Description
This slow cooker barbacoa transforms tough beef into melt-in-your-mouth meat with a fraction of the effort. Taco Tuesday just got an upgrade!
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 lbs (1.8 kg) beef chuck roast or beef shoulder, trimmed of excess fat
- 4 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped, plus 2 tablespoons of the sauce
- 1 small onion, finely diced (about 1 cup)
- ¼ cup (60 ml) fresh lime juice (approximately 2–3 limes)
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 3 tablespoons ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano (preferably Mexican)
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 bay leaves
- ¼ cup (60 ml) beef broth or water
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped (plus more for serving)
Instructions
- Trim excess fat from beef chuck roast and cut into 3-4 inch chunks. In a blender, combine garlic, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, onion, lime juice, apple cider vinegar, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth.
- Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear beef chunks on all sides until browned, about 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer to slow cooker.
- Pour blended spice mixture over the beef. Add bay leaves and beef broth. Cover and cook on low for 8-9 hours or on high for 4-5 hours until meat falls apart easily.
- Remove bay leaves. Transfer meat to a bowl and let rest for 15-20 minutes. Shred with two forks, then return to slow cooker with about 1 cup of cooking liquid. Stir in fresh cilantro and cook on low for an additional 15-30 minutes.
- Optional: For crispy edges, spread a portion of shredded barbacoa on a baking sheet and broil for 3-5 minutes until edges are slightly charred.
- Serve in warm tortillas with your favorite toppings like diced onion, additional cilantro, and lime wedges.