Slow Cooker Beef Brisket (Mexican Shredded Beef)
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Updated Jun 05, 2025, Published Jan 03, 2021
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This Slow Cooker Beef Brisket is a flavorful, fall-apart-tender dish that practically cooks itself. With just four ingredients—brisket, Claude’s Brisket Marinade, garlic, and beer—you’ll get juicy, smoky Mexican shredded beef perfect for tacos, nachos, flautas, and more.
What is Carne Deshebrada?
Carne deshebrada means “shredded beef” in Spanish. Traditionally made with beef brisket or chuck roast, it’s slow-cooked until it’s melt-in-your-mouth tender. This version, made with Claude’s Sauces BBQ Brisket Marinade, leans into bold, smoky El Paso flavors.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy to prep – Just toss in the ingredients and let your slow cooker work its magic.
- Versatile shredded beef brisket – Serve it in brisket tacos, brisket sopes, brisket flautas banderas, brisket nachos, tortas, or burrito bowls.
- Authentic flavor – Made with Claude’s, an iconic marinade from El Paso.
- Feeds a crowd – Perfect for fiestas, potlucks, or Sunday meal prep.
- Inspired by suadero-style tacos – But with the convenience of your crockpot.
Ingredients & Substitutions
This recipe uses only four ingredients, so quality matters:
- Beef Brisket – The star of the show. If brisket is hard to find or pricey, chuck roast is a great substitute. It also shreds beautifully after slow cooking.
- Claude’s Brisket Marinade – This smoky, tangy marinade from El Paso is what gives this dish its signature flavor. If you can’t find Claude’s, use a combination of beer, garlic, bay leaves, salt, pepper, and a small splash of liquid smoke for a similar savory result.
- Garlic Cloves – Optional, but they add a subtle aromatic depth.
- Mexican Beer – Any light or amber beer will do. It helps tenderize the meat and adds richness. Substitute beef broth if needed.
- Bay Leaves – A simple way to build background flavor as the brisket cooks low and slow.
Full ingredient list and measurements are in the printable recipe card below.
How to Cook Brisket in Slow Cooker
Step 1: Add ingredients to the crockpot. Place your brisket in the slow cooker. Pour in Claude’s Brisket Marinade, beer, garlic, and bay leaves.
Step 2: Cook low and slow. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours until the meat shreds easily with a fork.
Step 3: Shred & serve. Remove any fatty bits and shred the brisket. Serve as-is, or repurpose as tacos de carne deshebrada, brisket nachos, burritos, or tortas.
Serving & Topping Suggestions
Growing up in El Paso, brisket was our go-to for big family gatherings. We didn’t do theme parties—we had fiestas with cousins, tias, abuelos, and a table full of food. Brisket was always the star, surrounded by Southern-style potato salad, frijoles de la olla, Mexican salsas, and a mountain of fried tortilla chips and bolillos.
Serve your brisket with:
Slow Cooker Brisket Tips & Tricks
- Eyeball it – This recipe is forgiving. Measuring is optional!
- Leftovers = magic – This brisket is just as good the next day. Try it in Machaca con Huevo for breakfast or Salpicón de Res for a refreshing cold beef salad.
- Freeze for later – Store cooled brisket in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months.
Storage Instructions
- Refrigerate: Store leftover brisket in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freeze: Freeze cooled shredded brisket for up to 3 months.
- Reheat: Warm in a skillet or microwave with a splash of broth to keep it moist.
Frequently Asked Questions
Beef brisket is ideal for this slow-cooked carne deshebrada. If you’re looking for a more economical alternative, you can replace the brisket with chuck roast.
Yes, but the smoky depth of Claude’s is hard to replicate. If you are unable to find this bottled of liquid gold, you can use this simple beef brisket recipe instead.
Try it with warm bolillos, Mexican Red Rice, Frijoles de la Olla, a spoonful of Chile de Árbol Salsa, and a refreshing cold potato salad or pickled jalapeños (Escabeche).
More Recipes to Try
If you tried this Slow Cooker Beef Brisket or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!
Summarize & Save This Content On
Slow Cooker Beef Brisket
Ingredients
- 2 to 4 pounds beef brisket
- 2 ounces Brisket Marinade Sauce per pound of meat, (recommend Claude’s Brisket Marinade Sauce)
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 garlic cloves, (optional)
- 12 ounces beer, (recommend lager or light beer)
Instructions
- Place the brisket, marinade sauce, bay leaves, garlic cloves (if using), and beer in a slow cooker. Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours.
- Remove the brisket and shred the meat and discard fat pieces. Serve as the basis for tacos, nachos, sopes, flautas or more!
Video
Notes
- This recipe is also published in the Muy Bueno cookbook.
- If you can’t find Claude’s Brisket Marinade, use beer, garlic, bay leaves, salt, pepper, and a splash of liquid smoke as a simple substitute.
- Cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours for best results.
- Use leftovers to make Machaca con Huevo, Salpicón, tortas, or enchiladas.
- Freezes well – store in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months.
- Great for feeding a crowd or meal prepping for the week.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Photography by Jenna Sparks
I have been making brisket with Claude’s for years. But have never made it with beer or bay leaves. Will definitely do this next time. Love your books and recipes.
Looks scrumptious. Can’t wait to give it a go!
Can’t find Claude’s, do you suggest liquid smoke and beef broth along with the beer? And seasonings.
Dear Yvette, I have a 7.3 pound brisket.
*Is the cooking time longer?
I can’t wait to make it! I have Claude’s brisket marinade and Sierra Nevada pale ale beer.
Thank you very much!
Sandy
I just made this and this is the BEST brisket I’ve ever made!! So easy!
When I cook brisket in a crockpot , I use a whole brisket. First I cut a potato or two into fours and use the potatoes as little platforms so the brisket can rest on top so that it doesn’t stick and burn to the bottom of the crackpot. The trimmed and cut brisket is put in the crackpot in layers using Claudes marinade for each layer. Next time I will try adding the beer, garlic and bayleaves.
I made this day and it is Delicious and was easy. Will be making it again, Thank you!
Best brisket ever! Full of flavor, tender and so good! A key ingredient is the Claudes marinade. Super easy.tacos for dinner or stuff bolillos. Perfectection!!!
I was able to buy on WalMart’s website. Shipping is expensive. Also available on Amazon although there is a long wait for shipping. Might also try Claudes website.
On your Brisket recipe. I’d like to make it soon, no chance to get the Barbeque Sauce in the mail.
Can I either skip it or buy a different kind, or make some kind of substitution
Substitute with beef broth plus a splash of liquid smoke.