Barbacoa Beef
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
20 mins
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Cook Time
8 hrs
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Total Time
8 hrs 20 mins
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Servings
8
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Mexican
Barbacoa Beef
Description
The Barbacoa Beef recipe starts with trimming and cutting a chuck roast into portions that are then seared to develop a browned crust, enhancing flavor through the Maillard reaction. The seared beef is arranged in a slow cooker and covered with a sauce blended from chipotle chilies in adobo, garlic, beef broth, ground cumin, oregano, ground cloves, and bay leaves.
Cooking on low heat for 8 to 9 hours breaks down the connective tissue and fat, rendering the beef extraordinarily tender and easy to shred. The sauce imparts a smoky heat from the chipotle and a depth from warm spices with a hint of citrus brightness from the lime juice stirred in after cooking.
Once shredded and mixed back into the sauce, the beef can be served as filling for tacos, burritos, or alongside rice and beans. The long cooking process develops complex flavors and a juicy, tender texture well suited for slow-cooked barbacoa.
This recipe advises using mild chili powder for less heat if desired and recommends low heat cooking to achieve tender results. Adjust spice and seasoning according to taste after cooking to balance flavors.
Ingredients
- 3 lb chuck roast
- salt freshly ground
- black pepper freshly ground
- 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 1/4 cups beef broth divided
- 3 - 4 chipotle chilies in adobo sauce
- 6 garlic cloves
- 1 1/2 Tbsp cumin ground
- 1 Tbsp oregano dried
- 1/4 tsp cloves ground
- 3 bay leaf
- 1/4 cup lime juice fresh
Instructions
- Cut roast into 6 portions while removing any large pieces of fat. Heat 1 Tbsp vegetable oil in a skillet.
- Dab roast dry with paper towels, season with salt and pepper (about 1 tsp salt 3/4 tsp pepper). Add 3 pieces to skillet and sear until browned on all sides. Transfer to a slow cooker.
- Add remaining 1 Tbsp vegetable oil to skillet and repeat process with remaining 3 roast pieces. Nestle beef portions side by side in an even layer in slow cooker.
- In a food processor, pulse together chipotle chilies, garlic and 1/4 cup beef broth until well pureed, occasionally stopping and scraping down sides of processor.
- In a 2 cup liquid measuring cup or in a bowl, whisk together remaining beef broth with chipotle mixture, cumin, oregano and cloves. Pour mixture over beef in slow cooker, then nestle bay leaves between beef portions.
- Cover and cook on low heat 8 - 9 hours**.
- Remove beef from slow cooker (leave broth) and shred. Stir lime juice into broth in slow cooker then return beef to slow cooker and cook on low or warm 20 - 30 minutes longer.
- Strain liquid from beef and serve in tortillas with desired toppings.
Notes
- For a milder flavor, replace chipotle chilies with 4 teaspoons of mild chili powder.
- Cook on low heat to ensure maximum tenderness; high heat is not recommended for this recipe.
- Use freshly ground salt and pepper to season the beef before searing for best flavor.
- After cooking, stir in fresh lime juice to brighten the sauce just before serving.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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