Slow cooker enchilada tri-tip is an easy recipe that produces flavorful Mexican inspired shredded beef. The tender beef can be served as-is or reused in many different recipes. Instructions to make this tri-tip recipe in the Instant Pot are also included.
Ingredients For Enchilada Tri-Tip
- Tri-Tip
- Enchilada Sauce
- Diced Green Chiles
- Bell Pepper
- Onion
- Seasonings: cumin, paprika, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes
How To Make Tri-Tip In The Slow Cooker
- In a small bowl, mix together the cumin, paprika, oregano, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Season the tri-tip even and all over with the seasoning mix. Add the prepared tri-tip to the slow cooker. You can season the meat directly in the slow cooker if you want.
- Top with the onion, bell pepper, diced green chiles, and enchilada sauce.
- Cook HIGH 4-5 hours or LOW 8-10.
- Shred the meat & keep in the slow cooker until ready to serve.
- In a small bowl, mix together the cumin, paprika, oregano, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Season the tri-tip even and all over with the seasoning mix.
- Turn on the Instant Pot and select sauté. Once hot, add the oil to the pot.
- Add the seasoned tri-tip & sear a few minutes on each side until evenly browned. Remove the beef from the pot.
- Add onions and bell pepper. Add more oil if necessary. Cook 3-5 minutes or until veggies are soft.
- Pour in the enchilada sauce. Deglaze the bottom of the pot by scraping all the bits off with a wooden spoon. Add tri-tip back into the pot.
- Close lid and seal valve. Set high pressure and cook for 35 minutes. When cooking time is complete, let the pressure release naturally.
- Open the lid. Shred the meat & keep in Instant Pot until ready to serve.
What is Tri-Tip?
Tri–tip is a triangular cut of beef from the bottom sirloin sub primal cut. It gets its name from its triangular shape. If you don’t see this particular cut of meat in your local grocery store, you should be able to find it at any butcher. Yes, you can use a different cut of beef, it doesn’t have to be tri-tip. Specifically with a slow cooker or pressure cooker, beef will cook down to be so tender so you can use the cheap, tough cuts.
Searing The Meat Beforehand
To sear or not to sear? That is the question. When using the slow cooker, searing the meat beforehand is listed as an optional step. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don’t. Most of the time I do not take the time to sear my meat. If you don’t have time or don’t want to…don’t. It won’t make that much of a difference. For the Instant Pot, it’s a step in the instructions but they make it easy for you with their saute function. FYI, there is a slow cooker that allows you to brown the meat directly in the base!
How To Serve This
Once you have this wonderful, tender meat….what do you so with it? The simple answer is, whatever you want. Eat the shredded beef plated with sides, in lettuce wraps or tortillas, enchilada or burrito fillings, salads protein, casseroles, breakfast with some eggs, etc. The sky is the limit.
FAQs & Tips
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- The tri-tip should be so tender when it’s done cooking that it shreds easily with a fork. Keep cooking it until this is the case. No, you do not have to shred the meat. Slicing the cooked meat is also an option.
- For this recipe to be paleo & Whole30, you will need to use compatible enchilada sauce or make your own. You can find a slow cooker homemade enchilada sauce recipe in my cookbook, The Low-Sodium Slow Cooker Cookbook.
- I used a 6-quart slow cooker or Instant Pot for this recipe.
Beef Recipes
PrintSlow Cooker Enchilada Tri-Tip
Slow cooker enchilada tri-tip is an easy recipe that produces flavorful Mexican inspired shredded beef. The tender beef can be served as-is or reused in many different recipes. Instructions to make this tri-tip recipe in the Instant Pot are also included.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 hours
- Total Time: 5 hours 10 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 3 pounds tri-tip
- 2 cups enchilada sauce
- 4 ounces diced green chiles
- 1/2 cup onion, diced
- 1 bell pepper, diced
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt (or more)
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon oil (for Instant Pot)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix together the cumin, paprika, oregano, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Season the tri-tip even and all over with the seasoning mix. Add the prepared tri-tip to the slow cooker. You can season the meat directly in the slow cooker if you want.
- Top with the onion, bell pepper, diced green chiles, and enchilada sauce.
- Cook HIGH 4-5 hours or LOW 8-10.
- Shred the meat & keep in the slow cooker until ready to serve.
- In a small bowl, mix together the cumin, paprika, oregano, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Season the tri-tip even and all over with the seasoning mix.
- Turn on the Instant Pot and select sauté. Once hot, add the oil to the pot.
- Add the seasoned tri-tip & sear a few minutes on each side until evenly browned. Remove the beef from the pot.
- Add onions and bell pepper. Add more oil if necessary. Cook 3-5 minutes or until veggies are soft.
- Pour in the enchilada sauce. Deglaze the bottom of the pot by scraping all the bits off with a wooden spoon. Stir in the diced green chiles. Add the tri-tip back into the pot.
- Close lid and seal valve. Set high pressure and cook for 35 minutes. When cooking time is complete, let the pressure release naturally.
- Open the lid. Shred the meat & keep in Instant Pot until ready to serve.
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 409
- Sugar: 4.6 g
- Sodium: 834.6 mg
- Fat: 21.7 g
- Saturated Fat: 8.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 7.1 g
- Fiber: 1.9 g
- Protein: 43.6 g
- Cholesterol: 96.4 mg
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16 thoughts on “Slow Cooker Enchilada Tri-Tip”
This is fab! I did my Enchilada sauce in the Instant Pot (20 min and slow release) the day before and refrigerated it. I had to switch some of the versions of tomato items for what I had on hand, and it was still absolutely delicious. Now we have portions of the tri tip and sauce in the freezer for future meals. Thànk you for this great recipe!
Hi
The last few times I’ve made this recipe I used your enchilada sauce recipe that you included and it was so good! Did you remove that now?
Hi Kristin
It was moved to inside the recipe box but I’ll list it out again for you below. Enjoy!
Here you go:
Homemade Enchilada Sauce
15 ounces crushed tomatoes
12 ounces tomato paste
8 ounces tomato sauce
2 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
1 small onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Add all the ingredients to the slow cooker. Cook HIGH 2-3 hours or LOW 4-6. Let cool then blend until smooth.
@Shannon Epstein, thank you! I looked all through the page and didn’t see it :). It’s so good so we appreciate it !
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How long will the sauce recipe stay good for? I have a huge jar of leftover sauce.
4-5 days in the frig or up to 3 months in the freezer:-)
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I’ve been looking for easy meal recipes that I can set in the morning to be ready for dinner. I made this enchilada sauce recipe the night before and then followed the rest of directions the next morning. Making the sauce from scratch was a great idea because it came out amazing!!! Everyone said it tasted better than store bought and the meat was tender and delicious. Will definitely make again and again.
I made the sauce and the tri tip both were fantastic, I did tweak recipes a bit. I have A LOT of leftover extra sauce and was wondering if you had any suggestions. Thank you.
This looks so delicious! Cannot wait to try this
I see the enchilada recipe then tri-tip. Is the sauce suppose to be mixed with the meat?????
I’m sorry I’m a little confused by your question. Are you using a slow cooker or pressure cooker? In the instructions for both is says when to add the enchilada sauce. There’s also a video for the pressure cooker version.
I bet these make incredible tacos!!
This looks incredible! I love shredded tri tip
Thank you, I hope you enjoy the recipe!