By Becky Hardin
Published Feb 24, 2022
Fresh and flavorful Crockpot Beef Carnitas are always a hit and simple to prepare! Serve this spiced and shredded beef in tacos, on salads, and more.
Easy Beef Carnitas
Crockpot beef carnitas are quick to make and full of flavor! Rub chuck roast with a homemade blend of spices and let the crockpot do the work. This is the ultimate set it and forget it recipe, perfect for busy weeknights, game day , or potlucks.
Mix up taco Tuesday with easy beef carnitas tacos!
Why You’ll Love this Slow Cooker Carnitas Recipe:
- FLAVORFUL: The dry rub is loaded with bold flavors like cumin, oregano, and garlic powder. Add some chili powder or red pepper flakes for a kick!
- SIMPLE: It doesn’t get much easier than a slow cooker meal. With only 10 minutes of prep, anyone has time for this quick recipe!
- MEAL PREP: Make a batch of beef carnitas on the weekend to enjoy for lunch all week long.
These flavorful beef carnitas are the star of any homemade dinner!
How to Make Crockpot Beef Carnitas
You can jump to the recipe card for full ingredients & instructions!
- Make the dry rub.
- Season the chuck roast.
- Add all ingredients to the crockpot.
- Cook with the lid on.
- Drain the beef and shred it.
- Crisp up the shredded beef in a skillet.
- Serve and enjoy.
For the best beef carnitas, use chuck roast for this recipe. It breaks down and becomes melt-in-your-mouth tender after a long, low cook time.
Absolutely! Replace the chuck roast with boneless, skinless chicken breasts or pork shoulder. Here’s my favorite pork carnitas recipe .
I love serving carnitas with shredded cheese, a squeeze of fresh lime juice, sliced avocado, and salsa. Use your favorite taco toppings for these beef carnitas!
Definitely. Store leftover carnitas in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Serving Suggestions
Beef carnitas are delicious in street tacos , on salads, in quesadillas, and more. Serve this beef with:
- Best Guacamole
- Chips and Mango Salsa
- Rice and Beans
- Poblano Queso
These beef carnitas are tender, flavorful, and totally delicious. The slow cooker does all of the work!
Tips!
- For a little kick, add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the dry rub.
- Use 2 forks or a hand mixer to easily shred the beef.
- Serve beef carnitas in tortillas, on salad, or in a rice bowl. The possibilities are endless!
I love making crockpot carnitas for busy weeknights! Throw everything in the crockpot in the morning and let it cook all day.
Can I use a pre-made spice mix?
If you have a favorite Mexican (or Tex-Mex) spice rub, feel free to swap 3 tablespoons of it for the homemade spice rub listed in the recipe.
What size slow cooker should I use?
I recommend using a 7-quart (or similarly sized) crockpot for this recipe.
Can I double this recipe?
Yes, you can certainly double this recipe, but make sure your slow cooker is large enough to fit all of the ingredients.
MoreSlow Cooker RecipesWe Love
- Crockpot French Dip
- Crockpot Barbacoa Beef
- Crockpot Shredded Chicken
- Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Dip
- Slow Cooker BBQ Pork
Add crockpot beef carnitas to the menu this week!
MoreEasy Taco Recipesto Try:
- Slow Cooker Honey BBQ Chicken Tacos
- Baked Chicken Tacos
- Birria Tacos
- Cod Fish Tacos
- Barbacoa Tacos
- Slow Cooker Beef Tacos
- Easy Buffalo Shrimp Tacos
If you make this recipe be sure to upload a photo in the comment section below or leave a rating. Enjoy!
