Barbacoa Beef

Barbacoa Beef

Main Course
349 kcal / serving

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!

Ingredients

  • 3 lbchuck roast
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tbspvegetable oil
  • 1 ¼ cupsbeef broth, (divided)
  • 3chipotle chilies in adobo
  • 6garlic cloves
  • 1 ½ tbspground cumin
  • 1 tbspdried oregano
  • ¼ tspground cloves
  • 3bay leaves
  • ¼ cupfresh lime juice

Directions

  1. 1

    Cut roast into 6 portions while removing any large pieces of fat. Heat 1 Tbsp vegetable oil in a skillet. 

  2. 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. 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. 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. 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. 6

    Cover and cook on low heat 8 - 9 hours**.

  7. 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. 8

    Strain liquid from beef and serve in tortillas with desired toppings.