cook them separately then serve the beef and juices over top! Sounds delicious!
No liquid is necessary. I know it’s hard to believe, but every drop of juices in these photos came from the roast itself (nothing added other than what’s listed), so as long as you use a nice fatty chuck roast (and keep that lid on), you should be fine. The slow cooker’s heat is gentle.
Should I add water to this? I feel like the roast will burn if I don’t.
If I want to half the recipe and I use one 2 lb roast, do I have to adjust the cooking time?
No, you’ll probably still want to cook it on low for 8 hours!
Wonderful, easy recipe. Can’t wait to use the leftovers.
This was a big hit with my Main Squeeze! So easy and it’s great to have so many options of ways to use the left-overs. I think next time I will only use 1 1/2 Tablespoons of the Kosher salt though. It was just a tad salty for me. So far we’ve had it on mashed potatoes, in pita wraps and on nachos. Awesome in each instance.
this slow cooker pulled beef beats my mamas, but please don’t tell her. SO GOOD and so many uses for the leftovers. please make this at least once a week!