This tender shredded beef with Middle Eastern flavors goes perfectly with a cucumber-tomato salad, rice, and tzatziki. It’s one of our family’s most favorite meals! Make it in the slow cooker or Instant Pot.
If you’ve ever felt like gyro meat would be a pain to make… you’re not wrong. Say good-bye to grinding meat, water baths, and tedious searing with this slow cooker shortcut version! My gyro-inspired shredded beef has all of the flavors and none of the fuss, and you’ll be adding it to your weekly meal rotation!
Tender Slow Cooker Shredded Beef
This shredded beef recipe should be filed in your “cooking for a crowd” stash.
Prep time is quick and the ingredient list is short (if you have some Middle Eastern Seasoning made it’s even quicker!)
There are a lot of you who have already tried this recipe. And loved it!
It’s one of my favorite recipes from my second cookbook, The Big Book of Paleo Pressure Cooking
I casually call it “Greek beef” at our house because my kids don’t know what gyros are.
Anyhow, they go bonkers when I make “Greek bowls” — this beef with some jasmine rice, tzaziki sauce, and either Marinated Cucumbers or the Cucumber Tomato Salad that I just posted last week.
Make this delicious shredded beef in an Instant Pot or a slow cooker. I included both variations in the recipe notes!
Just cover the roast in the seasoning blend, sear it (optional), then throw it in the cooker with a sliced onion and some fresh garlic.
Then let the Crock Pot do its magic.
Shredded Beef Recipe ingredients
- Beef roast
- Kosher salt
- Middle Eastern Seasoning
- Avocado oil
- Beef or chicken broth
- Red onion
- Garlic
- Red pepper flakes
- Lemon juice
- Cilantro
What kind of beef roast is best for Shredded Beef?
I like to use chuck roasts or round roasts. Round roasts are a little leaner, if that makes a difference to you.
Beef Gyro Recipe substitutions and additions
If you prefer not to make the Middle Eastern Seasoning, you can use something similar. Ras el Hanout seasoning or high quality Indian curry powder would also be great in this recipe.
How to make Shredded Beef
- Rub the salt and Middle Eastern Seasoning all over the roast.
- Bring the avocado oil to high heat in a large stainless or cast iron pan. Add the roast and let it sear until it gets nice and deep golden brown. Flip it over and sear the other side.
- Transfer the seared roast to your slow cooker. Pour the broth into the slow cooker alongside the roast.
- Add the sliced red onion around the roast and sprinkle the garlic and crushed pepper flakes on the roast.
- Cover and cook on low heat for 8-9 hours or until the roast shreds easily with two forks.
- Shred the roast, returning the shredded meat to the pot to soak up more of the cooking juices.
- Sprinkle the lemon juice and fresh cilantro over the meat and serve.
How long to cook this Beef Gyro Recipe in the crock pot?
For this recipe, I recommend a 3-4 pound beef roast. You’ll want to cook it for at least 8 hours on low so it’s easily shreddable.
Some roasts might take a little longer if they have more connective tissue, so leave yourself some extra time just in case. I’ve had roasts that take 9-10 hours — especially if they’re on the larger side.
How to serve this Slow Cooker Shredded Beef
Here are a list of sides that would be great with this Middle Eastern flavored shredded beef. You could create some pretty fabulous bowls with these!
- Cucumber Tomato Salad with Feta is my top pick to go with this shredded beef. It’s fresh and easy to put together a day or two ahead of time, too.
- Simple Marinated Cucumbers is more simple option if your wanting some briny cucumbers but don’t want to make the salad I linked to just before this. My kids love these and they stay tasty in the fridge for several days of bowl making!
- Cabbage Salad with Cucumber Yogurt Dressing is a riff on my Southwest Cabbage Slaw with a cool, cucumber-yogurt dressing that has a shot of jalapeno.
- Homemade Tzatziki is a must-have with this Gyro shredded beef, too! It’s included in the recipe for some Greek Steak Kabobs which are pretty fabulous, too.
- Make some Roasted Cauliflower Rice with a sprinkle of the Middle Eastern Seasoning or my Greek Seasoning if you’re not eating regular rice.
