What cut of beef is best for shredding?

A beef chuck roast (sometimes called chuck eye roast), like we've used here, is the best cut of beef for this shredded beef recipe as it has marbling (fat) and collagen to keep it tender and infuse it with delicious, rich, and great flavor. You could also use tri-tip, round roast, or bottom roast cuts.

How do you cook beef until it falls apart?

Choose a cut of beef with some marbling, which will help keep it nice and tender while cooking. Cook on low heat in the slow cooker for a longer time, which will result in super tender beef.

Why is my meat not shredding in the crock pot?

If your meat doesn't shred easily, it might just need to cook for a longer time. I typically find that if I cook things like this on High, they aren't quite as fall-apart tender as they are cooked on Low. But if it's cooked for long enough, you can turn the slow cooker to warm and let it sit for 15-20 minutes, and then try shredding. This sometimes helps!

Can you overcook pulled beef in the slow cooker?

Yes, you absolutely can overcook meat in the slow cooker, and it will end up tasting dry and mushy.

Slow Cooker Shredded Beef (Tender, Flavorful & Foolproof)

Name: Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 6 h
Total time: 6 h 10 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 3 lbs. chuck roast beef (can be whole or cut into two pieces); 2 tsp. sea salt; 1/2 tsp. black pepper; 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil; 1/3 cup red wine vinegar; 1/2 white onion (left whole); 3 cloves garlic, lightly smashed (remove skins but leave whole)

Description

Learn how to make pulled beef! Just 10 minutes prep and after slow cooking, you’ll be left with flavorful, tender, and totally delicious shredded beef.

Ingredients

Units Scale

3 lbs. chuck roast beef (can be whole or cut into two pieces)
2 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 white onion (left whole)
3 cloves garlic, lightly smashed (remove skins but leave whole)

Instructions

Season the beef chuck roast with sea salt and black pepper.
Heat oil in a large skillet and brown the chuck roast pieces on all four sides. Do this in batches if your pan isn’t big enough. Brown for about 2 minutes per side.
Transfer the meat to the slow cooker and top with red wine vinegar. Nestle onion and garlic in the meat and cook on low for 6-8 hours, until the beef is tender and shreds easily.
Use shredded beef chuck roast in shredded beef tacos and beef sandwich melts.

Notes

Cooking time will vary, so if you test the meat after 6 hours and it’s not tender and doesn’t fall apart easily, give it some more time and check in 30-minute increments.
Storage: Store the shredded beef in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat beef in the microwave or a hot skillet until heated through. You can also freeze the cooked beef for 2-3 months in an airtight container.
Ingredient notes: Use high-quality beef with a decent amount of marbling for the best flavor. The meat will end up cooking in its own liquid, so no extra liquid is necessary.
Special tools: I’ve tried fancy crockpots and regular crockpots…I prefer the basic one!
Need more dinner inspiration? I’ve got everything you need for easy weeknight dinners right here.