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!
Mine was really tangy.. I used the x2 and it came tangy
This is great. I had a 3.94 pound chuck roast. I used the entire can of La Costena Chilpotle peppers. Do cook on low for the 8 hours. My Crock Pots are new and they cook hotter. If you have the original slow cookers, they do not cook as hot and will take longer.
How many people does this serve?
have you prepared this with both water and beef stock? I’m wondering how important the stock is – doesn’t the beef kind of create a stock as it cooks?! and thoughts on using chicken stock as a substitute?
A chuck roast is a great roast but I have always use a good quality broth, Better Than Bouillon is outstanding! The chuck by itself will not give you the beef flavor, the broth that is desired in this recipe. I always use this bouillon when cooking a chuck roast with potatoes and carrots and onions. Great flavor guaranteed!
My family loves this recipe! It is so flavorful. We serve it on corn tortillas with our choice of toppings.
We’re making this for the third time in about a month because it’s so good and easy to set and forget on low for 8 hours. We cut the pieces too small the first time so now we buy the longer pieces of beef and put those in so it’s easier to use tongs later. I also purée the small can of peppers in adobo which I think works really well, and I didn’t add the extra broth the last couple of times because it seemed like there was enough liquid in there already. Love this recipe, it makes for a wonderful taco night.
I had a party and made this with eye of round beef. Delicious! My crew is picky but everybody loved this! I served with pinto beans, brown rice and choice of flour or corn tortillas. I also added a can of fire roasted tomatoes and few potatoes.
This is my second time making it, it’s so delicious. My family loves it.
What’s the nutritional info?
I made this tonight and it was delicious!!! Thank you so much! This is better than the restaurant. This recipe is a keeper. I served it with spanish rice and it was a hit!