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Barbacoa-Style Shredded Beef

This barbacoa recipe cooks the beef in a flavorful barbacoa sauce in the slow cooker until it's fall-apart tender and easy to shred. It's similar to what you'd get at Chipotle's and perfect for nachos, tacos, and burritos.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours 10 minutes
Total Time 8 hours 55 minutes
Course lunch/dinner
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 8 people
Calories 2129.3 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Slow Cooker
  • 1 Large Skillet For browning beef
  • 1 Mixing Bowl For preparing the barbacoa sauce
  • 2 Forks For shredding the cooked beef
  • 1 Cutting Board For shredding beef

Ingredients
  

Main

  • 1 3 pound beef chuck roast, cut into 6 to 8 chunks
  • salt and ground black pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • ½ cup beef broth
  • ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
  • ¼ cup fresh lime juice
  • 4 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce chopped
  • 5 cloves garlic chopped
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • 3 large bay leaves

Instructions
 

  • Season beef chunks with salt and pepper on all sides. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, cook and stir beef until browned, 4 to 5 minutes per batch. Transfer browned beef to a slow cooker. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Mix broth, vinegar, lime juice, chipotle peppers, garlic, cumin, oregano, and cloves together in a bowl until well combined. Season mixture with salt and pepper and pour over beef in the slow cooker. Stir in bay leaves. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Cook on Low until beef is fork-tender, 8 to 10 hours. Discard bay leaves. Remove beef from the cooker and shred using two forks. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Return beef to the slow cooker and stir to coat with sauce. Let marinate for at least 10 minutes before serving. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

Notes

Ensure the beef chuck is well-seared in batches; this step is crucial for developing deep, rich flavor through the Maillard reaction. Do not overcrowd the skillet. The extended slow cooking is vital for achieving the desired fall-apart tender texture; resist opening the lid frequently, as it extends cooking time. For an extra layer of flavor, consider adding a touch of liquid smoke or a rehydrated guajillo chile to the sauce. Allowing the shredded beef to rest and reabsorb its juices after cooking will significantly enhance its succulence and flavor profile. Adjust the amount of chipotle peppers to control the spice level according to preference.