Description

This Slow-Cooker Barbacoa is a flavorful, melt-in-your-mouth Mexican-style beef recipe, perfect for tacos, burrito bowls, or even salads. Packed with warming spices, chipotle peppers, citrus, and garlic, it’s a set-it-and-forget-it meal ideal for busy weeknights or entertaining.

Ingredients

Units Scale

Beef

3 lbs beef chuck roast, trimmed and cut into large chunks

Barbacoa Sauce

3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (from a can)
1/4 cup fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
4 cloves garlic, peeled
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon ground ancho chili powder (or regular chili powder)
1/2 cup beef broth
2 tablespoons adobo sauce from the chipotle can

For Serving (Optional)

Corn or flour tortillas
Diced onions
Chopped fresh cilantro
Sliced radishes
Fresh lime wedges

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Prepare the Beef: Trim excess fat from the beef chuck roast and cut it into large chunks. Pat the pieces dry with a paper towel for better browning and flavor absorption.
Make the Sauce: In a blender or food processor, combine chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, lime juice, apple cider vinegar, garlic, cumin, oregano, ground cloves, salt, black pepper, chili powder, and beef broth. Blend until completely smooth.
Combine in Slow Cooker: Place the beef chunks in the bottom of a slow cooker. Pour the blended sauce mixture evenly over the meat, making sure all pieces are coated well.
Slow Cook the Barbacoa: Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours, or until the beef is incredibly tender and easily pulls apart with a fork. Alternatively, you can cook on high for 4-5 hours, but low and slow is best for texture and flavor.
Shred and Mix: Once cooked, use two forks to shred the beef directly in the slow cooker. Stir the shredded beef into the juices to keep it moist and flavorful.
Serve: Serve the barbacoa in warm tortillas, topped with diced onions, cilantro, radishes, and a fresh squeeze of lime. It’s also delicious over rice or greens for a burrito bowl.

Notes

Barbacoa can be made ahead and reheats beautifully—the flavors deepen as it sits.
For extra richness, you can sear the chunks of beef before adding to the slow cooker, but it’s not strictly necessary.
Adjust the spice level by reducing the number of chipotle peppers if you prefer it milder.
Leftovers freeze well for up to 2 months.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1/8 of recipe (about 3/4 cup shredded beef)
Calories: 260
Sugar: 2g
Sodium: 590mg
Fat: 13g
Saturated Fat: 5g
Unsaturated Fat: 7g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 5g
Fiber: 1g
Protein: 29g
Cholesterol: 92mg