Slow Cooker Beef Barbacoa

Contents

Tender and Juicy Slow Cooker Beef BarbacoaWhat is Barbacoa?Ingredients ListHow to Cook Beef Barbacoa

Tender and Juicy Slow Cooker Beef Barbacoa

If you’re a fan of Chipotle’s shredded beef, you will love this homemade Slow Cooker Beef Barbacoa. Chuck roast is slow-cooked in a rich, spicy sauce made with chipotle peppers in adobo, garlic, lime juice, cumin, and oregano until it is melt-in-your-mouth tender. It’s the perfect filling for tacos, burritos, quesadillas, or grain bowls.

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What is Barbacoa?

Traditionally, barbacoa is a method of cooking meat (often beef, goat, or lamb) slowly over an open fire or in a pit dug in the ground. This slow cooker recipe mimics that slow, low-temperature cooking, allowing the tough connective tissue in chuck roast to break down completely, resulting in incredibly juicy, shreddable beef.

Ingredients List

• Beef Chuck Roast (3 lbs): Trimmed of excess fat and cut into 4 large chunks.
• Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce (3 peppers): Plus 2 tbsp of the sauce.
• Beef Broth (1/2 cup) & Lime Juice (1/4 cup): The braising liquids.
• Apple Cider Vinegar (2 tbsp): Adds brightness and tenderizes the meat.
• Garlic (4 cloves): Minced.
• Ground Cumin (1 tbsp) & Dried Oregano (1 tbsp): Key Mexican spices.
• Bay Leaves (3 leaves): Simmered with the meat.
• Salt & Pepper: To taste.

How to Cook Beef Barbacoa

1. Sear the Beef (Optional but Recommended): Heat oil in a skillet over high heat. Season the beef chunks with salt and pepper and sear on all sides until browned. Transfer to the slow cooker.
2. Make the Sauce: In a blender or food processor, combine the chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, beef broth, lime juice, apple cider vinegar, garlic, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth.
3. Slow Cook: Pour the sauce over the beef in the slow cooker. Toss in the bay leaves. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours (or HIGH for 4 hours) until the beef pulls apart easily with two forks.
4. Shred & Soak: Remove the beef and shred it using two forks. Discard the bay leaves. Return the shredded beef to the slow cooker and let it soak in the juices for 10 minutes before serving.

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