Slow Cooker Barbacoa (Flavorful, Succulent, Easy to Make!)

Slow Cooker Barbacoa (Flavorful, Succulent, Easy to Make!)

Slow Cooker Barbacoa is the most flavorful, succulent beef, bursting with chipotles, garlic, cilantro, and Mexican spices. It's easy to make in the crockpot and delicious in tacos, burritos, rice bowls, salads, and more!

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mexican

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 8

Total Time 8 15

Servings servings

Calories 371kcal

Author Samantha Skaggs

Equipment

Ingredients

3 pounds boneless beef chuck roast
Salt & freshly ground black pepper
6 large cloves garlic
½ cup packed cilantro leaves
1 to 4 canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce plus 1 to 2 tablespoons reserved sauce
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon cumin
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons garlic salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 bay leaf
6 ounces beef broth
6 ounces Mexican beer

Instructions

Generously season the beef chuck roast on both sides with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place in the bottom of a large slow cooker.
In a small or regular food processor, pulse the garlic until chopped. Add the cilantro leaves and pulse until minced. Add the chipotle peppers plus adobo sauce, lime juice, tomato paste, cumin, chili powder, garlic salt, and oregano. Secure lid and process until blended into a paste. (Alterntively, you may use a knife to mince the garlic, cilantro, and chipotle(s), then stir in the remaining ingredients until well combined.)
Spread half of the chipotle mixture over the top of the roast. Carefully flip the roast over and spread the remaining mixture over the other side. Pour the beef broth and beer into the bottom of the slow cooker (without washing the chipotle mixture off the roast). Drop in the bay leaf. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours or until fall-apart tender.
Remove the roast to a cutting board. Skim fat from the top of the cooking liquid, if necessary, and remove the bay leaf. Slice the beef into chunks and then shred into pieces with two forks, removing and discarding any fat. Return the shredded meat to the slow cooker, stir to soak up the liquid, and reheat until warm. Use tongs or a slotted spoon to serve as a filling for tacos, burritos, enchiladas, quesadillas, or on top of a rice bowl or salad. Refrigerate the leftover meat in the reserved cooking liquid for up to 5 days.

Video

Notes

Adjust the amount of chipotle peppers and adobo sauce for more or less heat.
1 to 3 teaspoons of chipotle chile pepper powder may be substituted if you don't have a can of chipotles in adobo.
A dark beer is recommended, even better if it's a Mexican dark beer (such as Negra Modelo). However, if you wish, you may substitute all beef broth for the beer.

Nutrition