• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Get our Freezer Meal Quick Start Guide
freezer meal quick start guide

Get Our Freezer Meal Quick Start Guide

Loading

 

About
Free Resources
Contact

Instagram

Facebook

Pinterest

YouTube

TikTok

Thriving Home

Food & Lifestyle

  • Recipe Index
    • Course
      • Breakfast
      • Lunch & Dinner
      • Sides & Salads
      • Soups & Chilis
      • Appetizers
      • Snacks
      • Desserts
      • Baked Goods
      • Beverages
      • Condiments
    • Method
      • Freezer Meals
      • Stovetop
      • Oven
      • Slow Cooker
      • Instant Pot
      • Grill or Smoker
      • 6 Ingredients or Less
      • Air Fryer
    • Diet
      • Gluten-Free
      • Dairy-Free
      • Vegetarian
    • Ingredients
      • Chicken & Turkey
      • Beef
      • Pork
      • Seafood
      • Pasta & Pizza
    • Holiday
      • Birthday
      • Christmas
      • Easter
      • Halloween
      • Thanksgiving
      • Valentine's Day
    • All Recipes
  • Freezer Cooking
    • Start Here
    • Freezer Meal Recipes
    • 1 Hour Freezer Prep
    • Cookbooks
  • Menu Plans
  • Shop
    • Cookbooks
    • Our Recipe Ebooks & Digital Products
    • 1 Hour Freezer Prep
    • Shop Our Favorites
    • Gift Guides
Home Recipe Index Popular Recipes

Slow Cooker Balsamic Shredded Beef

5 /5
Jump to Recipe Rate Recipe
By: Rachel TiemeyerPosted: 9/13/23Updated: 3/15/23

This post may contain affiliate or sponsored links. Please read our disclosure policy.

Slow Cooker Shredded Balsamic Beef might be the easiest and very best slow cooker meal I’ve ever made for my family. You simply can’t beat the aroma of slow cooked chuck roast. It’s one of the best dump-and-go meals you’ll find!

Balsamic shredded beef on top of polenta with chopped parsley on top. this …


 
Table of Contents
  • Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe
  • Ingredients You’ll Need
  • How to Make Balsamic Shredded Beef
  • How to Serve Balsamic Shredded Beef
  • How to Freeze Slow Cooker Shredded Beef
  • Recipe FAQs
  • Can You Make Shredded Beef in the Instant Pot?
  • More Dump-and-Go Recipes
  • Slow Cooker Balsamic Shredded Beef

Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe

  • Everyone, from preschoolers to adults, devours this tender, flavorful dinner at our house.
  • Impressive enough to serve for Christmas dinner or birthday dinner.
  • Like our Slow Cooker Short Ribs recipe, it’s a dump and go slow cooker meal. Perfect to put in the Crock Pot at the beginning of the day!
  • It’s freezer friendly. Double and freeze one for your future self!
  • It’s high in protein with 21 grams per serving. We explain how important protein is in our Round up of High Protein Slow Cooker recipes.
  • Serve it over Boursin Mashed Potatoes, Healthy Mashed Potatoes, or polenta (pictured) which are perfect for all that extra sauce left in the crockpot.
  • Use the leftover shredded beef on Bread Machine Wheat Rolls as “french dip” sandwiches the next night. Again, a huge win!

Ingredients You’ll Need

These are the flavor-enhancing ingredients that you’ll need for this dump-and-go slow cooker meal…

  • Beef broth – If you don’t have this on hand, chicken broth will work.
  • Balsamic vinegar – This is a key ingredient that adds a slightly sweet, acidic note.
  • Soy sauce – Use low sodium soy sauce, because you can also add salt at the end if needed (but you can’t take it out). Gluten-free option: Use coconut aminos or gluten-free Tamari Soy Sauce.
  • Honey – Adds a little sweetness to balance out the salt and acid.
  • Garlic – I just used minced garlic from the store to save time.
  • Boneless roast beef – Look for a beef roast with some marbling throughout, which adds a lot of flavor. Chuck or round roast works well.

How to Make Balsamic Shredded Beef

Add Ingredients to Crock Pot

Put roast beef into slow cooker and season with Kosher salt and pepper on all sides. In a small bowl, mix together all remaining ingredients. Pour over roast beef.

Seasoned chuck roast in a slow cooker getting ready to be cooked.

