Slow Cooker Beef Barbacoa (Printable Version)
Slow-cooked beef barbacoa with chipotle, cumin, and lime—tender, smoky shredded beef for tacos, bowls, and burritos.
# What You Need:
→ Meats
01 - 3.3 lbs beef chuck roast, trimmed and cut into large chunks
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 large white onion, chopped
03 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped
05 - 1 lime, juiced
→ Spices & Seasonings
06 - 1 tbsp ground cumin
07 - 1 tbsp dried oregano
08 - 2 tsp smoked paprika
09 - 2 tsp salt
10 - 1 tsp ground black pepper
11 - 2 bay leaves
→ Liquids
12 - 1/2 cup beef broth
13 - 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
# How To Make:
01 - Scatter the chopped onion and minced garlic evenly across the bottom of the slow cooker.
02 - Arrange the trimmed beef chuck chunks over the onion and garlic layer in the slow cooker.
03 - In a small mixing bowl, combine the chopped chipotle peppers, lime juice, ground cumin, dried oregano, smoked paprika, salt, black pepper, apple cider vinegar, and beef broth. Whisk until well blended.
04 - Pour the seasoning sauce evenly over the beef. Tuck the bay leaves into the liquid around the meat.
05 - Secure the lid and cook on the low setting for 8 hours, or until the beef is fork-tender and shreds apart effortlessly.
06 - Discard the bay leaves. Using two forks, shred the beef directly in the slow cooker and stir thoroughly to absorb the cooking juices.
07 - Serve hot with warm tortillas, over steamed rice, or in burrito bowls. Garnish as desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The beef comes out so tender it practically falls apart when you look at it funny, making you feel like a genius with almost zero effort.
- It makes the house smell incredible for hours, which is basically aromatherapy disguised as dinner prep.
02 -
- Resist the urge to lift the lid during cooking because each peek lets out roughly thirty minutes of accumulated heat and extends the total time.
- The barbacoa tastes noticeably better the next day, so making it a night ahead is actually a strategy and not just laziness.
03 -
- Trim most of the hard fat off the chuck but leave some behind because it renders down into the juices and makes the final sauce richer.
- If the juices seem too thin after shredding, let the cooker run on high uncovered for twenty minutes to reduce and concentrate everything.