Slow Cooker Tex Mex Beef

After the holidays I always find myself wanting to take a break from the kitchen.  I take a week or two to relax and recharge while keeping the menu planning to a minimum.  This is the time when I take full advantage of that beautiful kitchen appliance known as the slow cooker.  Oh how I love that thing.

Last week I shared a new favorite soup recipe from my slow cooker – White Bean and Butternut Squash Chili.  This week I’m sharing a perfectly simple recipe for my slow cooker Tex Mex Beef.  It isn’t fancy, but it makes a mighty tasty meal the whole family can gather around.  Or, since it’s a slow cooker recipe, this works great for those nights when family members are on different schedules.  This is one of my favorite meals to make on nights we have soccer practice.  The kids and I eat a little early before heading out, then I leave everything in the cooker on the warm setting so John can have a hot dinner when he gets home.

I left the title of this recipe purposefully vague because you can use this beef for so many things.  Craving tacos, burritos, nachos, quesadillas?  You’re covered with this Tex Mex Beef recipe.  I love to turn it into a taco salad for a low carb/gluten free option.  You could even pile it in a sub roll and make a killer Tex Mex sandwich.  It can be anything you want, and thanks to the slow cooker it can be ready whenever you want.

Slow cookers are absolutely the best way to cook some of the most inexpensive cuts of beef.  The low and slow cooking method does all the work of tenderizing and flavoring the beef.  So grab whatever you find on sale, drop it in the cooker with a few other ingredients and walk away.  Just thinking about that makes me smile.  I don’t know about you, but when I use the slow cooker for dinner I kind of smile all day knowing that I don’t have to lift a finger when I get home.

Slow Cooker Tex Mex Beef – gluten free and dairy free
serves 4-6

2 to 2.5 pounds of beef such as Tri Tip, London Broil, or sirloin (or what you find on sale)
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
14.5 ounces diced tomatoes and green chiles

Place the beef in the slow cooker. Sprinkle with cumin, chili powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Add the garlic and pour the diced tomatoes over the top of the beef.

Cover and cook on Low for 6 hours. Shred the beef into pieces and stir to combine with the juices in the slow cooker before serving.  Serve in tortillas or your preferred method, with your favorite toppings.

An Our Family Eats original recipe.
.

You may also like:

1. Slow Cooker Beef Short Ribs
2. Slow Cooker Chili Rubbed Pork Roast
3. Slow Cooker White Bean Chili with Butternut Squash – and a Giveaway!
4. Provencal Beef Stew
5. Korean Beef Tacos