Description
This Slow Cooker Barbacoa is a tender, smoky, flavor-packed beef dinner that cooks low and slow until it shreds beautifully. It is an easy dinner, perfect for taco night, burrito bowls, meal prep, family food ideas, and cozy slow cooker meals with bold Mexican-inspired flavor.
Ingredients
3 pounds beef chuck roast
2 tablespoons oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
3 chipotle peppers in adobo
2 tablespoons adobo sauce
1 cup beef broth
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
5 cloves garlic
1 medium yellow onion
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
3 bay leaves
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup diced white onion
16 corn tortillas
2 limes, cut into wedges
Instructions
1. Pat the beef chuck roast dry, then season it with salt and black pepper.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and sear the beef on all sides until browned.
3. Add chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, beef broth, lime juice, apple cider vinegar, garlic, yellow onion, cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, and ground cloves to a blender. Blend until mostly smooth.
4. Place the seared beef in the slow cooker and pour the blended sauce over the top.
5. Add the bay leaves, cover, and cook on low for 8 hours, or until the beef is fork-tender.
6. Remove the beef from the slow cooker and shred it with two forks. Discard the bay leaves.
7. Return the shredded beef to the slow cooker and stir it into the sauce.
8. Let the barbacoa rest on warm for 10 minutes so the beef absorbs the juices.
9. Serve in warm corn tortillas with cilantro, diced white onion, and lime wedges.
Notes
Do not rush the cooking time or use a very lean cut of beef. Chuck roast needs low, slow cooking to break down properly and become juicy, tender, and easy to shred.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 hours
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: Mexican-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 425
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 620 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 31 g
- Cholesterol: 115 mg
Keywords: slow cooker barbacoa, barbacoa beef, easy dinner, taco night, slow cooker meals, shredded beef, dinner ideas, food ideas