Slow Cook the Beef

Place a lid on top and cook on LOW for at least 8 hours, until the beef easily shreds.

Shred and Serve

Use two forks to shred the roast. Stir into the sauce and serve warm.

Shredded beef being picked up with metal tongs.

How to Serve Balsamic Shredded Beef

Here are a few ideas of how to serve this savory-sweet Shredded Beef:

  1. Serve over Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes, Cream Cheesy Mashed Sweet Potatoes, or polenta (as pictured), and drizzle the juices from the cooker over it all.
  2. Use the meat for mini sandwiches on rolls. Put the au jus (leftover juices) from the cooker in small ramekins for dipping…like Crockpot French Dip!
  3. Serve with our Microwave Corn on the Cob or our Baby Boiled Potatoes.
Balsamic shredded beef and sauce over polenta on two plates.

How to Freeze Slow Cooker Shredded Beef

This recipe works great to prep ahead and freeze, so you may want to cook two roasts at once in a large crockpot. It should take about the same amount of time. Cook until they shred easily.

Here are two methods for turning this into a freezer meal:

Method 1: Uncooked

To Freeze: Place all ingredients together in a freezer-friendly plastic bag and freeze. To prepare, let bag thaw in refrigerator for 24 hours.

To Prepare: After thawed, cook as directed.

Method 2: Fully Cooked

To Freeze: Fully cook the meal (through Step #4). Let it cool completely. (Safety Note: Do not let the meat sit on the counter more than 2 hours.) Store meat and sauce in a freezer container or freezer bag after it’s cooled completely.

To Prepare: There are at least three safe ways to defrost and warm up this meal.

  1. Let meat thaw in the fridge for 24-48 hours and then warm gently on the stovetop or in the microwave. (This is the preferred method.)
  2. From frozen on stovetop: Place the frozen meat and sauce on the stovetop in a pot over medium-low heat. Dump 1 cup of water or beef broth over the top. Put a lid on and stir periodically until warmed through.
  3. From frozen in microwave: Place frozen meat and sauce in a microwave-safe bowl. Use the DEFROST setting to thaw, stirring occasionally. Then heat in the microwave on the COOK setting in 30-60 second increments until warmed through.

Recipe FAQs

What cut of beef is best for slow cooker shredded beef?

Chuck roast is a popular choice because it turns out so tender when slow cooked. Brisket, rump roast, and short ribs would also work.

Do I need to sear the beef before putting it in the slow cooker?

In our tests, we didn’t notice a significant enough difference in the end result to justify the time and mess it takes to sear the beef.

Can I cook frozen beef in a crock pot for shredded beef?

No, the USDA says it’s not safe to cook a frozen roast in a slow cooker. It will sit in the “danger zone” temperature where bacteria grows at a rapid pace for too long. It’s important to thaw the roast in the refrigerator for about 2 days ahead of time first.

Can You Make Shredded Beef in the Instant Pot?

You bet! Just follow the instructions in the recipe below but make the following changes:

    • Cut the beef into 2×2 pieces.

    • Place the beef and the sauce in a 6-quart Instant Pot. Lock and seal the lid. Cook at high pressure for 30 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally for 10+ minutes.

If you want to know how to convert other recipes to the Instant Pot, be sure to download our Instant Pot Cooking Times Chart.

We also have a cookbook that gives slow cooker AND Instant Pot instructions for EVERY recipe. You can check out From Freezer to Cooker here.

More Dump-and-Go Recipes

If you like this easy crockpot recipe, be sure to try a few of these favorites.

French dip sandwiches on a tray with a bowl of au jus.

French Dip Sandwiches

A platter of honey bourbon chicken with rice and stir-fried veggies with chopsticks and a stack of plates.

Crock Pot Honey Bourbon Chicken

A Greek pork pitas with cucumber, tomato, and tzatziki sauce.

Greek Pitas with Pulled Pork

Three shredded beef tacos on a plate.

Shredded Beef Tacos

Did you make this? Snap a photo and tag us on Instagram at @thrivinghome so we can see your creations and cheer you on!

Balsamic shredded beef on top of polenta on a white plate with fresh chopped parsley on top.
5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 60 reviews

Slow Cooker Balsamic Shredded Beef

Slow cooker balsamic shredded beef is packed full of flavor and oh-so-easy to savor. So. Good. 

