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!
Made this for a party and everyone LOVED it; I was surprised at the kick of spice but it was perfection! A true Mexican dish.
Any ideas how to translate this recipe to the instant pot? I love how many of your recipes give options for several different cooking methods! I don’t have a slow cooker but would love to give this recipe a try!
She has another post of this recipe specifically for an instant pot. Just Google Barbacoa Beef Instant Pot and you will find it. Same website.
This is one of the most delicious meals I’ve ever made. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve made it, and how much everyone enjoys it. In fact, I have it in the crock pot again now! I am not much of a cook and this is a cinch to create.
Can’t thank you enough for this recipe and truly cannot stress to everyone how unbelievably good this is!
I just made this for my husband’s 30th birthday party, and wow, it was a total hit. Everyone hovered around the buffet and made taco after taco. The flavors were incredible.
We also just moved back from Los Angeles to the Midwest and were REALLY missing our street tacos from all our favorite taquerias and this barbacoa tasted like home. For the toppings, I used cojita cheese, homemade pickled red onions, cilantro and lime served on mini street taco style tortillas. This recipe will stay in our home. Thank you for sharing!!!!
Would there be an issue with trimming the beef and marinating it in the ingredients the night before? Maybe keep out the lime?
Amazing! Wow, this was absolutely delicious and so easy. Definitely a keeper.
Trying recipe for first time.
I made this last night for a small dinner — easiest and tastiest thing I’ve made in a while!! I didn’t have green chilis so I added dried red peppers and a chopped bell pepper but next time I intent to follow the recipe. I used a skirt steak and cooked it on high for 4-5 hours. I will definitely be making this recipe again, it was delicious!!
Would it be okay to double the recipe? Or is that too much to cook at once?
I’ve been making this recipe for a while now and it’s my family’s favorite! I double the recipe every time and it turns out amazing every time I make it!! By far the best recipe I’ve ever gotten online.
Really good!!! Entire family loved it!
Bland. Bland. Bland.
The meat has no flavor whatsoever with these ingredients. I used a 2.4lb roast, with the exact asuments specified, slow cooked for 6 hours. The meat was very tender Der, but tasted of nothing. What a waste.