Beef Barbacoa - Mexican Pulled Beef for Tacos and everything!
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
10 mins
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Cook Time
8 hrs 15 mins
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Servings
10
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Calories
372 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Mexican
Beef Barbacoa - Mexican Pulled Beef for Tacos and everything!
Description
Beef Barbacoa uses rich and connective tissue-heavy cuts like beef cheeks or chuck, which break down during long slow cooking to produce tender, juicy shredded meat. Initial seasoning with salt and pepper and searing develop deeper flavor via browning. The sauce blends smoky chipotle chiles in adobo, tangy apple cider vinegar and lime juice, aromatic spices such as cumin, oregano, and cloves, and the malted depth of dark ale or substitute broth, which all meld during cooking.
Cooking in a slow cooker for eight hours on low ensures the meat becomes effortlessly shreddable and infused with the sauce's flavors. After shredding, some sauce is returned to the meat for moistness and flavor coating. Barbacoa is typically served in tacos with various fixings, showcasing its rich flavor and tender texture.
The recipe offers alternative cooking methods like high heat slow cooker, pressure cooker, or oven braising. Additional tips include freezing leftover chipotles, substituting chipotle powder and smoked paprika for the chiles, and making a lime cream sauce to pair with the barbacoa. Leftovers keep well refrigerated and freeze easily.
Ingredients
- 2kg / 4 lb beef cheek or chuck beef(see Note 1
- 1 tsp salt , kosher/cooking
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil , for searing
- 4 bay leaf
Barbacoa Sauce:
- 4 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce (Note 2)
- 3/4 cup dark ale Note 3, beer or low sodium beef broth/stock
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 4 tbsp lime juice
- 6 garlic cloves
- 4 tsp cumin ground
- 2 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp cloves ground
Instructions
- Cut beef: Cut large cheeks in half so you have around 12 - 15 pieces cheeks. If using chuck, cut into 12 or so pieces.
- Season: Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Brown beef: Heat oil in a large pot or skillet over high heat. Sear beef in batches, browning aggressively all over. Place beef in slow cooker.
- Blitz sauce: Place Barbacoa Sauce ingredients in a blender, food processor or similar (I use a Nutribullet). Blend until smooth – it shouldn't take long.
- Slow cooker (see Note 4 for alt. cooking methods): Pour sauce over cheeks in slow cooker. Add bay leaves. Arrange cheeks so they are submerged as much as possible. Don't worry, they will release juice as they cook and raise the liquid level.
- Slow-cook for 8 hours on low. The beef should be effortless to shred when done.
- Shred: Remove cheeks from slow cooker into a pan. Shred using 2 forks.
- Sauce: Pour over 3 or 4 ladles of the sauce, then toss.
- Serve: Use in tacos with taco fixings of choice! Pictured with Mexican Red Rice, Pickled Red Cabbage for Tacos (in this Fish Tacos recipe) and Lime Crema (Note 5).
Notes
- For best texture and flavor, use beef cheeks, but well-marbled beef chuck is a suitable alternative.
- Store leftover chipotle chiles in adobo in a small zipper bag flat in the freezer for convenient portioning.
- Substitute chipotles in adobo with a mix of chipotle powder, smoked paprika, and sriracha if unavailable.
- The dark ale adds depth and color but can be replaced with low-sodium beef broth or stock.
- Alternative cooking methods include high setting on slow cooker (6 hours), pressure cooker (1 hour), or oven braising at 160°C (320°F) for 3 to 3.5 hours covered.
- Make a lime cream sauce by mixing full-fat sour cream with lime juice, lemon zest, grated garlic, and salt; keeps refrigerated for 3-4 days.
- Barbacoa stores well for up to 5 days refrigerated and freezes successfully.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 10Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 372 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 372cal | 19% |
| Carbohydrates | 3g | 1% |
| Protein | 35g | 70% |
| Fat | 24g | 37% |
| Saturated Fat | 11g | 55% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 125mg | 42% |
| Sodium | 419mg | 17% |
| Potassium | 653mg | 14% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 1g | 2% |
| Vitamin A | 189IU | 4% |
| Vitamin C | 2mg | 2% |
| Calcium | 52mg | 5% |
| Iron | 5mg | 28% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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