Description
This Slow Cooker Barbacoa recipe delivers tender, flavorful shredded beef infused with smoky chipotle, citrus, and aromatic spices. Perfectly slow cooked to melt-in-your-mouth perfection, it’s ideal for tacos, burritos, or hearty meals.
Ingredients
Scale
Beef
- 3 pounds beef chuck roast
Sauce
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- 6 garlic cloves
- 1 small onion
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon oregano
- 2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 lime (juiced)
- 1 orange (juiced)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
Instructions
- Prepare the sauce: Peel the garlic and onion, and cut the onion into large chunks. Add the onion, garlic, lime juice, orange juice, chipotle peppers, cumin, oregano, kosher salt, apple cider vinegar, and ground cloves to a food processor or blender. Blend for about 30 seconds until smooth with no chunks, forming a flavorful sauce.
- Set up the slow cooker: Cut the beef chuck roast into 4 evenly sized large chunks. Place the beef chunks into the slow cooker. Pour the prepared sauce evenly over the beef, ensuring all pieces are well coated.
- Cook the barbacoa: Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW heat for 6 to 7 hours. The long cooking time will tenderize the beef, infusing it with smoky and citrus flavors.
- Shred and serve: Once cooked, use forks to gently pull apart the beef into shredded pieces. Serve immediately as a filling for tacos, burritos, or any preferred dishes.
Notes
- Use chipotle peppers in adobo for rich smoky flavor; adjust amount to taste for heat.
- Cooking time may vary depending on slow cooker; beef should be fork-tender.
- This recipe pairs well with warm tortillas, fresh cilantro, and diced onions.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
- For a spicier version, add extra chipotle peppers or cayenne pepper.
