Description
Tender, melt-in-your-mouth shredded beef slow-cooked with a rich, smoky chipotle adobo sauce. This hands-off recipe delivers restaurant-quality flavor with minimal effort, perfect for busy weeknights.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 to 4 pounds beef chuck roast
- 1 large yellow onion, sliced into half-moons
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup low-sodium beef broth
- 2 to 4 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (plus sauce from can)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Small corn or flour tortillas for serving
- Toppings: diced white onion, fresh cilantro, shredded lettuce, cotija cheese, lime wedges, avocado or guacamole
Instructions
- Trim large chunks of hard fat from the beef chuck roast. If the roast is too large, cut it into 2 or 3 large chunks to fit the slow cooker. Season generously with salt and pepper.
- In a blender or food processor, combine the chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, tomato paste, lime juice, cumin, oregano, and half a cup of beef broth. Blend until completely smooth.
- Place the sliced onions in the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker to create a bed. Place the seasoned beef chunks on top of the onions.
- Pour the blended chipotle sauce over the beef. Pour the remaining half cup of beef broth around the sides. Do not stir.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours, or until the beef is fork-tender and easily shreds.
- Remove the beef from the slow cooker and shred it using two forks or tongs. Discard any large pieces of fat or gristle.
- Return the shredded beef to the slow cooker and stir it into the sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt or lime juice if needed. If the sauce is too thin, cook on HIGH for 30 minutes with the lid off to reduce.
- Warm tortillas in a dry skillet or microwave (wrapped in a damp paper towel). Fill with shredded beef and top with desired ingredients like onion, cilantro, avocado, and lime.
Notes
[‘Use beef chuck roast for best results; flank steak may become dry.’, ‘For mild heat, use 2 peppers; for medium, 3; for spicy, 4.’, ‘Remove seeds from chipotles for less heat.’, ‘Searing the beef first adds depth but is optional.’, ‘Leftovers freeze well for up to 3 months.’, ‘Reheat in a skillet with a splash of water or broth to prevent drying.’]
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 hours
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 taco with toppings
- Calories: 350
- Sodium: 450
- Fat: 20
- Carbohydrates: 15
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 30
Keywords: slow cooker, shredded beef, chipotle tacos, easy dinner, meal prep, gluten-free, beef chuck roast, chipotle in adobo