Slow Cooker Barbacoa
Smoky chipotle, warm spices, and fresh lime juice add bold flavor to this slow cooker barbacoa recipe. Pile the juicy, fall-apart tender beef into tortillas for epic tacos!
Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 4 to 5 pounds beef chuck roast
- 3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (from a 7 ounce can)
- 2 tablespoons adobo sauce (from the same can)
- ½ cup finely diced yellow onion (1 small onion)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup lime juice (about 2 limes)
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano (Mexican oregano is best, but any oregano is fine)
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- 1 cup low sodium beef broth
- 2 bay leaves
To serve (optional):
- chopped fresh cilantro, diced red onion, thinly sliced radishes, lime wedges, sour cream, crumbled queso fresco or cotija cheese, avocado, tortillas, rice, beans (see note 2)
Instructions
- Trim extra fat from the beef chuck roast and cut the meat into large chunks, about 2 to 3 inches. Transfer to a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker.4 to 5 pounds beef chuck roast
- Remove 3 chipotle peppers (see note 1) from the canned sauce and chop them finely. Measure out 2 tablespoons of the sauce. Add to slow cooker.3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, 2 tablespoons adobo sauce
- Add the remaining ingredients except bay leaves to the slow cooker. Toss to coat the beef evenly with the seasonings and sauce. Tuck in the bay leaves.½ cup finely diced yellow onion, 4 cloves garlic, minced, ¼ cup lime juice, 1 tablespoon ground cumin, 1 tablespoon dried oregano , 1½ teaspoons kosher salt, ½ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper, 1 cup low sodium beef broth, 2 bay leaves
- Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or high for 4 to 5 hours, until the beef is fork-tender and shreds easily.
- Remove the bay leaves and discard. Shred the beef on a large plate, using two forks. Return to slow cooker and stir to coat with the juices.
- Taste and adjust seasoning. Add salt, pepper, and/or lime juice, if desired. Keep on warm until ready to serve.
- Serve with your choice of toppings. Refer to note 2 for serving suggestions.
Notes
- Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce: Canned chipotle peppers can vary quite a lot in size. If they are very large, you may want to use 2 peppers instead of 3, depending on how spicy you like it. You can stir in additional peppers or sauce after the beef is cooked, if you taste it and decide it needs a little more spice.
- Serving suggestions: To make tacos, use a slotted spoon to serve the barbacoa on charred corn tortillas with chopped onion and cilantro. Serve barbacoa in bowls over rice with beans, corn, avocado. Make nachos by layering the barbacoa onto chips, topping with cheese and baking.
- Meal prep idea: Portion the meat into containers with grains and veggies to make bowls.
- Servings/portion size: I usually purchase 2 chuck roasts and trim them, ending up with 4 to 5 pounds of beef. Serving size will vary depending on how you serve the barbarcoa (tacos, bowls, etc.). I would say this recipe makes at least 8 servings but very likely more than that!
Nutrition
Calories: 445kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 45g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 156mg | Sodium: 1451mg | Potassium: 875mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 80IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 6mg
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