Barbacoa Beef

Name: Barbacoa Beef
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 8 h
Total time: 8 h 20 min
Yield: 8 serving
Ingredients: 3 lb chuck roast; Salt and freshly ground black pepper; 2 Tbsp vegetable oil; 1 1/4 cups beef broth; 3 - 4 chipotle chilies in adobo*; 6 garlic cloves; 1 1/2 Tbsp ground cumin; 1 Tbsp dried oregano; 1/4 tsp ground cloves; 3 bay leaves; 1/4 cup fresh lime juice

User Reviews

5.0

201 reviews

Excellent

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

Barbacoa Beef

Iris Warren

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The best Barbacoa Beef recipe! This flavorful meat is deliciously seasoned and cooked low and slow until perfectly tender. Layer it in tortillas with all your favorite toppings for a crave-worthy dinner!

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Ingredients

Servings

3 lb chuck roast
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 1/4 cups beef broth, divided
3 - 4 chipotle chilies in adobo*
6 garlic cloves
1 1/2 Tbsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp ground cloves
3 bay leaves
1/4 cup fresh lime juice

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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

*If you don't like spicy food replace chipotle chiles with 4 tsp mild chili powder instead.
** I don't recommend cooking on high heat for this recipe, low cooking will achieve the most tender results.
Recipe first shared April 24, 2015, photos have been updated and recipe updated to include just 1/4 tsp cloves instead of 1/2 tsp.