Description
This barbacoa recipe is simple to make in your slow cooker, and makes the most tender, flavorful, delicious barbacoa beef.
Ingredients
Scale
- 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.
I made this recipe last year for Christmas, and here I am planning to make it again this Christmas. I realized I never left a review, and it deserves a RAVING one! This was a total hit and easy to prepare. I typically like to stick to side dishes/desserts and leave the meat prep to others, but I felt very confident making this. Can’t wait to make it again!
This is one of my favorite recipes to make in the crock pot! The meat turns out so tender and flavorful. We keep coming back to this over and over.
Very yummy recipe! We love all of the recipes on this page!
I use this recipe to fill shredded beer burritos
I make this all the time and love it. My husband loves it and anytime I’ve had friends for dinner and made it, it gets rave reviews. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe with us!
This was so flavorful and perfectly balanced. Served it as burrito bowls with cilantro lime rice and all the toppings. I substituted a beef bouillon cube for the 1/2 cup broth (decreased the salt by a smidge) just to decrease the amount of overall liquid at the end of cooking. This is a keeper.
This is a fantastic barbacoa recipe! Serving over baked potatoes with fresh cilantro, guacamole. And all the fixings is even more delicious than serving in tortillas. LOVE this recipe!!
Amazing delicious family loved it will cook again soon
I love making and eating different kinds of Spanish cuisine, leaning more towards Mexican since my mother in law is from Guadalajara. This recipe doesn’t even touch the flavors of our favorite local mom and pop authentic Mexican taco place. Best Barbacoa I have ever had, and so easy to make. I just told my spouse this recipe is the epitome of “umami” flavor. So good. Recipe is going in my books to make again and again.
The best recipe by far! I have made it so much I just eyeball everything now 😂 We add more chiles because we love spice, and serve it burrito style on whole wheat carb balance tortillas with crema, cilantro and monterary jack cheese! delish!
This was literally the best recipe for anything that I’ve ever tried. My mother in law came over unexpectedly that night and I was devastated I had to offer her some because I wanted more for left overs. I decided to put everything but the meat and bay leaves in the food processor first and it was perfect. Will try not blending next time. I’ve been waiting over a month for chuck roast to go on sale so I could make it again but I’m going out today and won’t tell the husband I paid full price because I just want this so bad again. Thank you!
ME TOO! It’s almost bizarre how great this is with no changes whatsoever…making it again today…smh…;o]…Teresa
PS: THANK YOU, ALI!!!
I made this tonight with some Mexican rice and refried beans. Garnish for tacos , diced white onion and chopped cilantro with lime juice . And of course corn tortillas . Oh my goodness this stuff is amazing! Thank you so much for sharing
My whole family loved this recipe! It was sooo good!
I made this for our 4th of July gathering to make Barbacoa Burrito Bowls. I was buying this dish from a local place quite frequently, so thought I’d give it a try myself. I asked them if they used cheek meat and they said no, they use a different cut, so I went with the chuck roast. I did not trim the fat. I had 4 lbs, so I added a little extra of each ingredient. I used 3 chipotle’s with some of the adobo sauce and liked the spice level. I mixed all the ingredients into the slow cooker except salt and pepper. I cut the beef into 2 inch chunks and salted and peppered each piece to ensure the right amount. Then I mixed the beef into the rest of the ingredients. Turned it on low and left to go boating. When we came back 9 hours later, it was perfectly cooked. Shredded it, mixed it all up again and let it sit while I prepared the rest of the ingredients for the burrito bowls. Really, really good!
Recipe calls for 2 pieces of chipotle in adobo sauce, chopped or 2 cans of chipotles in adobo sauce?
We love this recipe!! It never disappoints. Easy meal to throw in the crockpot before work and come home to a delicious meal. Thank you!
Second time I’ve made it. Kitchen smelled so good all day. Just took a taste it’s Delish!
Great recipe! Made it about 10 times and know getting special requests for it. I love the smell and taste of it. It’s soooo good.
I’m trying this out for the first time this weekend wish me 🤞🏼
Had Barbacoa today, and authentic Mexican Barbacoa uses Cow Cheek and Cow lip. Some even use Cow tongue. You can definitely tasted the difference.
I have made this recipe over and over and it’s always a hit. I blend all the ingredients to make a chile sauce then dump it all on the meat in crockpot.
This recipe is a treasure.
Is this spicy? Would like to make for a group but not spicy is a must. Thanks!
Can you you tell me if the recipe is for 2 peppers or 2 cans of chipotle peppers?
Hotter than hell! And I didn’t use the can of green chiles. Next time I would use one can of chiles with adobo and the can of green chiles. It’s great barbacoa though!
Delicious! I halved the recipe to start because I wasn’t sure how it would come out. I made burrito bowls with it. Cilantro lime rice, guacamole, cheese, beans and sour cream.
Next time I will double the recipe as written so I can freeze portions of the meat for enchiladas, tacos and burrito bowls.
Thank you for a great recipe!
I made this the other night for dinner and it is the best barbacoa recipe I’ve tried yet! Soooo tasty. I couldn’t get over how flavorful it was. Definitely keeping this in the rotation and have already shared this recipe with others :)
Really good. My two sons ate an alarming amount of it on taco night. I did find it fairly soupy, however. Next time (and there will be a next time) I may ratchet down the added liquid. Overall, a keeper.
I know it won’t be the same, but is there any acceptable substitute for the chipotles on adobo? I live in ND and couldn’t find them at our grocery stores. Thanks!