Ingredients1x2x3x
For the Dry Rub
- ▢ 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
For the Slow Cooking
- ▢ 1 pound chuck roast cubed into 1-inch pieces
- ▢ 1 cup beef stock
- ▢ 1 onion thinly sliced
- ▢ 1 clove garlic peeled and smashed
- ▢ 1 bay leaf
- ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ▢ Tortillas, shredded cheese, salsa, lime wedges, and your favorite toppings for serving
Video
Instructions
For the Dry Rub
- In a small bowl, combine all of the spices (salt, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, cumin, oregano, and red pepper flakes) together. Set aside until ready to use. 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
For the Slow Cooking
- Pat the chuck roast cubes dry with a paper towel and season them on all sides with the dry rub, making sure each piece is evenly coated. 1 pound chuck roast
- Add the seasoned beef to the crockpot along with the beef stock, sliced onion, garlic, and bay leaf. 1 cup beef stock, 1 onion, 1 clove garlic, 1 bay leaf
- Cover and cook on high for 4 hours, or low for 6 hours, or until the beef easily shreds with a fork.
- Drain the beef and remove the garlic and bay leaves. Shred the beef using a knife or 2 forks.
- Heat a large skillet over medium high heat and add the olive oil. Once the skillet is hot, add the beef and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-7 minutes or until the beef is browned and crisp in some areas. 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Remove the beef from the skillet. Serve immediately in tacos or on top of a salad with your favorite toppings. Tortillas, shredded cheese, salsa, lime wedges, and your favorite toppings
Becky’s Tips
- Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
- Spice Rub: If you have a favorite Mexican (or Tex-Mex) spice rub, feel free to swap 3 tablespoons of it for the homemade spice rub listed above.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Crockpot Beef Carnitas Recipe
Ingredients
For the Dry Rub
- 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
For the Slow Cooking
- 1 pound chuck roast cubed into 1-inch pieces
- 1 cup beef stock
- 1 onion thinly sliced
- 1 clove garlic peeled and smashed
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Tortillas, shredded cheese, salsa, lime wedges, and your favorite toppings for serving
Instructions
For the Dry Rub
- In a small bowl, combine all of the spices (salt, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, cumin, oregano, and red pepper flakes) together. Set aside until ready to use. 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
For the Slow Cooking
- Pat the chuck roast cubes dry with a paper towel and season them on all sides with the dry rub, making sure each piece is evenly coated. 1 pound chuck roast
- Add the seasoned beef to the crockpot along with the beef stock, sliced onion, garlic, and bay leaf. 1 cup beef stock, 1 onion, 1 clove garlic, 1 bay leaf
- Cover and cook on high for 4 hours, or low for 6 hours, or until the beef easily shreds with a fork.
- Drain the beef and remove the garlic and bay leaves. Shred the beef using a knife or 2 forks.
- Heat a large skillet over medium high heat and add the olive oil. Once the skillet is hot, add the beef and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-7 minutes or until the beef is browned and crisp in some areas. 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Remove the beef from the skillet. Serve immediately in tacos or on top of a salad with your favorite toppings. Tortillas, shredded cheese, salsa, lime wedges, and your favorite toppings
Video
Notes
- Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
- Spice Rub: If you have a favorite Mexican (or Tex-Mex) spice rub, feel free to swap 3 tablespoons of it for the homemade spice rub listed above.
Nutrition
By Becky Hardin
Published Jul 12, 2017
This Essential Grocery List is an absolute life saver for my family on the busy weeks. When I started this journey to learn how to cook, I quickly realized that the first step in cooking is having staple ingredients on hand. I want to avoid having to run out to the grocery store every single time I prepare a new recipe. Having a well-stocked pantry has made my life in the kitchen so much simpler, because when it’s time to cook, I have what I need.
Essential Grocery List
It’s so helpful to have a basic grocery list to help me remember which foods to buy at the store. This food shopping list is my go-to!
It’s better to stock up on things like grains, seasonings and spices, baking essentials, oils, condiments, canned and frozen foods, etc. so I can just grab them when I need them. These things have a long shelf life , so I keep them in my kitchen for convenience.