- Wild Rice Salad with Cucumber and Pesto with Cilantro Pesto is another fun option. A batch of that salad along with this beef would make some tasty meal prep lunches for the week!
How to store Shredded Beef
Keep the leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container. Make sure you include the juices to keep the meat moist.
More Shredded Beef Recipes for Crock Pot or Instant Pot
Want more easy shredded beef recipes? Try one of these!
Chipotle Copycat Barbacoa Beef gives you a big pot of that tasty Chipotle Grill inspired barbacoa beef at home!
Instant Pot Shredded Beef with Green Chile is one of my favorites for taco nights! I love using 505 Southwestern Hatch Chiles.
Slow Cooker Indian Beef is a fun take on an Indian-style curry with the most delicious chunks of tender beef!
If you make one of my recipes, be sure to post it on social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!
Shredded Beef Slow Cooker FAQs
It’s much easier to shred meat while it’s still hot, plus the end result are fine, long strands of meat. Yumm! Cold shredded meats are generally more chunky pieces.
Yes – overcooking your beef can turn your tender piece into a dry and tough roast that noone will enjoy.
Your roast probably hasn’t cooked long enough to break down the collagen fibres. Add an extra hour to two onto the cook time. Keep an eye on it!
This could depend on your cut of meat as well as the cooking time. Try using fattier cuts like a chunk roast, beef shoulder, any round roast, or even beef cheeks. If you have a larger roast, the cooking time will need to be increased too.
Gyro Inspired Shredded Beef (Slow Cooker)
This tender shredded beef with Middle Eastern flavors goes perfectly with a cucumber-tomato salad, rice, and tzatziki! Make it in the slow cooker or Instant Pot. If you'd like your beef similar to gyro meat in texture, try crisping it up in the oven after you shred it. (See recipe notes.)
Ingredients
- 3-4 pound beef roast
- 1 Tablespoon Kosher salt
- 4 teaspoons Middle Eastern Seasoning
- 3 Tablespoons avocado oil
- 1 cup beef or chicken broth
- 1 medium red onion, halved and sliced thinly
- 1 Tablespoon minced or finely grated garlic
- Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 Tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1/2 cup fresh chopped cilantro (optional)
Instructions
- Rub the salt and Middle Eastern Seasoning all over the roast.
- Bring the avocado oil to high heat in a large stainless or cast iron pan. Add the roast. Let it sear for 3-4 minutes until it gets nice and deep golden brown. Flip it over and sear the other side.
- Transfer the seared roast to your 4-7 quart slow cooker. Add the broth to the pan and scrape any stuck bits from the bottom. Pour the broth into the slow cooker alongside the roast.
- Add the sliced red onion around the roast and sprinkle the garlic and crushed pepper flakes on the roast.
- Cover and cook on low heat for 8-9 hours or until the roast shreds easily with two forks. I like to flip the roast after 6-ish hours, but that's optional.
- Shred the roast, returning the shredded meat to the pot to soak up more of the cooking juices. Mmm. Sprinkle the lemon juice and fresh cilantro over the meat and serve.
INSTANT POT INSTRUCTIONS: Cut the roast into 3 pieces that are roughly the same size. Cover the meat with the salt and seasoning. Use the saute mode on your 6 or 8 qt cooker to sear the pieces of meat. Do them in 2 batches so you can get some good color on them. Add the broth, onion, garlic, and pepper flakes to the pot. Cover and seal. Cook at high pressure for 2 hours, letting the cooker release pressure naturally for at least 20 minutes -- preferabley until the steam release valve drops on its own. Shred the meat, return it to the pot, sprinkle on the lemon juice, and serve.
Notes
- If you prefer not to make the Middle Eastern Seasoning, you can use something similar. Ras el Hanout seasoning or high quality Indian curry powder would also be great in this recipe.
- I highly recommend serving this with my Cucumber Tomato Salad with Feta, some Roasted Cauliflower Rice (or jasmine rice), and Homemade Tzatziki. It makes a lot of food, but you'll have leftovers for dayzzzzz.
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