Years ago when I started my private practice in Nashville, my life changed quite a bit. I didn’t have the luxury of deciding what was for dinner at 4 pm.

I had to have a plan in place before I left for work.

What transpired over the years as I built my practice was a need for fast, easy-to-throw-together meals. As you can imagine, I relied on the crockpot quite a bit.

Enter slow cooker roast beef.

I don’t know how I came up with this recipe. It probably was another recipe that I modified for myself, which is my usual approach.

This beef recipe in the crockpot has stood the test of time.

Slow Cooker Family Meals

I have been making this slow cooker beef dish for years, and it is so simple, it’s almost embarrassing!

What can I say?

It’s a hearty, lean, and satisfying entree.

What I love best is the whole family loves it and the leftovers are easily repurposed.

Here’s proof of that: 

My daughter in college sent me a recent text…

“Mom, I really need your yummy Mexican Soup and Beef over Egg Noodles and Potato Leek Soup and Dad’s steak and JUST ANYTHING GOOD. PLEASE SEND IT TO ME OVERNIGHT. I WILL CRY WITH JOY.”

Of course I laughed at this! It also filled my heart with joy to know that she was missing home, and missing my family meals. 🙂

I love this Slow Cooker Roast Beef recipe so much that I added it to my book Fearless Feeding and in The Smart Mom’s Guide to Starting Solids, too!

Simple Ingredients for Slow Cooker Beef Recipes

You’ll notice this recipe has a short list of ingredients. In fact, there’s just two main ingredients.

What?!

Yup, folks, that’s it. (And, I personally LOVE it when I can have as few ingredients in a recipe as possible — and it still tastes delicious!)

Beef has a savory flavor and doesn’t need too many spices or additions to make it taste good.

You get a true beef flavor in this dish.

Side Dishes for Shredded Beef

I almost always serve this with a side of egg noodles and green peas, but have also paired it with mashed potatoes and a salad.

If you have roast beef leftovers, there are several ways to repurpose this slow cooker beef recipe.

Add barb-e-que sauce for BBQ beef sandwiches, or throw it into tacos.

A Beef Recipes for Baby Led Weaning and Spoon Feeding

This shredded beef recipe is also perfect for new eaters. If you have a baby and are following a baby led weaning approach, this shredded roast beef is just the right size for little fingers and it’s very tender, making it easy to chew.

Not to mention the benefits your baby will get from the terrific source of protein, iron and zinc provided by beef.

You ca also puree this beef with its juices to get a nice spoon feeding option for baby. It’s also a perfect finger food for toddlers, too!

What’s your favorite slow cooker beef recipe?

Slow Cooker Roast Beef Recipe

Yield: 12 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 6 hours

Total Time: 6 hours 15 minutes

A family-pleasing, simple recipe for shredded roast beef in the Crock Pot.

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Ingredients

• 1 large onion (or 2 small)
• 3 pounds cut of lean roast beef (trim any visible fat)
• ¾ cup of water
• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
• ½ -3/4 teaspoon pepper

Instructions

1. Cut the onion into quarters and layer on the bottom of the crockpot.
2. Cut beef into 3 or 4 pieces and place atop the onions.
3. Pour water over the beef and add salt and pepper.
4. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
5. Take two forks and shred the beef. Now you’re ready to serve!

Notes

This slow cooker roast beef recipe is very versatile. Use it with baby as part of the baby led weaning approach; use it as a finger food for your toddler, and incorporate it into tacos, beef sandwiches for older kids and teens.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 8 servings Serving Size: 3 ounces
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 73Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 29mgSodium: 642mgCarbohydrates: 2gFiber: 0gSugar: 1gProtein: 11g

This is an estimation of nutritional content.

Need More Family Food Ideas?

Check out my recipe booklets!