Slow Cooker Beef Barbacoa (Printer-Friendly)
Tender, spice-infused shredded beef slow-cooked for 8 hours. Perfect for tacos, burritos, or rice bowls.
# 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
# How to Make It:
01 - In a small mixing bowl, combine ground cumin, dried oregano, smoked paprika, sea salt, black pepper, and cinnamon. Stir until evenly blended.
02 - Arrange the beef chuck pieces in the slow cooker. Sprinkle the spice blend generously over the meat and toss until every piece is thoroughly and evenly coated.
03 - Scatter the chopped onion, minced garlic, chipotle peppers, and jalapeño (if using) 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 aromatics.
05 - Tuck the bay leaves into the liquid around the beef to infuse flavor during cooking.
06 - Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 8 hours, or until the beef is fall-apart tender and shreds effortlessly with minimal pressure.
07 - Discard the bay leaves. Using two forks, shred the beef directly in the slow cooker, allowing it to absorb and mix with the rich cooking juices.
08 - Serve the barbacoa hot in warm corn or flour tortillas, burritos, or over steamed rice. Garnish with fresh cilantro, diced onion, and lime wedges as desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The combination of chipotle peppers and cinnamon creates this deeply complex flavor that tastes like it took far more effort than it actually did.
- It makes a massive batch that reheats beautifully, which means you can eat like royalty for days with almost no extra work.
02 -
- Resist the temptation to cook on HIGH to save time, because the texture will be noticeably less tender and the sauce will not develop the same depth.
- The barbacoa genuinely tastes better the next day after the flavors have had time to mingle in the fridge overnight.
03 -
- Do not trim all the fat off the chuck before cooking, because that fat is what keeps the meat succulent through eight hours of slow cooking.
- Save the leftover liquid after shredding and spoon it generously over each serving, because that concentrated sauce is liquid gold.