This homemade beef barbacoa recipe is easy to make in the slow cooker, and it’s SO flavorful and delicious! Perfect for burritos, tacos, salads, quesadillas and more.
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Homemade Barbacoa Recipe | 1-Minute Video
Barbacoa
This barbacoa recipe is simple to make in your slow cooker, and makes the most tender, flavorful, delicious barbacoa beef.
Ingredients
- 3 pounds beef chuck roast (fat trimmed), cut into 2-inch chunks
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 chipotles in adobo sauce, chopped
- 1 (4-ounce) can diced green chiles
- 1 small white onion, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon dried Mexican oregano (or standard dried oregano)
- 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 cup beef stock or water
Instructions
- Slow cook. Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a slow cooker. Toss gently to combine. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 3-4 hours, or until the beef is tender and falls apart easily when shredded with a fork.
- Shred and toss. Using two forks, shred the beef into bite-sized pieces inside of the slow cooker. Toss the beef with the juices, then cover and let the barbacoa beef soak up the juices for an extra 10 minutes. Remove the bay leaves.
- Serve. Use a pair of tongs or a slotted spoon to serve the barbacoa beef and enjoy!
Notes
Storage instructions: Any leftovers can be stored (with their juices) in a food storage container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or frozen for up to 3 months.
Did you make this?Let me know how it turned out in the comments below!
You wanna make this like the real Mexican barbacoa, you will need to use the tongue of the beef. :)
Marisa is correct. Real Barbacoa is made from beef cabesa (head). It has a unique flavor and unlike your dish of slow-cooked chuck roast or any other substitute, such as the pork roast another reader asked about, it is incredibly soothing on the stomach. This effect is much like that of menudo; both are not only traditional breakfast dishes but widely used for hangover relief. Here in South Texas, Barbacoa is typically a Sunday morning tradition and that is the best time to purchase it freshly made. Oh, and don’t forget the ice-cold Big Red to wash it down. It’s a Tex-Mex thing.
Hi! I really want to try this out tomorrow. Does the size of the crock pot make a difference? Which size do you use?
Hi Ashley! Yes, we used a 6-qt size for this. If you have something smaller, you might want to cut the recipe in half! You just want to make sure it’s not overcrowded, or things won’t cook properly/evenly. We hope you enjoy!
Thank you for this recipe. I made it exactly as the recipe said. It was delicious!
You’re welcome Annie! We’re happy you enjoyed it! :)
Has anyone cooked this on high for 4 hours? I want to make this tonight but the last time I cooked a roast on high it didn’t turn out as tender.
Did you know that real Barbacoa is made from the head of the cow? Not sure what this is. Probably more of a guisado but it’s not Barbacoa. Maybe a copycat of what chipotle also calls Barbacoa. I’m sure it’s delicious though. Try and find some real Barbacoa where you live and give it a taste. There is no comparison at all. :)
Has anyone tried this recipe with pork loin? Will it come out similar?
We had this for dinner tonight and absolutely loved it. The flavors were delicious and the beef shredded beautifully. The whole family enjoyed it. We left out the chipotles so it wouldn’t be spicy for the kids, but will add fresh jalepeno for a garnish tomorrow. :)
Thank you for sharing with us Cathy! We’re so happy it was a hit with your family! :)
Can I sear the brikset in a large skillet before I put it in the slow cooker?
Yes, definitely! We think that’ll deliver even more flavor, so that’s a great idea! We hope you enjoy. :)
I made this when we had the big snow storm last week, and it was incredible! A few of our friends stopped by after I made it and they cleaned the slow cooker, everyone had at least 3-4 tacos each! It wasn’t too hot at all, I found it to be very mild. I was a little worried about shredding the beef after 3-4 hours because of the other comments, but I had no problem shredding mine beautifully after 4 hours. I am keeping this recipe for the next time I have to cook for a group, it was delicious!
Thank you for sharing with us Nicole! We’re so happy to hear it worked out well for you and that you enjoyed it! :)