This easy shredded beef chili in the Instant Pot recipe is not only super tasty but very versatile. Eat like you would a bowl of chili or use for quesadillas or burritos. Also tastes great over rice or cauliflower rice. Only 7.1g net carbs and you can also make it in the slow cooker.
You might also love this low carb Mexican chili meatloaf!
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I’ve had this recipe in my head for quite awhile and finally decided to give it a try. This easy shredded beef chili was super easy to make in the Instant Pot but you can also make it in the slow cooker. As a cup of chili it is full of flavor and very meaty but you can also eat it over cauliflower rice or use in a burrito or quesadilla. If you miss the beans I even have a low carb recommendation for that.
What kind of beef to use in this shredded beef recipe
I used chuck roast because it’s very easy to shred and the fat content adds to the flavor. As you can see below I used a spice rub I put together and rubbed it all in the roast. However the next time I make it I will cut it up into big chunks first and then rub the spices in. This will make it cook quicker.
What if I want beans in this low carb chili?
Beans as you know are very high in carbs so they are not recommended for a low carb diet. However you can use black soy beans. They have only 1g net carbs in a half cup. So if you want to add beans use soy beans like I have pictured below and adjust the carb count accordingly. I would use the whole can in this recipe.
What is ancho chili powder and can I substitute?
I used the ancho chili powder because my husband made it and it is delicious! I realize that most people don’t have this so here is what you can do to substitute.
- You could go to a Mexican store and find dry ancho chiles and grind them into a powder.
- A Mexican store might even have the ancho chili powder there.
- You can look for fresh poblano peppers (when dried they are called anchos) and use that instead of the bell peppers listed in the recipe. Walmart often carries them.
- Lastly you can just omit it if you want. It will still taste delicious.
Easy shredded beef chili recipe in the Instant Pot
- In a nutshell, you want to mix the spices together to make the rub.
- Cut the roast into big chunks and rub half of the spices all in it.
- Add a bit of oil into the Instant Pot and brown the chunks of beef.
- Put in the rest of the ingredients and cook manually in the Instant Pot for 50 minutes.
- Let pressure release naturally.
Shreedded Beef Recipe in the Slow cooker
To make this in the slow cooker you want to do everything the same except you will have to brown the meat in the skillet and then add everything to the slow cooker and cook on low all day.
I hope you enjoy this easy beef chili in the Instant Pot as much as we did. You know I love my Instant Pot! As you can see this makes alot but it’s very versatile. I eat it as is with a little sour cream, cheese and onions. My husband made a burrito and my son made a quesadilla. You could probably make this a freeze half of it for another meal. The nutritional information for 1 serving is:
354cals / 19.3g fat / 9.9g carbs / 2.8g fiber / 37.7g protein = 7.1g net carbs
Easy Shredded Beef Chili in the Instant Pot or Slow Cooker
This easy shredded beef chili in the Instant Pot recipe is not only super tasty but very versatile. Eat like you would a bowl of chili or use for quesadillas or burritos. Also tastes great over rice or cauliflower rice. Only 7.1g net carbs. You can also make in the slow cooker
Ingredients
Mexican Spice Rub
- 2 tablespoons cumin
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
Chili recipe
- 1 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 lbs chunk roast
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup bell peppers, chopped*
- 1/2 onion, chopped
- 1 teaspoon ancho Chile powder*
- 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
- 6 tablespoons tomato paste (or 1 small can)
Instructions
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Chop the roast into big chunks and half of the spices into the meat.
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Hit the saute button and adjust the heat to high. Brown the meat on all sides for about 10 minutes.
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Cancel the sauteeing function and add the rest of the ingredients including the remaining spices into the pot. Mix well and then secure the lid. Push the pressure release button to the back and manually cook for 50 minutes.
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Let the pressure come down naturally, then take off the lid and start shredding the beef with two forks. Try to do a good job of making small pieces so it's easier to eat as a chili.
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*Notes* If you don't have ancho chili powder you can use a pobablano pepper instead of bell peppers in the recipe. If you don't have a poblano pepper you can eliminate the ancho chili pepper all together.
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*To make in the Slow Cooker*. Chop the meat and season with half of the spices. Brown the pieces in the skillet and then add everything to a slow cooker. Cook on low all day then shredded the meat when it's soft and falling apart.
Sharon Montag
Had some shredded pork carnitas left over from another recipe. Used it in your basic recipe here just cooking the sauce in the slow cooker, adding the pork halfway through the cooking time since it was already cooked. Added sour cream and quac as add ons when serving. Everyone seemed to like it. Would have used beef but it doesn’t quite agree with me,.
Denise
Hi Sharon, that sounds delicious! Thanks for coming back and sharing your tips!
Joe
This recipe looks amazing, I can’t wait to try it! I do have one question and it may be pretty newbie so I apologize but want to confirm. Normally for shredded meats I’ll cook them earlier, shred and out it in later. Do you just stick your forks in you slow cooker/instapot and shred in the chili? I’d hate to have a bunch of shredded meat then just a large chunk. Am I overthinking it?
Denise
You can take the chunks out and shred them separately and then put back in the chili. Or you can shred it in the pot. You would be doing this after you are done cooking the chili. You can do it in the pot because there is really nothing else in there that would get messed up with the shredding like beans. If you do add beans then I would take the chunks out and shred separately. Hope that made sense.
If you are looking for a version with chunks of beef you can try this one. https://mylifecookbook.com/chunky-beef-chili-without-beans-instant-pot/ Good luck!
Marisa Franca
A perfect stew/soup for a cold day. I consider it a bowl of spicy comfort!! We made a huge pot today but I like how you made it shredded instead of diced or ground. We’ll have to try out your method.
Denise
I hope you give it a try Marisa. It’s a nice change of pace.
Jolina
This looks perfect for the kind of chill we’ve been having. We always make chili with ground beef, it’d be great to mix things up and use shredded beef this time. Hope we can find ancho chili powder too!!
Denise
We usually use ground beef too so this was fun change of pace. Plus it made it nice for burritos and quesadillas too.
Veena Azmanov
I love how simple and easy this recipe is Denise. But best of all that it is low-carb. I’m expecting my instant post soon so can’t wait to try some of these recipes. Saving this for later.
Denise
I hope you get a chance to make it Veena. You will love your Instant Pot!
Gloria
I love chili…especially made in the slow cooker. We are right in the middle of comfort food season. If it fits in a bowl, that works for me. The perfect way to warm up on a chilly day. I know the family would love this. Great for feeding a crowd too.
Denise
I know what you mean about comfort food season. We had our first snow fall this week and it was nice being inside, warm and cozy.
Melissa
This was very good! I didn’t want it too soupy so I left out the water. Made it for us and some friends and everyone liked it.
Denise
Hi Melissa,
So glad you liked it! I haven’t made this in awhile so I’ll have to make it again. Thanks for coming back to comment. I really appreciate it!