Servings
Font
Back
0 from 279 votes

Barbacoa Recipe

This beef barbacoa recipe combines juicy and tender beef with delicious spices and seasonings. Use in tacos, burritos, gorditas, and more!

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
8 hrs 15 mins
Total Time
8 hrs 30 mins
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 307 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican

Ingredients

  • 3-4 pounds boneless beef chuck roast
  • kosher salt (enough to generously coat meat)
  • freshly ground black pepper (enough to generously coat meat)
  • 2 ½ tablespoons oil, divided
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup beer (broth or water also work)
  • ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 lime, juiced
  • 4 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, diced
  • 1 tablespoon ancho chili powder (or regular chili powder)
  • 1 tablespoon regular chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano (Mexican oregano preferred)
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • 2 bay leaves
  • for serving: chopped cilantro, diced onions, warm tortillas, and lime wedges

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Cut the beef chuck roast into large 4-inch chunks, removing any large pieces of fat. Generously season all sides of the meat with salt and black pepper.
  2. Heat 1 ½ tablespoons of oil in a large skillet (cast-iron works great for this) over medium-high heat. Add in 3 or 4 pieces of meat and brown it on all sides, flipping every minute. When browned, transfer to a plate and set aside. Continue working in batches until all the meat is browned.
  3. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and the onions. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring often, making sure to scrape up any brown bits on the bottom of the pot.
  4. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
  5. Add the beer (or broth or water), apple cider vinegar, lime juice, chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, ancho chili powder, chili powder, ground cumin, dried oregano, ground cloves, and bay leaves. Stir together to combine and remove it from the heat.
  6. Add the seared meat into a large slow cooker and pour the liquid mixture on top. Toss everything to combine. (Instructions for how to make this in the oven or the Instant Pot are in the Tips section below.)
  7. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours (or on high for 5 hours).
  8. Transfer the meat to a large plate or bowl and shred it with two forks. The meat should be fall-apart tender.
  9. Add the shredded beef back into the slow cooker and let it sit for 10 minutes to soak up all the juices. Taste and season with more salt if necessary.
  10. Serve in tacos, gorditas, sopes, huaraches, or with a side of refried beans and Mexican rice.

Notes

  • Oven Instructions: Same as above, except sear the meat and cook the onion and broth mixture in a large Dutch oven or oven-safe pot. Braise everything in a 325°F oven for 4 hours.
  • Instant Pot Instructions: Same as above, except use the Instant Pot's sauté function to sear the meat and cook the onion and broth mixture. Once the broth mixture is done, toss everything together to combine. Close the lid of the pressure cooker and move the valve to the sealing position. Press the Manual or Pressure Cook button to high pressure, and cook for 60 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then release the remaining pressure using the vent valve.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1serving Calories 307kcal (15%) Carbohydrates 5g (2%) Protein 27g (54%) Fat 19g (29%) Saturated Fat 7g (35%) Polyunsaturated Fat 2g Monounsaturated Fat 10g Trans Fat 1g Cholesterol 94mg (31%) Sodium 140mg (6%) Potassium 534mg (15%) Fiber 2g (8%) Sugar 1g (2%) Vitamin A 506IU (10%) Vitamin C 3mg (3%) Calcium 45mg (5%) Iron 4mg (22%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 10servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 307

% Daily Value*

Serving 1serving
Calories 307kcal 15%
Carbohydrates 5g 2%
Protein 27g 54%
Fat 19g 29%
Saturated Fat 7g 35%
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g 12%
Monounsaturated Fat 10g 50%
Trans Fat 1g 50%
Cholesterol 94mg 31%
Sodium 140mg 6%
Potassium 534mg 11%
Fiber 2g 8%
Sugar 1g 2%
Vitamin A 506IU 10%
Vitamin C 3mg 3%
Calcium 45mg 5%
Iron 4mg 22%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.