Slow Cooker Beef Barbacoa Recipe
This Slow Cooker Beef Barbacoa is a flavorful, tender, and easy-to-make Mexican-inspired dish perfect for tacos, burritos, or a hearty meal. The chuck roast slow cooks with a blend of spices, chipotle peppers, and tangy lime juice, resulting in melt-in-your-mouth shredded beef infused with smoky and zesty flavors.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 to 8 hours (slow cooker low) or 3 to 4 hours (slow cooker high)
- Total Time: 6 hours 15 minutes to 8 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 3 to 4 pounds chuck roast, cut into 6 to 8 pieces
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can (4 ounces) green chilies
- 2 chipotles in adobo, diced
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- ¾ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- ½ cup beef broth (preferably low-sodium)
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- Juices from 2 limes
- 2 bay leaves
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro or parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Add Ingredients to Slow Cooker: In the bowl of your slow cooker, combine the chuck roast pieces, diced onion, minced garlic, green chilies, diced chipotles in adobo, ground cumin, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper. Mix to distribute the spices evenly.
- Prepare Broth Mixture: In a small bowl, whisk together the beef broth, apple cider vinegar, and freshly squeezed lime juice. Pour this liquid mixture over the ingredients inside the slow cooker. Add the bay leaves on top.
- Cook the Beef: Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW setting for 6 to 8 hours or on HIGH setting for 3 to 4 hours. The beef is done when it’s tender enough to easily shred with a fork and falls apart effortlessly.
- Shred the Beef: Carefully remove the cooked beef pieces from the slow cooker and place them on a cutting board. Using two forks or shredder claws, shred the meat into bite-size pieces.
- Combine All Ingredients: Transfer the shredded beef back into the slow cooker with the juices and vegetables, stirring everything together until well incorporated and heated through.
- Serve: Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro or parsley and serve the barbacoa as desired, perfect for tacos, burritos, bowls, or simply with rice.
Notes
- Use low-sodium beef broth to control salt levels.
- For extra smoky flavor, add an additional chipotle pepper or a teaspoon of smoked paprika.
- Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
- If you don’t have a slow cooker, you can cook the beef barbacoa in a Dutch oven in the oven at 300°F for 3 to 4 hours until tender.
- Adjust seasoning after cooking if needed, adding more salt or lime juice to brighten flavors.
Keywords: Beef Barbacoa, Slow Cooker Barbacoa, Mexican Beef Recipe, Shredded Beef Tacos, Chipotle Beef
Find it online: https://bakedbylisa.com/slow-cooker-beef-barbacoa-recipe/
