If you’re looking for a delicious and easy meal that will leave everyone at the table asking for seconds, this Slow-Cooked Beef Chuck Roast is the answer. With melt-in-your-mouth beef, smoky chipotle, and fresh toppings, this recipe is sure to become a family favourite. Plus, it’s perfect for feeding a group with minimal effort.
Whether you’re hosting a casual dinner, having friends over for taco night, or meal prepping for the week, this recipe ticks all the boxes.
Why you’ll love this Beef Chuck Roast
Super Tender and Flavourful Beef: Beef chuck roast is known for its deep, rich flavour and tenderness when slow-cooked. With the right balance of spices, a few hours in the oven or slow cooker, this cut of beef becomes incredibly tender, falling apart with just a fork, perfect for tacos!
Easy to Make: This recipe is simple to prepare, requiring a few ingredients and minimal hands-on time. Whether you’re slow-cooking it for 3–4 hours or using the oven, it’s a hassle-free dinner. Throw it in, shred, and serve!
Perfect for Tacos, Burritos, or Bowls: While we’ve kept it taco-focused in this recipe, the shredded beef works equally well in burritos or bowls. Add your favourite toppings, and you’ve got a versatile meal that’s just as great for meal prep as it is for serving guests.
Customisable Toppings: Top these tacos with whatever you love: avocado, fresh tomato, corn, or even a dollop of Greek yogurt. The combination of the rich beef and fresh toppings is so good!
Top Tips for the perfect Slow-Cooked Beef Chuck Roast
Don’t skip the searing: Browning the chuck roast before slow cooking or baking adds a ton of depth and flavour to the dish. It’s worth the extra step, as it enhances the natural meat flavours and creates a delicious crust.
Adjust spice levels: Chipotle in adobo sauce adds a smoky, spicy kick. If you prefer a milder flavour, reduce the amount. It’s all about adjusting to your taste!
Time it right: If you’re cooking in the oven, make sure to cook your beef for 3.5–4 hours (about 1 hour per 500g of beef), depending on your roast’s size. This ensures a melt-in-your-mouth texture. If you’re using a slow cooker, cook on high for 3–4 hours or until the beef is easily shredded.
Crisp the beef (optional): After shredding, you can place the beef back in the oven uncovered for 15–30 minutes at 200°C. This gives the beef a nice crisp on top and adds even more texture to your tacos.
How to Make Beef Chuck Roast
Start by rubbing your roast with olive oil, then coat it in a punchy mix of paprika, cumin, oregano and chilli powder. Sear it in a hot pan until browned on all sides (don’t skip this step—it builds flavour). From there, it’s all about the low and slow magic. Nestle the beef into a pot or slow cooker with garlic, onion, red capsicum, crushed tomatoes, beef stock, chipotle in adobo, lime juice and orange juice.
Let it cook until it’s falling apart tender—about 3.5 to 4 hours in the oven, or on high in the slow cooker. Once it’s shred-with-a-fork soft, pull it apart and stir it through all those rich juices. If you want crispy edges, put it back in the oven uncovered for 15–30 minutes at 200°C. Then just load it into warm tortillas with avocado, tomato, corn, coriander and a good squeeze of lime. Taco night sorted!
Macro Breakdown
Approximate breakdown per taco (1 serving):
Calories: 350
Protein: 28g
Fat: 18g
Carbs: 25g
Nutritional information is an estimate and may vary based on portion size and ingredients used. For personalised advice, please consult a qualified nutritionist or healthcare professional.
Slow-Cooked Beef Chuck Roast
6-8
servings20
minutes3
hours30
minutesIngredients
- For the beef:
1.7kg beef chuck roast
Salt & freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
1 tbsp sweet paprika
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp dried oregano
Pinch of chilli powder (optional)
2 tbsp olive oil
5 garlic cloves, smashed
1 brown onion, sliced
1 red capsicum, sliced
125ml (½ cup) beef stock
400g tin crushed tomatoes
1 tbsp chipotle in adobo sauce
Juice of 1 lime
Juice of ½ orange
- To serve:
Soft tortillas
Avocado, sliced
Tomato, chopped
Corn kernels (fresh or from a tin)
Fresh coriander, chopped
Sour cream or Greek yoghurt
Lime wedges
Directions
- Preheat your oven to 175°C (fan forced) if you’re not using a slow cooker.
- If using a slow cooker, set it to high.
- For the chuck roast:
- Pat the beef dry with paper towel. Rub the beef with 1 tbsp olive oil and season both sides generously with salt and pepper.
- In a small bowl, combine the paprika, cumin, oregano and chilli powder if using. Rub this spice mix evenly over both sides of the meat.
- Heat the remaining olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Sear the chuck roast for 2–3 minutes on each side until well browned.
- Assemble in your dish:
- Transfer the beef to a large oven-safe casserole dish with a lid (or your slow cooker).
- Add garlic, onion, capsicum, beef stock, crushed tomatoes, chipotle in adobo, lime juice and orange juice. Give it a gentle mix, spooning some of the liquid over the top of the meat.
- Cook the beef:
- In the oven: Cover with a lid and place in the oven for 3.5–4 hours (based on 1 hour per 500g, plus an extra hour).
- In the slow cooker: Cook on high for 3–4 hours or until the meat is tender and shreds easily.
- Shred and finish:
- Remove the roast from the oven or slow cooker and transfer the meat to a plate. While you shred it with two forks, simmer the sauce in the dish (or on the stovetop if oven-safe) to let it reduce and thicken slightly. Return the shredded beef to the sauce and mix well.
- If you’re using the oven, place the dish back in uncovered at 200°C for 15–30 minutes to let the top crisp up slightly.
- Serve:
- Load the shredded beef into warm tortillas and top with avocado, tomato, corn, coriander and a dollop of sour cream. Squeeze over extra lime if you like.
