This website may contain affiliate links and advertising so that we can provide recipes to you. Read my disclosure policy.

Flank steak that is rubbed in spices and slow cooks with peppers, jalapeรฑo, and onions all day to tender and juicy perfection! This recipe is easy and will become a family favorite!

Beef carnitas in a slow cooker.
I made these carnitas when I first started my blog. They were an instant family favorite. But… my photography needed a makeover. Here is the picture before:
Slow cooker beef carnitas tacos with avocado slices.
I remember trying to take this picture. I had only been blogging for three months! It was in the hallway on the stairs. I didn’t know how to use my camera or turn off the flash! So I covered the flash with my hand and took the picture! ? I think it is safe to say I have come a long way. And learned how to use my camera a little better!
Anyway. Now that you have had a good laugh and realize that anything is possible, let’s talk about these carnitas.
If I am going to make shredded beef it has to be perfect. I don’t want the beef to be dry or chewy. It has to be melt in your mouth tender and full of flavor. That is why I LOVE this recipe!
A flank steak slow cooking all day in a spice rub with a combination of peppers, jalapeรฑo, and onions. The beef creates its on juices while it cooks and is so unbelievably tender. It doesn’t get much better than that!
Slow cooker beef tacos with cilantro garnished on top with limes on the side.
This recipe is the perfect way to make beef carnitas for your family. You will not believe how amazing the flavor is and it is so tender. This is one of my husbands favorite recipes. In fact, he is devouring two as we speak.
The beef is so flavorful and juicy that it tastes great by itself. You can add minimal toppings to add some fresh flavors like avocado, diced tomatoes, or even some cilantro. These are AMAZING! I know that you are going to LOVE them just as much as our family does. ๐Ÿ™‚
flank steak tacos with cilantro garnished on top with limes on the side.

Slow cooker beef carnitas with cilantro on top and limes on the side.

Pin this now to find it later

Pin It

Slow Cooker Beef Carnitas Tacos

5 from 1 vote
By: Alyssa Rivers
Flank steak that is rubbed in spices and slow cooks with peppers, jalapeรฑo, and onions all day to tender and juicy perfection! This recipe is easy and will become a family favorite!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Slow Cooker: 8 hours
Total Time: 8 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 8 Servings

Ingredients 

  • 2 pounds Flank Steak
  • 1 medium yellow onion chopped, about 1 cup
  • 1 green bell pepper chopped, about 1 cup
  • 1 red bell pepper chopped, about 1 cup
  • 1 seeded jalapeno diced, about ยผ cup

Spice Rub:

For Serving:

Instructions 

  • In a small bowl mix the chili powder, cumin, salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper.
  • Rub the flank steak with the spices and place it in the bottom of the crock pot.
  • Cover the steak with the onion, bell pepper, and jalapeno pepper. Set the slow cooker to LOW and cook for 8 hours.
  • After 8 hours, remove the meat from the crock pot and shred it with a fork. It should be easy to shred. Either put the shredded meat back in the pot for another hour or serve it as is.
  • To serve: heat your corn tortillas in a skillet on the stove. Spoon some carnitas on a tortilla then top with salsa, avocado, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime.

Nutrition

Calories: 173kcalCarbohydrates: 4gProtein: 25gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 68mgSodium: 364mgPotassium: 482mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 763IUVitamin C: 34mgCalcium: 33mgIron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Tried this recipe?Mention @alyssa_therecipecritic or tag #therecipecritic!

About Alyssa Rivers

Alyssa Rivers is the author of 'The Tried and True Cookbook', a professional food photographer and experienced recipe-developer. Having a passion for cooking, her tried and true recipes have been featured on Good Morning America, Today Food, Buzzfeed and more.

More Ideas

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




26 Comments

  1. I made this recipe for our Mexican Christmas dinner. It was amazing!! Left out peppers and just added all spices to the slow cooker, no rub. it turned out scrumptious….definitely a repeat.

    1. Alyssa probably used garlic powder, or granulated garlic, due to it being a rub.
      The recipe already calls for salt.

  2. What if you don’t have a slow cooker. I had one but couldn’t seem to get it to work right for me so I gave it away.I am old and used to doing things on top of stone or in the oven. Any suggestions

  3. I know this post was made a few years ago but I would like to offer small lesson in the Spanish language.
    Carnitas by definition is pork so what you are calling Beef Carnitas you are actually calling Beef Pork. This is actually more along the lines of Barbacoa.

  4. I made this for our dinner this evening. I only had a one pound shoulder roast beef and I used my rice cooker to make this. It is so flavorful and I skipped on the jalapeรฑos, and it still was amazing. Thank for sharing this recipe. This is a keeper.

    1. If you are using a large slow cooker it may cook it faster, otherwise the cooking time should remain about the same.

  5. I’m having to use a different meat as well and worry that it will stick to the pot. Do you think, had you not added the broth, this would have been the case when you did it?

  6. Trying this recipe this weekend! Looks delish and Mexican is my favorite! Thanks for sharing. Have a wonderful week.
    Michelle