Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Chili Recipe for Tender, Flavorful Meat

If you crave tender, pull-apart beef that melts in your mouth, this Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Chili will quickly become a favorite. Cozy chili spices infuse the beef as it slow-cooks until it falls apart. Beans and vegetables make this a hearty, complete meal ready for your favorite toppings.

This post is sponsored by the Ohio Beef Council; all opinions are my own. Thanks for supporting beef farmers!

Happy National Chili Day! I love a big pot of slow-cooked chili on a chilly day, and this slow cooker shredded beef chili is now a go-to in our rotation. It’s excellent for a weekend batch, game day, or easy meal prep for the week.

This easy chili recipe is perfect for weeknights, potlucks, or when you want filling leftovers. The whole family will enjoy it.

Why You Will Love This Shredded Beef Chili:

• Simple to prepare. Minimal prep and mostly a dump-and-go approach. Searing the beef first adds flavor and texture, but the recipe works without it if you’re short on time.
• Nutritious and satisfying. Beef provides protein and nutrients like iron, making this chili a solid, nutritious meal option.
• Freezer friendly. This chili freezes well for up to three months—perfect for ready-made meals or individual portions for lunches.
• Better as leftovers. Like many soups and chilis, flavors deepen overnight. Making a large batch gives you an even tastier second meal.

Recipe Ingredients:

• Beef: A well-marbled chuck roast (about 3½ lb) is ideal for tender shredded beef. Brisket can be used but has less marbling.
• Olive oil: For searing the beef; any high-heat oil will work.
• Onion: Sweet yellow, red, or white—diced.
• Bell peppers: I like one red and one green, diced.
• Spices: Chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, crushed red pepper (optional), cinnamon, oregano, garlic powder, and onion powder. Adjust heat to taste.
• Tomatoes: One can diced tomatoes (14.5 oz) or crushed/fire-roasted if preferred.
• Tomato sauce: One 15 oz can of plain tomato sauce.
• Beans: Kidney and pinto beans (15.5 oz each), drained and rinsed; black beans are an option.
• Green chiles: One 4 oz can diced green chiles; swap jalapeños for extra heat.
• Sugar: A teaspoon to balance acidity; brown sugar can be used instead.
• Beef stock: About 1/3 cup to enhance flavor and keep the chili juicy. Omit for a thicker chili.
• Worcestershire sauce: A teaspoon to round out the beef flavor.
• Tomato paste: Three tablespoons to thicken at the end (optional if you prefer a thinner chili).

Step-By-Step Instructions:

Allow the meat to sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes before searing for more even cooking. Cut the chuck roast into 3–4 even chunks, pat dry, and season generously with sea salt.

• Sear the beef: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, brown the beef pieces 2–3 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
• Prep the vegetables and beans: Dice the peppers and onion, drain and rinse the beans. Place chiles, vegetables, tomatoes, tomato sauce, beef stock, sugar, Worcestershire, spices, and seasonings into the slow cooker and stir to combine.
• Add the seared beef: Nestle the beef into the mixture in the crockpot. It doesn’t need to be fully submerged—juices released during cooking will cover it.

• Cook: On low for 8–10 hours, or on high for 4–6 hours, until the meat pulls apart easily with a fork.
• Shred the beef: Remove the beef pieces and shred them with two forks, trimming any large pieces of fat. Return the shredded meat to the slow cooker.
• Thicken and serve: Stir in tomato paste if you want a thicker chili. Serve with preferred toppings and enjoy.

Other Beef Recipes:

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Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Chili

By: Lorie Yarro

If you love tender, pull apart, melt in your mouth beef, then this Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Chili recipe will be a new favorite. Warm spices flavor beef that falls apart and warms you with each bite. Beans and veggies make it a complete bowl ready for toppings.

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 8 hours

Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 3½ lb beef chuck roast, approximately
• 1 tsp sea salt (to season meat)
• Olive oil
• 2 bell peppers (1 green and 1 red), small diced
• 1 medium onion, small diced
• 1 can tomato sauce (approx. 15 oz.)
• 1 can diced tomatoes (approx. 14.5 oz)
• ⅓ cup beef stock
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 can kidney beans, rinsed (15.5 oz.)
• 1 can pinto beans, rinsed (15.5 oz.)
• 1 can green chiles (4 oz.)
• 3 T chili powder
• 1 T cumin
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp oregano
• ½ tsp onion powder
• ½ tsp pepper
• ½ tsp sea salt
• ⅛ tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp sugar
• ¼–½ tsp crushed red pepper, optional
• 3 T tomato paste

Instructions

• Allow the meat to sit about 20 minutes before searing. Cut the chuck roast into 3–4 chunks, pat dry, and season with sea salt.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. When shimmering, brown the beef 2–3 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
• Add chiles, vegetables, tomatoes, tomato sauce, beef stock, sugar, Worcestershire, spices, and seasonings to the crockpot and stir. Add the seared beef to the crockpot; it does not need to be fully submerged.
• Cook on low for 8–10 hours or on high for 4–6 hours, until the meat pulls apart easily.
• Remove beef, shred with two forks, discard any large fat pieces, return shredded beef to the slow cooker, and stir in tomato paste to thicken. Serve with toppings and enjoy.

Notes

Sear the meat for best flavor. Browning caramelizes the meat and adds depth to the chili.

If you prefer a thicker chili, omit the beef stock and drain excess liquid from the canned tomatoes.

Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 5 days or freeze up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 506 kcal, Carbohydrates: 29 g, Protein: 46 g, Fat: 24 g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.