Description
This Slow Cooker Barbacoa Beef recipe features tender, flavorful shredded beef slow-cooked to perfection with chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, and aromatic spices. Perfect for tacos, burritos, or rice bowls, this hearty Mexican dish is easy to prepare and packed with rich, smoky flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
Beef and Sauce
- 3 pounds beef chuck roast, cut into large chunks
- 1 medium onion, roughly chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- 2 tablespoons adobo sauce from the can
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup beef broth
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 bay leaves
Instructions
- Prepare the sauce: Place the chopped onion, garlic cloves, chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, 2 tablespoons of adobo sauce, fresh lime juice, apple cider vinegar, beef broth, ground cumin, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper into a blender. Blend all ingredients until the mixture is smooth to create the flavorful barbacoa sauce.
- Combine ingredients in slow cooker: Place the beef chuck roast chunks into the slow cooker. Pour the blended sauce evenly over the beef. Add the bay leaves on top and gently stir to ensure the beef is well coated with the sauce.
- Slow cook the beef: Cover the slow cooker. Cook on low heat for 8 to 9 hours or on high heat for 4 to 5 hours, until the beef is very tender and easy to shred with forks.
- Shred the beef: Remove the cooked beef from the slow cooker. Using two forks, shred the beef into bite-sized pieces, discarding any large pieces of fat and the bay leaves for a clean texture.
- Mix and rest: Return the shredded beef to the slow cooker and stir to mix it thoroughly with the remaining cooking juices. Let the beef sit on the warm setting for 15 to 20 minutes so it absorbs even more of the rich flavors before serving.
Notes
- This barbacoa is ideal for tacos, burritos, rice bowls, or salads.
- For extra richness, skim excess fat from the top of the cooking liquid before mixing the beef back in.
- Adjust the heat level by varying the number of chipotle peppers used to suit your taste.