However, I do have to go to the supermarket sometimes, and there’s a way to make that trip easy and hassle-free: I keep a grocery list! If I go in blindly, I’ll leave with things I don’t need, and nothing that actually helps me prepare a good meal.
In the list below, I’ve compiled everything I always have on my stock-up grocery list.
I’ve got you covered! I created an easy grocery list filled with all of the essentials. Plus there’s a free printable version that you can take with you to the grocery store. It has everything you need to stock your pantry, your freezer, and your refrigerator.
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List
What to Buy at the Grocery Store
This is the perfect grocery list filled with all the basics and essentials. It should help get you going if you’re new to cooking, or if you’re just left staring helplessly at an empty pantry and don’t know how to fill it.
When I first started cooking, things could seem overwhelming. I quickly realized that they more prepared I could be, the more confident I felt. If you already have the basics in your kitchen, then you can shop stress-free.
So print out our easy grocery list, stock up your pantry and fridge, and you’ll be cooking in no time!
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Fresh Produce
- Apples
- Bananas
- Strawberries
- Avocados
- Bell Peppers
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Garlic
- Lemons/Limes
- Onion
- Parsley
- Cilantro
- Basil
- Potatoes
- Spinach
- Tomatoes
GRAINS
- Breadcrumbs
- Pasta
- Quinoa
- Rice
- Sandwich Bread
- Tortillas
MEAT/PROTEIN
- Chicken
- Eggs
- Ground Beef
- Sliced Turkey
- Lunch Meat
DAIRY
- Butter
- Sliced Cheese
- Shredded Cheese
- Milk
- Sour Cream
- Greek Yogurt
BAKING GOODS
- Baking powder
- Baking Soda
- Granulated Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Flour
- Honey
- Vanilla Extract
- Dry Yeast
- Chocolate Chips
- Cocoa Powder
- Powdered Sugar
FREEZER
- Fruit and Berries
- Frozen Veggies (Corn, Peas, Broccoli, etc)
- Juice Concentrate
- Pizza or Other Convenience Meals
- Pie Crust
- Cookie Dough
CANNED/DRIED GOODS
- Chicken stock/broth
- Salsa
- Diced Tomatoes
- Jam/Jelly
- Peanut Butter
- Pasta Sauce
- Beans (Black Beans, Chickpeas, Baked Beans, etc)
- Soups
- Tuna
- Green Chiles
- Canned Veggies
- Coffee or Tea
Get more details on the best non-perishable and pantry foods
CONDIMENTS/SPICES
- Black Pepper
- Chili Powder
- Cinnamon
- Crushed Red Pepper
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Mayo
- Nutmeg
- Paprika
- Salt (Course Sea Salt and Kosher Salt)
- Soy Sauce
- Steak Sauce
- Hot Sauce/ Buffalo Sauce
- Salad Dressings
OILS/VINEGARS
- Apple cider vinegar
- Balsamic vinegar
- Coconut Oil
- Olive Oil
- Vegetable/Canola Oil
- Red Wine Vinegar
- White Vinegar
- Cooking Wine
- White Wine Vinegar
SNACKS
- Crackers
- Nuts
- Quick Oats
- Popcorn
- Tortilla Chips
- Cereal
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Click ☝🏻 for my FREE Grocery List Printable!
I hope this essential grocery list can help you buy what you need and make your home cooking so much easier!
Stock Your Kitchen
Find more ideas for your grocery list, stock up your kitchen, and print more cooking guides and charts to keep handy!
Non-Perishable Foods to Stock Up On
Frozen Vegetables to Stock Up On (and Recipes to Make)
Ultimate List of Cooking Herbs for Your Kitchen
Ultimate List of Cooking Spices for Your Kitchen
Cooking Oil 101: Types of Cooking Oils to Use
26 Types of Pasta and When to Use Them
What Fruits and Vegetables are in Season?
Meat Temperature Chart (Free Printable)
How to Meal Prep (Guide for Beginners)
Basic Cooking Measurements & Kitchen Conversion Chart
