Slow Cooker Beef Barbacoa (Printable)
Succulent Mexican-style shredded beef slow-cooked with chipotle peppers and spices until tender.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Meats
01 - 2.5 lbs beef chuck roast, cut into large chunks
→ Vegetables & Aromatics
02 - 1 large yellow onion, chopped
03 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped
05 - 1 jalapeño, seeded and chopped (optional, for extra heat)
06 - 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
07 - 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
→ Spices & Seasonings
08 - 1 tbsp ground cumin
09 - 1 tbsp dried oregano
10 - 2 tsp smoked paprika
11 - 1 1/2 tsp sea salt
12 - 1 tsp ground black pepper
13 - 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
14 - 2 bay leaves
→ Liquids
15 - 1 cup beef broth
16 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
# Directions:
01 - In a small bowl, combine ground cumin, dried oregano, smoked paprika, sea salt, black pepper, and cinnamon. Mix thoroughly until evenly blended.
02 - Place the beef chuck chunks into the slow cooker. Sprinkle the spice blend over the meat and toss until every piece is evenly coated.
03 - Scatter the chopped onion, minced garlic, chopped chipotle peppers, and jalapeño over and around the seasoned beef in the slow cooker.
04 - In a separate bowl, whisk together the fresh lime juice, apple cider vinegar, beef broth, and tomato paste until smooth. Pour the liquid evenly over the beef and vegetables.
05 - Tuck the bay leaves into the liquid. Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 8 hours, or until the beef is fork-tender and shreds apart effortlessly.
06 - Remove and discard the bay leaves. Using two forks, shred the beef directly in the slow cooker, mixing it thoroughly with the cooking juices to absorb maximum flavor.
07 - Serve hot in warm corn tortillas, burritos, or over rice, accompanied by fresh cilantro, diced onion, lime wedges, and your preferred toppings.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The combination of chipotle peppers and cinnamon creates a deeply complex flavor that tastes like it took all day to develop because it actually did but you barely had to do anything.
- This recipe makes enough for a crowd or a full week of meals and the leftovers somehow taste even more incredible the next day.
02 -
- Resist every urge to lift the lid during cooking because each peek adds roughly fifteen to twenty minutes to your cook time and lets precious moisture escape.
- The beef is ready when it yields to the fork with almost no resistance and if it still feels tough give it another thirty minutes to finish breaking down.
03 -
- Cut the beef into large chunks rather than one solid piece because more surface area means more seasoning penetration and faster more even cooking.
- After shredding let the beef sit in the juices for about ten minutes with the slow cooker on warm so every strand drinks up maximum flavor before serving.