Description
This Crockpot Beef Carnitas recipe offers tender, flavorful shredded beef seasoned with a blend of spices and slow-cooked to perfection. Perfect for tacos, burritos, or a Mexican-inspired meal, this easy slow cooker dish requires minimal prep and yields juicy, melt-in-your-mouth meat ready to be paired with tortillas and your favorite toppings.
Ingredients
Scale
Spices and Seasonings
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
Meat and Broth
- 1 pound chuck roast, cubed into 1-inch pieces
- 1 cup beef stock
Aromatics
- 1 onion, thinly sliced
- 1 clove garlic, peeled and smashed
- 1 bay leaf
Additional Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Tortillas, shredded cheese, salsa, lime wedges, and your favorite toppings, for serving
Instructions
- Season the beef: In a small bowl, combine the kosher salt, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, ground cumin, dried oregano, and red pepper flakes. Rub this spice mixture evenly over the cubed chuck roast pieces to ensure the meat is well seasoned.
- Sear the beef: Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the seasoned beef cubes in batches and brown them on all sides to develop flavor. This step is optional but recommended for deeper taste.
- Prepare the crockpot: Place the thinly sliced onion, smashed garlic clove, and bay leaf into the bottom of the slow cooker. Add the seared beef on top of the aromatics.
- Add beef stock and cook: Pour the beef stock over the meat and aromatics. Cover the crockpot with the lid and cook on low for approximately 4 hours (250 minutes), or until the beef is very tender and easily shredded with a fork.
- Shred the beef: Once cooked, remove the beef from the crockpot and shred it using two forks. Return the shredded beef to the crockpot and mix with the juices for added flavor.
- Serve: Serve the shredded carnitas with warm tortillas, shredded cheese, salsa, lime wedges, and your favorite toppings for a delicious Mexican meal.
Notes
- You can omit red pepper flakes if you prefer a milder flavor.
- Searing the beef before slow cooking enhances the flavor but can be skipped to save time.
- Leftover carnitas can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
- For extra crispy carnitas, spread the shredded beef on a baking sheet and broil for a few minutes before serving.
