Servings
Font
Back
Barbacoa Beef
5 from 201 votes

Barbacoa Beef

Barbacoa Beef slow cooks chuck roast pieces seared and simmered in a spiced sauce made from chipotle chilies, garlic, beef broth, cumin, oregano, cloves, bay leaves, and lime juice. This method yields tender, flavorful shredded beef with smoky and mildly spicy tones, enhanced by the smoky chipotle and aromatic spices. It is suited for tacos, burritos, or hearty mains.

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
8 hrs
Total Time
8 hrs 20 mins
Servings: 8
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican

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

    Cup of Yum
  1. Cut roast into 6 portions while removing any large pieces of fat. Heat 1 Tbsp vegetable oil in a skillet. 
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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. 
  6. Cover and cook on low heat 8 - 9 hours**.
  7. 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. 
  8. 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.