Slow Cooker Sesame Beef

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This sweet and savory Slow Cooker Sesame Beef is an instant favorite! Easy to make, full of flavor, and way better for you than takeout.

215 CAL 5g CARBS 9g FAT 28g PROTEIN
1 Comment

One of the great things about this season is all the get-togethers, parties, and family time. It’s definitely up there as one of my favorite ways to spend a weekend gathered with friends eating delicious food and catching up.

It makes me smile just thinking about it. I love thinking up what to bring, but I also like to bring stuff that you might not find at a get-together. Something a little off the main menu, yet still enjoyable by all. So, all season I have been bringing these Korean Beef Tacos and Asian inspired dishes to gatherings for a break from the typical holiday fare.

Sweet and spicy, they make a delicious and interesting main dish and the shredded beef tastes great in tacos, on sandwiches, or on its own.

However, because this has been my go-to staple, I wanted to mix it up a little and add a sesame twist. Today’s recipe mimics the flavors of traditional sesame beef but in a shredded, slow cooker version.

This weekend we ate it stuffed into hollowed-out French bread with quick-pickled veggies, cilantro, and jalapenos to make homemade banh-mi sandwiches.

Crockpot Sesame Beef being picked up by wooden tongs in a bowl.

Ideas for serving Sesame Beef

  • I like to serve Sesame Beef over rice. White, brown, cauliflower, whatever rice you choose, it'll be delicious.
  • If you read the word "taco" and now that's all you can think about, then by all means, add this Slow Cooker Sesame Beef to a taco. I like mine in a corn taco, but flour or low-carb tortillas or shells work well too.
  • Lettuce wraps make a great no-carb option. I like to put the shredded beef into the lettuce leaf and top it like I would a taco — with alllllll the fixins.
  • Snap peas and brown rice are delicious together. If you've never had cooked snap peas, you are totally missing out!
  • Asian Peanut Slaw makes a great base for this slow cooked shredded Asian beef.

Tips & Tricks for Making Slow Cooker Sesame Beef

  • You can make the sesame sauce up to two days ahead of time and store in a Mason jar in the fridge. That way, all you have to do is add your beef and pour over the sauce the morning you want to make this dish in the slow cooker. Or for a faster meal add the sauce to ground beef and cook it in a skillet, like in this ground beef bulgogi recipe.
  • Don't skip the extra 30 minutes of the shredded beef cooking in the sauces. This allows the sauce to cook down some and really soak into the beef now that you've pulled it apart.
  • If you don't have fresh ginger, you can substitute 1 tbsp of powdered ginger instead.
  • I prefer using tomato paste because it will make your sauce thick. But ketchup works in a pinch. Make sure you're using just a tablespoon and not too much ketchup so the sauce doesn't get too watery and runny.
  • If you don't have a top round roast, you can substitute a chuck roast or flank steak.
  • You can also shred this beef with tongs if you prefer over forks.
  • It will keep warm if you put it on the "warm" setting without the sauce getting too thick.
  • Substitute minced garlic for garlic cloves if you don't have fresh or you don't have time to mince the garlic yourself.

Can I freeze Sesame Beef?

Wait until the beef has cooled to room temperature before freezing. You can freeze Slow Cooker Sesame Beef in an airtight container for up to 3 months. You can also portion this dish out into Ziplock baggies if you prefer. Make sure to get all the air out. I like to label the baggies as well to make sure I know what it is and when I froze it so I know to use it up before it goes bad or gets freezer burn.

Sesame beef made in the slow cooker and shredded with green onions and sesame seeds.

How long will this keep in the refrigerator?

If you have leftovers, put those in an airtight container as well and into the fridge. You can keep Sesame Beef in the fridge for 3-5 days. Reheat in a glass or dish in the microwave or oven. Or put it in a saucepan to bring warm it up if you prefer.

If it seems a little dry you can add a tablespoon or two of water to get it saucy again.

The Recipe
Slow Cooker Sesame Beef in a bowl with sliced green onions and sesame seeds.

Slow Cooker Sesame Beef

215 CAL 5g CARBS 9g FAT 28g PROTEIN
PREP TIME: 5 Min
COOK TIME: 8 Hours, 30 Min
TOTAL TIME: 8 Hours, 35 Min
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Ingredients

US METRICS
  • 2 lb extra lean top round beef roast
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp sesame oil
  • 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste (or ketchup)
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar (or 1 packet Stevia)
  • 2 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/2 cup onion, diced
  • 1/4 cup sesame seeds, divided (regular, black, or a mix of both)
  • 1/4 cup beef broth

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Instructions

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1

In a bowl mix together the soy sauce, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, tomato paste, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, onion, 2 tbsp. sesame seeds, and beef broth.

2

Place the beef in your slow cooker and pour the soy sauce/sesame mixture on tip.

3

Cook on low for 6-8 hours until beef shred easily. Shred beef using two forks and let cook in the liquid for 30 more minutes.

4

Top with remaining sesame seeds.

Nutritional Facts
Serving Size: 1/2 cup (151g)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 215
Calories from Fat 51
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 9g
9%
Saturated Fat 2g
4%
Monounsaturated Fat 2g
0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0g
0%
Cholesterol 69mg
0%
Sodium 321mg
14%
Total Carbohydrate 5g
2%
Dietary Fiber 1g
3%
Sugars 2g
Protein 28g

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

The Nutritional Values provided are estimates only and may vary based on the preparation method.

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About the author Meet Kristen McCaffrey
Hi, I’m the cookbook author, recipe developer, and food enthusiast behind Slender Kitchen. I am obsessed with making healthy food that is easy to prepare and absolutely delicious. Meal planning is my secret weapon and I hope I can make meal time easier for you with our tried and tested recipes and foolproof meal plans. Learn More
1 Comment
On Slow Cooker Sesame Beef
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Nathalie and cr...
January 18, 2020 - 15:43
To make this recipe gluten free, you MUST replace the soya by tamari or coconut aminos SOY is NOT gluten free.
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