Yield: 6–8 servings 1x
Prep: 10 minutesCook: 8 hoursTotal: 8 hours 10 minutes
Print Recipe Rate Pin for Later
  • Email
Units:
Scale:

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 – 3 pound boneless beef chuck roast
  • Kosher salt and pepper
  • 1 cup beef broth (or sub chicken stock)
  • 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce (Gluten-free option: Use coconut aminos or gluten-free Tamari Soy Sauce)
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (increase if you want more heat)

Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.

Instructions

Make It Now:

  1. Put roast beef into slow cooker and season with Kosher salt and pepper on all sides.
  2. In a small bowl, mix together all remaining ingredients. Pour over roast beef.
  3. Slow cook on LOW for about 8 hours, or until meat easily shreds apart.
  4. Using two large forks, shred the meat apart in the slow cooker.
  5. Serve meat warm on top of mashed potatoes or polenta (pictured). Alternatively, serve on a bun or ciabatta roll with sauce on the side for dipping, like French Dip Sandwiches. 

Freeze For Later:

Method 1: Uncooked

To Freeze: Place all ingredients together in a freezer-friendly plastic bag and freeze. To prepare, let bag thaw in refrigerator for 24 hours.

To Prepare: Thaw in the fridge overnight and then cook as directed.

Method 2: Fully Cooked

To freeze: Fully cook the meal (through Step #4). Let it cool completely. (Safety Note: Do not let the meat sit on the counter for more than 2 hours.) Store meat and sauce in a freezer-safe container after it’s cooled completely.

To thaw: Use one of these safe thawing methods and then warm on the stove over low heat or in the microwave.


Notes/Tips

  • Instant Pot Instructions: Cut the beef into 2×2 pieces, and place the beef and sauce in a 6-quart Instant Pot. Lock and seal the lid. Cook at high pressure for 30 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally for 10+ minutes.
  • To Thicken the Sauce: If you’d like to thicken up the sauce at the end, here’s how. After removing the cooked roast to shred it, turn the slow cooker to HIGH. In a small bowl, stir together 2 tablespoons cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water until smooth. Whisk that into the sauce in the slow cooker, cover, and cook for about 30 minutes or until thickened. (For the instant pot, turn on the Saute function after removing the cooked roast and whisk in the cornstarch slurry. It should thicken up in 1-2 minutes.)
  • Gluten-Free Version: Replace the soy sauce with coconut aminos or gluten-free Tamari soy sauce.
  • Storage Tip: A great way to store this freezer meal or leftovers is in our favorite freezer meal containers. Either store in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for 3 months.
  • Where We Get Our Beef: We get our beef from ButcherBox. The beef is grass-fed and curated from trusted farms. We highly recommend this service to source healthy meat–like uncured bacon, chicken, and wild salmon–and have used it for years ourselves.
  • We also have a similar recipes for Slow Cooker Short Ribs and Crock Pot Beef Bourguignon.
© Author: Rachel Tiemeyer
Cuisine: American Method: Slow cooker

Did you make this?

Snap a photo and tag us on Instagram at @thrivinghome so we can see your creations and cheer you on!

Rate Recipe

Tag Us on Instagram

8.1K shares
  • Share
  • Email

Rachel Tiemeyer

As co-founder of Thriving Home, Rachel dreams about creating recipes (literally) and uses her husband, her 3 kids, and even the neighbors as guinea pigs several nights a week. She believes that good food has the power to bring families and friends closer together and continues to wake up excited about her job each day, even after 10+ years!

Read more...

Reader Interactions

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Have a question? Submit your question or comment below.

Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star
Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  1. TM says

    Posted on 5/2/23 at 11:36 am

    Our family really enjoys this recipe. We make it on repeat often. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Carla from Thriving HomeCarla from Thriving Home says

      Posted on 5/3/23 at 10:00 am

      Love having those recipes that can be repeated often and the family doesn’t get bored. Thanks for the review!

      Reply
  2. LW says

    Posted on 4/15/23 at 8:15 am

    This was very tasty. Crock pot 8 hours and served over mashed potatoes. Will be coming back to make it again for sure!

    Reply
    • Carla from Thriving HomeCarla from Thriving Home says

      Posted on 4/16/23 at 3:10 pm

      So glad you like it. Thank you for taking the time to leave a review!

