Slow-cook your way to tender, flavorful Barbacoa. Perfect for burritos and tacos.
I’ll admit, I used to have a “Chipotle habit.” I loved their barbacoa, and it was just so easy to order on the app and pick up dinner or a late-night snack. However, it adds up, so I decided to see if I could try making my own barbacoa. As I found out, it’s super easy and way more economical!
If the word “barbacoa” reminds you of the word “barbecue,” that’s no coincidence. Originally, barbacoa was pretty much barbecued meat. The method of cooking meat outdoors slowly in a smoky pit has been around for centuries. Indigenous people of the Caribbean and Mexico had perfected it by the time the Spanish colonizers arrived. The Spanish noticed how this method was a great way to preserve meat in the hot climate. Today, barbacoa—which is slow-cooked beef, lamb, or goat—is most often associated with Northern Mexico.
You will love making your own barbacoa at home because it is a largely hands-off method of cooking chuck roast that delivers a lot of flavor. This is a super versatile recipe that you can use for burritos, bowls, tacos, or any number of Tex-Mex dishes. Since you’re making it from scratch, you can customize the level of heat based on your family’s preferences.
What Is Adobo Sauce?
Adobo sauce is a key ingredient in barbacoa. It is a dark, rich sauce often made from chile peppers, tomatoes, garlic, vinegar, and a range of spices—usually pepper, paprika, cinnamon and oregano. Adobo sauce is used in a lot of Tex-Mex dishes to impart a smoky, zesty flavor to beef, chicken, or beans.
How Do I Store Leftovers?
Let the cooked meat cool, and it will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days. Or, place the cooled meat in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Let the frozen meat thaw gently overnight in the fridge before using, and reheat on the stovetop until warmed through.
Serving Suggestions
Barbacoa tastes amazing in burritos, whether in a burrito bowl or used in Shredded Beef Burritos. Craving nachos? Swap out the ground beef with delicious barbacoa in Oven-Baked Nachos. As far as what to serve with barbacoa, rice is always a winner. For another side, consider this Mexican Street Corn Salad. And don’t forget the chips and homemade Salsa!
Barbacoa
Ingredients
- 4 pounds beef chuck roast cut into 2 1/2-inch chunks
- 1 large yellow onion diced
- 3 chipotles in adobo sauce finely diced
- 2 tablespoons adobo sauce
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 4 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 4 teaspoons ground cumin
- 3/4 tablespoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 cup beef stock
- 1/3 cup water
- 3 bay leaves
- Fresh chopped cilantro for serving
- Lime wedges for serving
Instructions
- Place beef, onion, chipotles, adobo sauce, garlic, lime juice, cumin, oregano, salt, black pepper, and cloves in the slow cooker.
- Mix well to ensure the beef is evenly coated with the spices.
- Pour beef stock and water over the mixture and add bay leaves.
- Cover and set the slow cooker on low for 8 hours, until the beef is tender and shreds easily.
- Remove the beef from the slow cooker and shred using two forks.
- Return the shredded beef to the slow cooker, stir to mix with the juices, and let it sit for an additional 10 minutes to soak up the flavors. Remove bay leaves.
- Serve hot with fresh cilantro on top and lime wedges for squeezing.
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