      Reply
  3. Shirlene says

    Posted on 4/14/23 at 11:38 am

    My teen son absolutely loves this recipe!

    Reply
    • Carla from Thriving HomeCarla from Thriving Home says

      Posted on 4/16/23 at 3:24 pm

      Yes! Great to hear. Thanks Shirlene.

      Reply
  4. Tammy says

    Posted on 3/31/23 at 9:24 am

    So good! It makes great French Dip sandwiches the next day!

    Reply
    • Carla from Thriving HomeCarla from Thriving Home says

      Posted on 3/31/23 at 2:42 pm

      Love that you turn the leftovers into something else Tammy! Thanks for sharing.

      Reply
  5. Diane Kraft (foodieforpeace) says

    Posted on 2/6/23 at 4:53 pm

    An abundance of Balsamic vinegar sent me to this gem of a recipe. I used organic beef cubes from a local farmer. Easy to prep? Oh yes. Balanced flavors? Indeed. I did thicken the juices with 1-2 Tbs cornstarch which gave me the viscosity I wanted. Served it over mashed potatoes with a green bean side. This dish is succulent and deeply flavored. Call it winter comfort in food form. Thank you so much for sharing this. It’s en route to my One Drive recipe file!

    Reply
    • Carla from Thriving HomeCarla from Thriving Home says

      Posted on 2/7/23 at 1:37 pm

      What a wonderful review Diane. So glad your abundance of Balsamic vinegar led you to us! Thank you for letting others know how much you enjoyed it.

      Reply
  6. macy says

    Posted on 2/6/23 at 2:29 pm

    so good. put the leftovers on a grilled cheese sandwich. YUM!

    Reply
    • Carla from Thriving HomeCarla from Thriving Home says

      Posted on 2/7/23 at 1:28 pm

      That sounds delicious Macy! Thanks for sharing.

      Reply
  7. Amanda Jolstead says

    Posted on 1/27/23 at 11:11 am

    AMAZING DELICIOUS 🤤! My friend made it for me and I had to ask for the recipe, cause it’s sooo good probably the best crock pot meat I’ve ever had!

    Reply
    • Carla from Thriving HomeCarla from Thriving Home says

      Posted on 1/27/23 at 12:06 pm

      Wow, thanks for leaving a review Amanda! Not gonna lie though… this is a family favorite for us as well.:)

      Reply
  8. Jaime says

    Posted on 1/11/23 at 12:48 pm

    I wish you had included the Instant Pot directions on printable recipe card. It looks YUM!

    Reply
    • Carla from Thriving HomeCarla from Thriving Home says

      Posted on 1/16/23 at 3:27 pm

      Hi Jaime! I added the IP directions to the recipe card. Enjoy!

      Reply
  9. Katy says

    Posted on 1/11/23 at 6:26 am

    Could this be made in the instant pot? What would you suggest for cook time?

    Reply
    • Carla from Thriving HomeCarla from Thriving Home says

      Posted on 1/11/23 at 10:15 am

      Hi Katy, yes this can be made in the Instant Pot. Just follow the instructions in the recipe below but make the following changes: Cut the beef into 2×2 pieces, place the beef and the sauce in a 6-quart Instant Pot. Lock and seal the lid. Cook at high pressure for 30 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally for 10+ minutes.

      Reply
  10. Rachel says

    Posted on 1/10/23 at 8:08 pm

    I’m going to make this next week for a group of about 10 ppl coming over…everyone says its so easy — i hope so! how did you season the polenta? I’ve never made polenta but excited to try. did you add cheese? I’m seeing a lot of recipes as I’ve searched “how to make polenta” where ppl add parmesan.

    Reply
    • Carla from Thriving HomeCarla from Thriving Home says

      Posted on 1/11/23 at 1:28 pm

      Hi Rachel! Our photographer actually made the polenta with the shredded beef, so the polenta isn’t our recipe. I’m sorry I can’t be of more help! I would guess you can’t go wrong adding in cheese to it, though! Parmesan sounds wonderful.

      Reply
  11. Nicole says

    Posted on 12/19/22 at 4:46 am

    Delicious! One of our fam favorites!

    Reply
    • Carla from Thriving HomeCarla from Thriving Home says

      Posted on 12/19/22 at 10:06 am

      Wonderful! So glad you found a family favorite Nicole.

      Reply
  12. Melissa says

    Posted on 12/5/22 at 9:59 pm

    Have you made this with pork? I am allergic to beef, but this recipe look yummy.

    Reply
    • Carla from Thriving HomeCarla from Thriving Home says

      Posted on 12/6/22 at 9:19 am

      Hi Melissa. We have not tried it with pork. If you do try it, please let us know how it turns out!

      Reply
  13. C. Crowe says

    Posted on 11/28/22 at 8:19 pm

    So delicious! I used 100% grass fed chuck roast and it came out perfect. Huge hit in our house.

    Reply
    • Carla from Thriving HomeCarla from Thriving Home says

      Posted on 11/29/22 at 9:29 am

      Awesome! Thanks for leaving a review.

      Reply
  14. Alica B. says

    Posted on 10/8/22 at 11:29 am

    This is so delicious, and a great elegant meal to serve for a dinner party. I used a sirloin tip roast since it was on sale, and cheaper than the chuck roast. It was absolutely scrumptious!

    Reply
    • Carla from Thriving HomeCarla from Thriving Home says

      Posted on 10/9/22 at 12:59 pm

      So glad your dinner party enjoyed it! Thanks for letting us know which roast you used… it always helps others when reading through comments. And thank you for taking the time to leave a review.

      Reply
  15. J. Abbott says

    Posted on 9/23/22 at 3:43 pm

    This recipe yielded the most tender meat I’ve ever cooked in a crock pot or instant pot. The combination of balsamic vinegar and soy sauce is incredibly flavorful. Super simple, too. Two thumbs way up!

    Reply
    • Rachel Tiemeyer says

      Posted on 9/23/22 at 5:39 pm

      Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and review. So happy it was a win for you!

      Reply
  16. Nathalie says

    Posted on 8/22/22 at 1:22 pm

    What do you suggest I use in place of honey? My baby will also be enjoying. Brown sugar or maple syrup?

    Reply
    • Rachel Tiemeyer says

      Posted on 8/24/22 at 7:55 am

      I would say maple syrup is your best bet!

      Reply
Older Comments
Newer Comments

sidebar

polly and rachel

Welcome

We’re moms, cookbook authors, and freezer cooking evangelists. Our mission is to help your home thrive, one delicious meal at a time. Let’s make the most of your time in the kitchen! Read more.

Follow Us On Instagram!

freezer cooking

Order On:

Amazon • Target

Learn More

freezer to table

Order On:

Amazon • Target

Learn More

FREEZER MEALS

Southwest Chicken over a salad

Southwest Chicken

Taco bar with all the toppings lined up

Totally Tasty Taco Bar

Tomato bisque in bowls with spoons and croutons on top.

Tomato Bisque

Chicken taco soup in a white bowl with toppings.

Chicken Taco Soup

TOP RECIPES

Chicken Parmesan casserole in a glass baking dish with a spoon.

Chicken Parmesan Casserole

Meatball subs that have been under the broiler, side by side.

Easy Meatball Subs

Tomato bisque in bowls with spoons and croutons on top.

Tomato Bisque

Seasoned cooked steak sliced on a plate with steamed broccoli and a baked potato.

The Perfect Pan-Seared Steak

Popular Round-Ups

Fully cooked ham and egg cups in a freezer bag.

20+ Make Ahead Breakfast Ideas

Collage image for freezer meals.

Easy Freezer Meals for One or Two

20+ Inexpensive, Easy Meals for Large Groups

Collage of 7 different marinades with chicken breasts on the left and cooked dishes on the right.

7 BEST Chicken Marinades

freezer meal update
New to freezer cooking?

Grab Our Freezer Meal Quick Start Guide!

5 days of recipes & tips from freezer meal experts.

Loading

Instagram

Facebook

Pinterest

YouTube

TikTok

About
About Us
Work With Us
Press
Recipes
All Recipes
Freezer Meals
Menu Plans
Shop
Cookbooks
1 Hour Prep Sessions
Gift Guides
Explore
Free Resources
Shop Our Favorites
Facebook Group
Privacy Policy
Accessibility
Disclaimers
Contact
© 2025 Thriving Home
Site Credits
Designed by Melissa Rose Design Developed by Once Coupled
Back to Top
8.1K shares
Balsamic Shredded Beef with labeled title.